Mellitidia longicornis

Abstract

41. Nomia longicornis Smith, 1859 Fig. 42 Nomia longicornis Smith, 1859: 133, ♂. Type material examined Holotype INDONESIA • ♂; Aru; [8 Jan.–2 Jul. 1857]; OUMNH, ENT-HYME2800. Type locality Aru. Notes Baker (1993: 205) wrote the following: “A ♂ in the UMO type collection, labelled ‘Aru’ [blue disc] and ‘ Nomia longicornis Smith’ [blue paper], is the HOLOTYPE of this species and it has now been labelled accordingly. It lacks all but the three basal segments of each antenna, and the apical segments of tarsus L I, but is otherwise in good condition. N. cincta [modern author’s note: it is clear that Baker meant to write N. longicornis here] was provisionally assigned by Michener (1965: 161) to Nomia (Mellitidia) but this placement requires confirmation: the species differs appreciably, in its general habitus and in structural and sculptural characters from such species as cincta Smith and dentata Smith. The type is quite strongly, not slightly, pace Michener l.c., metallic and in the fore-wing cell submarginal 3 ≈ 1: in other species examined 3 is conspicuously longer than 1 (≈ 1 + 2), belying the statement in Michener’s key to subfamilies (p. 152) of the Halictidae ”. We can only state that this group of species requires a modern revision; Nomia longicornis is included in the key of Hirashima (1967) who did not examine the type or deal with the taxon in any detail. Current status Mellitidia longicornis (Smith, 1859) (Michener 1965; Hirashima 1967; Pauly 2009). Distribution Indonesia (Maluku: Aru) (Smith 1859; Ascher & Pickering 2024).

Authors 4

1. Thomas James Wood Aachen Naturalis Biodiversity Center

   Naturalis Biodiversity Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR, Leiden, the Netherlands

2. Stephan Risch
   Affiliation as printed

   Imbacher Weg 59, Leverkusen, 51379, Germany

3. Michael C. Orr

   Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart

   Affiliation as printed

   Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, 70191, Stuttgart, Germany

4. J. E. Hogan

   University of Oxford

   Affiliation as printed

   Life Collections, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, OX 1 3 PW, UK