Colletes, Latreille, 1802

Key to the Colletes View in CoL species of West Africa

Females

The female of C. aragorn sp. nov. is unknown.

1 Antennal flagellum ventrally brown to blackish ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ); T2 medioapically distinctly depressed with clearly defined, truncated premarginal line ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ); T1 and T2 apically with conspicuous transverse band of orange appressed hairs, contrasting with the lighter hair of the rest of the metasoma ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 , 4F View FIGURE 4 )...................................... C. microdontus Cockerell View in CoL

- Antennal flagellum ventrally bright yellowish ( Figs 4A, C View FIGURE 4 ); T2 medioapically either not or only slightly depressed, without or only with weakly defined premarginal line ( Figs 4B, D View FIGURE 4 ); T1 and T2 without conspicuous transverse band of orange appressed hairs, not contrasting with white to cream-colored pilosity of the rest of the metasoma ( Figs 3A, C View FIGURE 3 , 4B, D View FIGURE 4 ).............. 2

2 Malar area longer than width of the base of the mandible; clypeus densely and finely punctate ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ).................................................................................................... C. diodontus Benoist View in CoL

- Malar area about ½ as long as width of the base of the mandible; clypeus sparsely and coarsely punctate ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ).......................................................................................... C. bytinskii Noskiewicz View in CoL

Males

For a reliable identification of males, it is essential to dissect genitalia and S7.

1 Antennal flagellum ventrally brown to blackish ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 3F View FIGURE 3 ); discs of T1 and T2 either without short appressed hair ( Figs 1–D View FIGURE 1 ) or only partially covered so that the surface sculpture remains visible ( Fig. 5E View FIGURE 5 ).................................... 2

- Antennal flagellum ventrally bright yellowish ( Figs 3B, 3D View FIGURE 3 ); discs of T1 and T2 at least partly densely covered with short appressed hair hiding the surface sculpture ( Figs 5A, C View FIGURE 5 )....................................................... 3

2 Body hair yellowish to orangish brown ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ); T1 and T2 apically slightly depressed, premarginal line not truncated ( Figs 1C, D View FIGURE 1 ); S7 as in Figs 2A, B..................................................... C View FIGURE 2 . aragorn Kuhlmann sp. nov.

- Body hair whitish to cream-colored ( Fig. 3F View FIGURE 3 ); T1 and T2 apically deeply depressed with clearly defined, truncated premarginal line ( Fig. 5E View FIGURE 5 ); S7 as in Fig. 5F. ....................................................... C View FIGURE 5 . microdontus Cockerell

3 Malar area about twice as long as width of the base of the mandible; T7 apically narrowly rounded, with a pair of short, backward-facing spines, which may be partially covered by hair; S7 as in Fig. 5D.................. C View FIGURE 5 . diodontus Benoist

- Malar area about as long as width of the base of the mandible; T7 apically broadly rounded, without spines; S7 as in Fig. 5B.................................................................................. C View FIGURE 5 . bytinskii Noskiewicz