BEES OF THE GENUS PALAEORHIZA PERKINS (HYMENOPTERA, COLLETIDAE) IN THE NATIONAL FOREST INSECT COLLECTION OF THE FOREST RESEARCH STATION, BULOLO, PAPUA NEW GUINEA ( I )

Palaeorhiza in the National Forest Insect Collection of the Forest Research Station, Bulolo, Papua New Guinea is examined and 11 species are recorded in this paper. Four new species, P. (Heterorhiza) Paris, P. (Palaeorhiza) priamus, P. (Cnemidorhiza) helena and P. spectabilis, are described from Papua New Guinea. The material on which the present paper is based is collected by one of us, H. Roberts, in Papua New Guinea for the last few years and is preserved in the National Forest Insect Collection, the Forest Research Station, Department of Primary Industry, Bulolo, Papua New Guinea. It includes many interesting species, some of which are described as new in this paper. The holotypes of the new species will be deposited in the collection of the British Museum (Natural History), London. (1) Palaeorhiza (Hadrorhiza) imperialis (Smith) SPECUUENS EXAMINED : 2 females and 2 Harpullia flowers, 7. ix. 1982 (H. Roberts). males, Divide L. A., Bulolo Valley, on * Contribution from the Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Ser. 3, No. 161). 116 Y HIRASHIMA AND H. ROBERTS (2) Palaeorhiza (Hadrorhiza) stellaris Hirashima This was originally described as a subspecies of Palaeorhiza Zieftincki Hirashima, but is treated here as a good species. It differs from Zieftincki primarily by darker (fuscus) hairs on the head and thorax, weaker and sparser punctures on the mesoscutum and different coloration of the body. SPECIMENS EXAMINED: 1 female and 3 males, Manki L. A., Bulolo Valley, on &X head and thorax darker, dark blue-green with purple reflection ; and metasoma very shining, red-purple with brassy reflection (dark blue-green in the type). It seems very probable that the metallic coloration is variable in the species-group of Zieftincki (cf. Hirashima and Lieftinck, 1982). (3) Palaeorhiza (Cheesmania) amabilis Hirashima This is a brilliantly metallic species. The male is similar to the female and also lacks yellow marking on the body. The male of Cheesmania which was recorded by Hirashima (1981) is probably the male of amabilis. The present material (4 females and 3 males) shows color variation in both sexes. In one female and one male, the head and thorax are almost entirely violet or beautiful reddish purple, as in the metasoma. This feature is similar to the type series (holotype and 1 paratype) of amabilis, but the propodeum is blue-green in the type series and blue or blue-violet in the present material. On the other hand, in one female and one male, the thorax is nearly entirely blue-green except the sides of the thorax which are purple, and in one male the head and thorax are variegated with brassy, purple and blue-green. Thus Palaeorhiza amabilis is polymorphic as far as the color is concerned. S PECIMENS EXAMINED : 2 females and 1 male, Manki L. A., Bulolo Valley, on Asystasia flowers, 31. viii. 1982 (H. Roberts) ; 2 females and 2 males, the same locality, on Rubus flowers, 10. ix. 1982 (H. Roberts). (4) Palaeorhiza (Sphecogaster) paradisea Hirashima SPECIMENS EXAMINED : 4 females, Mt. Kaindi summit, Morobe District, Papua New Guinea, on Uncaria flowers, 10. ix. 1982 (H. Roberts). (5) Palaeorhiza (Zarhiopalea) variegata Hirashima SPECIMENS EXAMINED : 3 males, Gumi L. A., Bulolo Valley, Morobe Province, on Rubus flowers, 18. vi. 1981 (H. Roberts). BEES OF PALAEORHZZA OF PAPUA NEWGUINEA 117 The female of this species is still unknown. (6) Palaeorhiza (Heterorhiza) cockerelli Hirashima and Lieftinck SPECIMENS EXAMINED : 4 females, Patep River, Morobe Province, on Mimosa flowers, 25. viii. 1982 (H. Roberts). (7) Palaeorhiza (Heterorhiza) paris, new species This is unusual for the subgenus Heterorhiza in having the propodeal enclosure fluted on the basal half only, the posterior face of propodeum keeled on lateral margins, and the male hind femora considerably modified as described below. It seems very probable that this new species may represent a separate subgenus. Female : Length slightly less than 8 mm. Relative head measurements ; width, 34.0 ; length, 36.8 ; upper interocular distance, 19.0 ; width of face, 22.5 ; lower interocular distance, 15.0 ; eye length, 28.0 ; length of clypeus, 17.0 ; length of malar space, 4.0 in the middle. Head long ; inner margins of eyes distinctly converging below ; mandible nearly simple at apex ; malar space long, slightly shorter than basal width of mandible in the middle ; median portion of face well convex when the head is seen from side ; supraclypeal area rather low ; vertex very convex, posterior portion of vertex strongly slanting posteriorly ; ocelli rather small ; ocellocular distance about equal to ocelloccipital distance, slightly longer than interocellar distance which is twice as long as diameter of lateral ocellus. Clypeus, supraclypeal area and paraocular areas nearly impunctate, longitudinally lineolate, shining ; vertex well punctate. Figs. 1 and 2 Palaeorhiza (Heterorhiza) Paris, new species. 1 : Frontal view of the head of female. 2 : Ditto, male. 118 Y HIRASHIMA AND H. ROBERTS Collar of pronotum well developed on lateral portions ; mesoscutum nearly smooth, shining, strongly punctate, but punctures more or less sparse, irregular in distribution ; scutellum rather flat, smooth, shining, with rather sparse punctures which are irregular in size and distribution; metanotum smooth, shining, with sparse and weak punctures ; propodeum coarsely sculptured with strong, dense punctures ; propodeal enclosure fluted-punctate or coarsely wrinkled on basal half or so ; posterior face of propodeum strongly keeled on lateral margins ; preand meso-episternum nearly smooth, shining, strongly, rather densely punctate ; punctures on uppper portion of mesepisternum weak ; lateral face of propodeum finely sculptured. Fore tarsi rather slender with well developed polliniferous hairs as usual for the subgenus ; 2nd segment of fore tarsi small, a little longer than broad, slightly larger than next segment ; inner spur of hind tibia strongly pectinate ; base of hind tibia with a small, elongate, slightly elevated, smooth area dorsally ; hind femur longitudinally ridged ventrally (usually rounded in Palaeorhiza). Metasoma with 1st tergum large, well convex on laterobasal portions ; three basal terga largely exposed and three apical terga retractile. First tergum shining, with rather distinct punctures, apical margin broadly impunctate on median portion ; 2nd tergum with more distinct punctures, which are more or less weak and sparse medially and dense and strong laterally ; apical impunctate margin of 2nd tergum broad, well indicated ; 3rd tergum with punctures coarser than those on 2nd. Color : Black. Head and thorax with following markings or portions yellow : three stripes on face, round spot on labrum, basal spot on mandible, complete band on pronotum, four longitudinal lines on mesoscutum (lateral ones shorter), axilla, a pair of broad longitudinal marks on lateral portion of scutellum, band on metanotum (notched in the middle anteriorly), triangular mark on propodeal enclosure, mark on tubercle and transverse band (interrupted) on sides of thorax just below wing bases ; line on genal area along eye margin piteous. Wings strongly brownish nearly all over ; veins and stigma fuscous ; tegulae brown, subtranslucent, with a small yellow spot. Legs piteous ; basal half of fore tibia yellowish anteriorly. Metasoma shining black ; about apical half of 1st tergum piteous or more reddened ; median portion of 2nd tergum transversely reddened in the middle. Pubescence : Not conspicuous, sparse and whitish on head and thorax ; metasomal terga without hair fringe ; hairs on apical segments of metasoma nearly black. Male : About as large as female. Relative head measurements ; width, 33.5 ; length, 36.7 ; upper interocular distance, 17.0 ; width of face, 20.7 ; lower interocular distance, 13.0 ; eye length, 27.5 ; clypeal length,, 17.7 ; length of malar space, about 4.8. Agrees with the description of female except as follows : Malar space about as long as basal width of mandible ; median yellow stripe of face broadened laterally on apical portion of clypeus ; labrum and mandible nearly all yellow ; mesepisternum with longitudinal yellow stripe anteriorly ; side of propodeum with transverse, short, yellow line ; 1st metasomal tergum with or without a pair of yellow short bands medially ; anterior faces of femora and tibiae of fore and mid legs yellow. Scape rather short BEES OF PALAEORHIZA OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA 119