Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville, 1828

Genus Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 View in CoL

Description of the Scrapter carysomus species group

Species of this group are medium-sized (6.5–8.5 mm body length) bees, characterized by a ± squarish face, usually with inner eye margins parallel or slightly diverging ventrally, malar area medially narrow, almost linear and in particular a distinctly protruding, polished and shiny clypeus and supraclypeal area ( Figs 2–3 View Fig View Fig ). The latter is very conspicuous and unique in Scrapter , especially in females. Males are characterized by a large, apically broad and emarginate S7 with long and dense hair fringes on both sides of the emargination (e.g., Fig. 6C View Fig ). In the closest related species that belong to a group around S. capensis (Friese, 1909) , S. leonis Cockerell, 1934 and S. eremanthedon Davies, 2005 (sistergroup relationship supported by preliminary unpublished molecular-phylogenetic data) the clypeus and supraclypeal area are also protuberant, but to a much lesser extent and surfaces are more or less clearly and densely sculptured. Furthermore, their faces tend to be more transversely oval and the eyes usually converge ventrally.