Xylocopa (Schonnherria), 1841

Mawdsley, Jonathan R., 2018, New records and diagnostic notes on large carpenter bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: genus Xylocopa Latreille), from the Amazon River basin of South America, Insecta Mundi 631, pp. 1-15 : 11

Key to females of species of Xylocopa (Schonnherria) recorded from the Amazon River basin of South America

1. Dorsal surface of metasomal tergites 4, 5, and 6 covered in uniform orange pubescence.... 2

— Dorsal surface of metasomal tergites 4, 5, and 6 either smooth or with black pubescence laterally.................................................................. 3

2(1). Lateral fringe of pubescence on metatarsi black; pubescence on metasomal tergites 1–2 black...................................................... X. (S.) metallica Smith

— Lateral fringe of pubescence on metatarsi bright yellow or orange; pubescence on metasomal tergites 1–2 orange....................................... X. (S.) ornata Smith

3(1). Lateral pubescence of metatarsi white, yellowish or orange........................... 4 — Lateral pubescence of metatarsi dark brownish-black to black......................... 5

4(3). Mesosomal pubescence pale yellowish-brown..................... X. (S.) viridis Smith — Mesosomal pubescence black................................. X. (S.) varians Smith

5(3). Fifth metasomal tergite with white pubescence along lateral margin................... 6 — Marginal pubescence of fifth metasomal tergite black................................ 7

6(5). Gena with dense white pubescence...................... X. (S.) muscaria (Fabricius) — Gena with scattered black setae............................... X. (S.) lucida Smith

7(5). Body size smaller, total body length 15.0 to 16.3 mm ........... X. (S.) subcyanea Pérez — Body size larger, total body length 20.5 to 24.6 mm .................................. 8

8(7). Metasomal tergites metallic blue.......................... X. (S.) dimidiata Latreille

— Metasomal tergites dark brownish-black to black, sometimes with transverse orange pigmented bands.................................................................... 9

9(8). Wing surface with violet iridescence basally, matte black apically.......................................................................... X. (S.) macrops Lepeletier

— Wing surface with some violet iridescence basally, otherwise with greenish-blue iridescence..................................................... X. (S.) simillima Smith