Melitta (Plesiomelitta) avontuurensis Michez & Kuhlmann, new species ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 69FF4EF0-1B32-47C7-B137-ACDAFE279652 (Figs. 10, 11) DIAGNOSIS: The new species is morphologically close to M. schultzei. It shares with that species several features, such as a short malar area, but with the glossa as long as the labial palpus, and the fully orange scopa. DESCRIPTION: ♀: After Dellicour et al. (2014): Total body length 11.4 mm; head length 3.4 mm, width 3.9 mm; head black except antenna reddish; galea apically pointed, outer surface matt and sculptured; malar area shorter than scape; clypeus smooth and shiny, with sparse punctation; face with whitish setae and narrow, lateral fringe of black setae along compound eye; vertex with brownish setae. Mesosomal length 4.0 mm, width 3.1 mm; integument black; mesoscutum sparsely punctate, smooth and shiny between punctures, disc with black setae, laterally with yellowish setae (Fig. 10); basal area of propodeum shiny; ventral surfaces of mesosoma with whitish setae; femora black, with whitish setae; tibiae and tarsi reddish; metabasitarsus apically with hook-like projection; metatibial scopa orange; forewing length 9.2 mm; wing membranes lightly infuscate. Metasomal length 6.2 mm, width 4.5 mm; integument black and shiny; metasomal terga II–V with interrupted apical band of white setae (Fig. 11); disc of tergum I with erect, white setae; discs of terga II–V with black setae; prepygidial fimbria reddish (Fig. 11); pygidial plate flat (Fig. 11); sterna with long, yellowish setae. ♂: Unknown. HOLOTYPE: ♀, South Africa, 12km NW Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur, dolerite hill, 830m, S31°16’02’’ E19°04’05’’, 03.ix.2009, leg. M. Kuhlmann. Deposited in the South African National Collection of Insects, Pretoria, South Africa. PARATYPE: 1♀, same data as holotype. Deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: 3♀♀, South Africa, CP, Clanwilliam District, Biedouw Valley, S32.08° E19.14°, 05–07.ix.1987, leg. C.D. Eardley. Deposited in the South African National Collection of Insects, Pretoria, South Africa. ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is based on the type locality, the farm Avontuur northwest of Nieuwoudtville, South Africa.

Published as part of Michez, Denis, Kuhlmann, Michael & Dellicour, Simon, 2014, Validation of some species- and genus-group names in Melitta (Hymenoptera: Melittidae), pp. 1-8 in Journal of Melittology 44 on pages 4-6, DOI: 10.17161/jom.v0i44.4811, http://zenodo.org/record/13620266