Hoplitis (Hoplitis) trichodesmae Muller 2026, sp. nov.

Hoplitis (Hoplitis) trichodesmae Müller, sp. nov. Holotype. SAUDI ARABIA: Riyadh: Al Hair SE Riyadh, 24.392°N / 46.793°E, 520 m, 24.3.2025, ♂ (leg. M. Halada). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich. Paratypes. ISRAEL: Southern District: Totes Meer, En Boqeq, 31.199589°N / 35.362004°E, 5.3.1996, 1♂ (leg. W.H. Liebig); Dead Sea, En Zeelim 5 km N Massada, 31.381236°N / 35.333378°E, 7.5.1996, 1♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); En Yahaf, 30.653469°N / 35.221417°E, 19.3.2010, 1♂ (leg. Y. Hops), 15.4.2010, 1♀ (leg. A. Gotlieb), 4.5.2010, 1♀ (leg. A. Gotlieb); 3 km E Ne ›ot Smadar, 30.036116°N / 35.043717°E, 23.4.2010, 1♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, C. Praz); 1 km SW Elifaz, 29.781361°N / 34.987759°E, 24.4.2010, 1♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, C. Praz); 2 km N Ein Yahav, 30.674756°N / 35.238156°E, 28.4.2010, 2♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, C. Praz), 29.4.2010, 2♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, C. Praz); Nahal Ya’alon N Yahel, 30.0875°N / 35.1291667°E, 201 m, 5.4.2016, 3♀ (leg. A. Dorchin). SAUDI ARABIA: Hail: Al Maghwat near Magooah Centre, 27.372569°N / 41.175006°E, 21.3.2013, 2♀, 2♂ (leg. M.A. Hannan); Jabal Mashar, Valley 1 km from parking place, 27.525808°N / 41.618130°E, 100m, 21.3.2013, 1♀ (leg. M.A. Hannan); Jabal Mashar, Al Rifai valley 1 km from parking place, 27.525808°N / 41.618130°E, 150m, 22.3.2013, 1♀ (leg. M.A. Hannan); Riyadh: Riyadh, King Saudi University Campus, 24.633031°N / 46.716358°E, 9.2.2015, 1♂ (leg. M. Shebl), 11.2.2015, 1♂ (leg. M. Shebl); Riyadh, Derab, Agricultural Research Station, 24.488222°N / 46.619850°E, 2.3.2015, 2♀, 2♂ (leg. M. Shebl); Al Hair SE Riyadh, 24.392°N / 46.793°E, 520 m, 24.3.2025, 1♂ (leg. M. Halada). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich. Diagnosis. Hoplitis trichodesmae belongs to the subgenus Hoplitis. Within this subgenus, it is a member of the H. adunca species group, which is characterized by the presence of a submarginal carina along the (latero)apical margin of sternum 6 in the female and by the apically rounded, truncate or only shallowly emarginate tergum 7 in the male. Among the species of H. (Hoplitis), H. trichodesmae is in both sexes immediately recognizable by the relative lengths of the first and the second segment of the labial palpus (Fig. 14): the first segment is 1.15–1.25× as long as the second segment, whereas in all other H. (Hoplitis) species the first segment is shorter than the second segment. The only exception is the female of H. heliotropii (see above), whose first segment of the labial palpus is of about the same length as the second segment. This species, however, is easily recognizable among all species of the H. adunca group by the presence of specialized pollen-collecting bristles on the labial palpus. Additional characters of the 5.5–7 mm long female (Fig. 11) are i) the strongly convex clypeus, which lacks a distinct longitudinal midline and is densely punctured with interspaces hardly exceeding the diameter of half a puncture (Fig. 13), ii) the usually dark to light reddish coloured anterior (and partly also posterior) side of the antennal segments 4–11, iii) the largely orange coloured tegula, which is sparsely punctured over its entire surface (Fig. 16), iv) the yellowish-white, long, slender and straight hind tibial spurs, whose apex is only very weakly curved, v) the longitudinally striate base of the basal area of the propodeum (Fig. 15), vi) the distinctly reddish coloured marginal zone of the terga 1-5, and vii) the sparse, appressed and whitish pilosity covering tergum 6. Additional characters of the 5.5–7.5 mm long male (Fig. 12) are i) the simple antennal flagellum consisting of regularly cylindrical segments, which are longer than wide and vary in colour from predominantly brownish to largely reddish (Fig. 17), ii) the largely orange coloured tegula, which is sparsely punctured over its entire surface, iii) the longitudinally striate base of the basal area of the propodeum, iv) the distinctly reddish-coloured marginal zone of the terga 1–6 (Fig. 18), v) the medially very shallowly emarginate apical margin of tergum 7 (Fig. 18), and vi) the densely haired roundish lobes of the bilobed membraneous appendage of sternum 6, which are separated by a polished and hairless zone (Fig. 19). Description. FEMALE (Fig. 11): Body length 5.5–7 mm. Head: Head about 0.85× as long as wide. Distance between posterior margin of lateral ocellus and preoccipital margin 1.65–1.75× as long as ocellar diameter. Maximum width of genal area 0.55–0.65× as long as maximum width of compound eye. Clypeus strongly convex, without a distinct longitudinal midline and densely punctured with interspaces hardly exceeding the diameter of half a puncture (Fig. 13); its apical margin denticulate. Mandible three-toothed and largely black except for preapical zone, which is more or less dark reddish-brown. Pilosity of frons, supraclypeal area, paraocular area and gena whitish, moderately long, rather sparse and suberect to partly appressed on supraclypeal and paraocular area; clypeus covered on its central zone with inconspicuous, short and whitish pilosity not hiding its cuticle and on its apical zone with long, rather sparse and whitish pilosity distinctly surpassing clypeal margin (Fig. 13). First segment of labial palpus 1.2–1.25× as long as second segment (Fig. 14). Anterior (and partly also posterior) side of antennal segments 4–11 dark to light reddish coloured. Antennal segment 3 about 1.6× as long as wide. Mesosoma: Parapsidal line long-linear. Punctation of scutum, scutellum and mesepisternum dense with interspaces not exceeding the diameter of half a puncture to one puncture. Basal area of propodeum shagreened and basally longitudinally striate (Fig. 15). Pilosity of mesosoma whitish. Tegula yellowish-brown to yellowish-red except for black inner margin and sparsely punctured over its entire surface (Fig. 16). Stigma and veins of fore wing brown to dark brown. Apical margin of tibial spur of fore leg extended into long spine, which is longer than basally wide. Tibial spurs of hind leg yellowish-white, long, slender, largely straight and apically only very weakly curved. Pilosity of inner surface of basitarsus of hind leg yellowish-white. Metasoma: Punctation of tergal discs 2–4 medially rather sparse to moderately dense with interspaces reaching the diameter of up to two, rarely three punctures. Punctation of terga 5–6 denser with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of one to one and a half punctures. Marginal zone of terga 1–5 distinctly reddish coloured. Terga 1–5 with short white hair bands, which are medially interrupted on terga 1–2(3) except for very fresh specimens (Fig. 11). Longest erect hairs on median half of tergum 1 about half as long as maximal length of lateral hair tuft or shorter. Tergum 6 covered with sparse, appressed and whitish pilosity. Sternum 6 medioapically not prolonged into distinct spine and laterally with low and sharp submarginal carina. Scopa whitish. MALE (Fig. 12): Body length 5.5–7.5 mm. Head: Head about 0.8× as long as wide. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital margin about 1.75× as long as ocellar diameter. Maximum width of genal area 0.5–0.55× as long as maximum width of compound eye. Mandible two-toothed and largely black except sometimes for dark reddish-brown preapical zone. Apical margin of clypeus denticulate. Face and gena including ventral side covered with dense whitish pilosity, which is partly appressed on paraocular area and distinctly less dense on clypeal centre. First segment of labial palpus 1.15–1.2× as long as second segment. Flagellum of antenna simple and consisting of regularly cylindrical segments, which are longer than wide and vary in colour from predominantly brownish to largely reddish (Fig. 17). Mesosoma: Parapsidal line long-linear. Punctation of scutum, scutellum and mesepisternum dense with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of half a puncture. Basal area of propodeum shagreened and basally longitudinally striate. Pilosity of mesosoma whitish. Tegula yellowish-brown to yellowish-red and sparsely punctured over its entire surface. Stigma and veins of fore wing predominantly dark brown. Apical margin of tibial spur of fore leg extended into long spine, which is longer than basally wide. Tibial spurs of hind leg yellowish-white, long, slender, largely straight and apically not or only very weakly curved. Metasoma: Punctation of tergal discs 2–4 medially rather fine and sparse with interspaces reaching the diameter of up to two to three punctures. Punctation of terga 5–6 denser with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of one to one and a half punctures. Marginal zone of terga 1–6 distinctly reddish-coloured (Fig. 18). Marginal zone of terga 1–5 with short white hair bands, which are not interrupted in fresh specimens (Fig. 12). Protruding median part of apical margin of tergum 6 crenulate and/or with shallow median emargination (Fig. 18). Tergum 6 laterally with distinct narrowly triangular tooth (Fig. 18). Apical margin of tergum 7 medially shallowly emarginate (Fig.18), its lateral margin ventromedially with small angular projection. Apical margin of sterna 1–4 almost straight and beset with white pilosity, which is rather dense and moderately long on sterna 1–3 and distinctly shorter and sparser on sternum 4 (Fig. 19). Apical margin of sternum 5 very slightly rounded (rarely with very shallow median emargination) and almost hairless (Fig. 19). Marginal zone of sterna 2–5 reddish coloured and with fine and dense punctation (Fig. 19). Punctation of disc of sternum 5 very sparse with interspaces reaching the diameter of several punctures (Fig. 19), distinctly contrasting with the denser punctation of the preceding sternal discs, where the interspaces reach the diameter of up to two (sternum 2) to four (sternum 4) punctures. Sternal discs 2–5 with very low to indiscernible transversal swellings (Fig. 19). Sternum 6 at base with pair of large translucent flaps (Fig. 19). Lateral lobe