Heriades luisa Rojas-Arias, Griswold & Ayala., 2025

Heriades luisa Rojas-Arias, Griswold & Ayala. sp. nov.

( Figs. 2N View FIGURE 2 , 20–21 View FIGURE 20 View FIGURE 21 )

Diagnosis. Clypeus in profile concave and strongly projected on apical margin; clypeus, supraclypeal area and scutum with small punctures (~0.2 times OD); propodeum with large pits ( Fig. 3I View FIGURE 3 ). Male: with well-defined paraocular pubescence; frons with erected hairs, but clypeus with plumose, thin, short, white hairs, almost transparent in frontal view ( Fig. 21A View FIGURE 21 ); posterior margin of S1 produced to median rounded angle, without emargination ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 Nb), in profile, with soft ventral angle less than one third of distance from apex to base ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 Na); posterior margin of S5 with two quadrate lobes, two to three lines of capitate hairs on top of it, and two small tufts of a few simple, thick, short hairs on top of two small, inner, smooth elevations ( Fig. 21E View FIGURE 21 ); S6 with one subapical tuft of a few capitate, thick, short erected ( Fig. 21F View FIGURE 21 ). Female: outer surface of mandible without tubercle; apical margin of clypeus without emargination and five well defined tubercles; apical tooth longer than the rest ( Fig. 21C View FIGURE 21 ).

Description. Male: Body length, 7.7 mm (6.7 – 7.7 mm, n=3); forewing length, 4.2 mm (4.1 – 4.2 mm, n=3).

Head. Length 1.5 mm (1.5–1.8 mm, n=3), width 1.8 mm (1.8–1.9 mm, n=3); eyes about 3.3 times longer than broad, 1.7 times wider than gena in profile; lower interocular distance 0.9 mm (0.8–0.9 mm, n=3); upper interocular distance 1.1 mm (1–1.1 mm, n=3); interantennal distance 1.5 times antennocular distance; lateral ocelli large ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ), 3.2 times DOP in interocellar area; interocellar distance 1.8 times OD, ocellocular distance 1.8 times OD, OPR 1.8 times OD; labrum with basal, medial, wide elevation with one cusp; clypeus 1.7 times broader than long, in profile strongly convex; apical margin without emargination; scape length 0.9 times alveolocellar distance, 3.2 times longer than wide; pedicel longer than broad, about 1.2 times longer than F1 and about 1.1 times longer than F2; flagellum black, F1 longer than broad, remaining flagellomeres 1.36 longer than F1; F11 2.0 times longer than broad. Mesosoma. Scutum 2.31 times longer than scutellum, 3.4 times longer than tegula, and 4.2 longer than axilla; intertegular distance 1.3 mm (1.3-1.4 mm, n=3); metanotum with transverse ridge, in posterior view straight; propodeum with large pits (I), 0.08 mm long; legs black. Metasoma. T1 1.5 mm broad (1.53-1.7 mm, n=3); T3 1.7 mm broad (1.7-1.9 mm, n=3); T6 with posterior margin not projected; posterior margin of S1 produced to median rounded angle, without emargination ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 Nb), in profile, with posterior margin projected and with soft ventral angle less than one third of distance from apex to base ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 Na).

Sculpturing. Clypeus with small (at base 0.2 times OD), contiguous, not coarse punctures, smaller towards disc and apical margin; supraclypeal area with smaller, denser punctures than those on base of clypeus; frons with bigger and coarser than those on supraclypeal area, and in frons in front of ocelli even bigger than frons; vertex with bigger, sparser and coarser punctures than on supraclypeal area, without micropunctures between punctures; hypostomal area with punctation slightly smaller and sparser than on clypeus; pronotum anterior surface with punctures sparser than on clypeus, denser on dorsolateral angles; disc of scutum with slightly denser punctures (0.2 times OD) than on vertex, without micropunctures between punctures; rest of mesosoma as on scutum except: scutellum with punctures bigger and sparser; mesepisternum with slightly bigger and slightly sparser punctures, irregularly shaped with micropunctures between punctures; metepisternum with notably smaller punctures, less dense and coarse; T1 with smaller (0.2 times OD), slightly sparser punctures; T2 with punctures smaller and sparser than on T1; T3 with smaller, less coarse punctures than on T1, semicircular shape, separated by half DOP; T4 with slightly bigger, denser and coarser punctures than on T3; T5 with smaller punctures than on T4; dorsal surface of T6 with smaller, denser, irregularly shaped punctures than on T5, on posterior surface with bigger and sparser punctation, DBP one third of DOP; sides of S1 with punctation bigger and sparser than on T1, on disc smaller and irregularly shaped; sides of S2 with punctures as on T1, disc of S2 microreticulate without punctation.

Vestiture. Sides of clypeus with plumose, white hairs, of similar length, directed ventrally, scattered on middle vertical line; supraclypeal area with few plumose, thin, golden, short hairs; frons with plumose, thin, long, white hairs directed dorsally ( Fig. 21A View FIGURE 21 ); pubescence in dorsolateral angles of pronotum not forming continuous, linear band with pubescence on anterior margin of scutum, and without tuft of thick, short hairs; disc of scutum with simple, thin, short, scattered, white hairs on its entire surface; mesepisternum with plumose, thin, short, white hairs, increasing in length towards dorsal surface; disc of metepisternum without characteristic tuft of plumose, thick, short, white hairs; tergal fasciae with rows of thin, long, white hairs ( Fig. 3L View FIGURE 3 ); T1 to T3 with simple, short, thin, white hairs in punctures; disc of T4 to T6 with simple, long, thick, whitish hairs in punctures increasing in length towards posterior terga ( Fig. 21D View FIGURE 21 ); posterior surface of S1 with few plumose, scattered, long whitish hairs.

Terminalia . Posterior margin of S5 sub-quadrate, strongly bilobated, with two quadrate lobes on top, three lines of capitate hairs on top of lobes, and two tufts of a few simple, thick, short hairs on top of two small, inner, smooth elevations (at base of lobes), with transverse, subapical line ( Fig. 21E View FIGURE 21 ); S6 with pointy, acute-angled apex, with very short and thin lamella, with one subapical tuft of a few capitate thick, short hairs erected ( Fig. 21F View FIGURE 21 ); capsule in dorsal view 1.03 mm length, and 0.52 mm width, 1.98 times longer than wide, gonobase 0.08 mm length, 5.75 times wider than long, and gonocoxite 0.45 mm length, gonostylus 0.95 mm length with acute apex, penis valve 0.71 mm length ( Fig. 21G View FIGURE 21 ).

Female: Body length 8.3 mm (7.5 – 8.6 mm, n=5); forewing length 4.6 mm (4.6 – 5.1 mm, n=5); similar to male except: Head. Length 1.9 mm (1.9 – 2.2 mm, n=5), width 1.9 mm (1.9 – 2 mm, n=5); eyes about 4.1 times longer than broad, 1.2 times wider than gena in profile; lower interocular distance 1 mm; upper interocular distance 1.1 mm; interantennal distance 1.6 times antennocular distance; interocellar distance 1.8 times OD, ocellocular distance 1.8 times OD, OPR 1.9 times OD; labrum with one rounded, basal, median tubercle; dorsal margin of mandible with carina; clypeus without emargination and apical margin with five rounded, small tubercles ( Fig. 21C View FIGURE 21 ); scape 3.2 times longer than broad; pedicel 1.3 longer than broad, about 2 times longer than F1 and 1.6 longer than F2; remaining flagellomeres 1.8 longer than F1. Mesosoma. Scutum 2.9 times longer than scutellum; intertegular distance 1.5 mm (1.2 – 1.6 mm, n=5). Metasoma. T1 1.7 mm broad (1.7 – 1.8 mm, n=5). T3 1.9 mm broad (1.9 – 2.1 mm, n=5).

Sculpturing. Clypeus with small (0.3 times OD), contiguous, coarse punctures becoming smaller on lower two thirds, irregularly shaped, without micropunctures between punctures; supraclypeal area with punctures slightly smaller than base of clypeus; frons with bigger, coarser, and contiguous punctures than on supraclypeal area; on frons in front of ocelli slightly biggerpunctures on sides than on frons; vertex with bigger and sparser than on clypeus, with irregular surface between punctures; juxtantennal carina absent but strongly angulated; gena evenly punctate as on frons in front of ocelli; scutum with smaller and denser punctures than on vertex, with micropunctures between punctures; rest of mesosoma as on scutum except: scutellum with bigger and slightly sparser punctures; mesepisternum with bigger and slightly sparser punctures, with micropuntures between punctures; terga bright, microreticulate between punctures; T1 and T2 with smaller (0.1 times OD) punctures than on scutum, sparser (0.3 times DOP), with rounded shape; T3 with punctures 0.7 times DOP of scutum, rounded, and sparser (2.2 times DOP); dorsal surface of T6 with bigger, coarser and denser punctures than on T5; sterna with punctation smaller and sparser than on scutum, microreticulate on posterior margin.

Vestiture. Clypeus with few simple, short, white hairs in punctures; frons with few plumose, thin, white hairs ( Fig. 21C View FIGURE 21 ); gena with plumose, white hairs increasing in length towards hypostomal area; T4 to T6 with simple, thin, golden hairs in punctures, increasing in length towards posterior terga; subapical margin of T6 with linear tuft of plumose, short, yellowish hairs ( Fig. 21D View FIGURE 21 ).

Type material: Holotype male ( ECOAB 46959 ): MEXICO: Chiapas, Arriaga , 465, 5 m, 16.34207 -93.95, 24/I/2009, P. Sagot ( ECOAB) . Allotype ( ECOAB 46961 ): MEXICO: Chiapas, Arriaga , 465, 5 m, 16.34207 - 93.95, 18/XI/2009, C. Balboa (ECOAB) . Paratypes. MEXICO: Chiapas, Arriaga , 465, 5 m, 16.34207 -93.95, 24, 24/I, 14/III, 17, 18/XI/2009, C. Balboa, J. Mérida, M. Guzmán, P. Sagot ( ECOAB 6♀ 5♂) , 465, 5 m, 16.34207 -93.95, 24/I/2009, P. Sagot ( ECOAB 1♂) . Bochil , 412 m, 16.97647 -93.06, 24/III/2016, P. Sagot ( ECOAB 4♀) . Chiapa de Corzo , 553 m, 16.46994 -92.99, 25/I/2021, P. Sagot ( ECOAB 1♀ 3♂) .

Additional material examined: MEXICO: Michoacán, Los Amates Playa Azul 26kmN, [250 m, 17°59’22”N 102°21’54”W], 2/XI/1987, T. Griswold, ( BBSL 1♀) GoogleMaps . Oaxaca, La Ventosa 10kmN, 29 m, 16°33’06”N 94°56’45”W, 7/IV/1993, A. Rodriguez ( BBSL 1♀) GoogleMaps . Santa Maria Zoquitlan , 1154 m, 16.51338 -96.34, 19/XI/2018, N. Arnold ( ECOAB 1♀) .

Distribution. This species is present along the Pacific slope of southern Mexico, in areas with tropical dry forest, and is present in the states of Michoacán, Oaxaca and Chiapas, being endemic to Mexico, in the Pacific Lowlands biogeographic province ( Morrone et al. 2022) ( Fig. 20 View FIGURE 20 ). Altitudinal range: sea level to 1154 m.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Dr. Luisa Ruz, a Chilean taxonomist and melitologist who has contributed greatly to the knowledge of native bees in South America, especially bees of the family Andrenidae .

Comments. Females show variation in tubercles on the apical margin of clypeus in frontal view only, from well-defined rounded tubercles to crenulated margin. Although body size is large for the genus, some small females can be found in Michoacán, Los Amates, and Chiapas, Arriaga, Mexico. Males seem to vary on S6 with posterior tuft in a V-line or a rounded shape of capitate hairs.