An strange looking species of bee has been light upon in bushland in Perth , Western Australia , with a wide-eyed dog - like snoot . give its canine bump , the species has been namedLeioproctus zephyr , after study author Dr Kit Prendergast of Curtin University ’s own pet bounder Zephyr .
The new discovery belong to the extremely divers genusLeioproctus , which consists of more than 300 species of bees located across Australasia and temperate South America .
“ Leioproctus zephyrhas a extremely restricted distribution , only hap in seven location across the southwest [ Western Australia ] to date , ” explain Prendergast in astatement . The newspaper goes on to distinguish the species ’ intensely picky eating habit , scrounge only on a few species of floweringJacksoniashrubs .
A female Leioproctus zephyr specimen. Image credit: K. S. Prendergast, The Journal of Hymenoptera Research(CC BY 4.0)
The specimen was collected using a humble last bag , called an entomological end run - meshwork , during a study into the aboriginal bee population of residential and bushland area ring urbanized Western Australia . Prendergast noticed the unusual appearance of the bee ’s protruding hooter , and after consulting with Dr Terry Houston of the Western Australian Museum , found that the species had yet to be scientifically describe , despite being first collected in 1979 .
Distinct from all other species in theLeioproctusgenus , both sex ofLeioproctus zephyrfeature a large medial ridgeline incline down the center of the clypeus – the shield - shaped front of the bee ’s head word – that jut out prominently on the upper half . Despite its relatively tremendous protrude neb , this diminutive bee has an middling physical structure length of between just 6 and 6.9 millimeters ( 0.24 - 0.27 inch ) .
pay that the coinage has only just received formal recognition despite its discrete identifiable feature , it can be assumed that populations in the orbit are n’t abundant . see the restricted statistical distribution of only around 40 hearty km ( 15.4 square miles ) , and the limited dietetical options ofLeioproctus zephyr , Prendergast details a concern for the conservation of the coinage which could only be exacerbated by the continuous urbanisation of these inhabited area .
The field of study is publish in theJournal of Hymenoptera Research .
