Ceratina (Crewella) rupestris

Lucia, Mariano, Alvarez, Leopoldo J. & Abrahamovich, Alberto H., 2012, Gynandromorphism in Xylocopinae Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae): description of four new cases, Zootaxa 3401, pp. 37-42 : 38

Ceratina (Crewella) rupestris

( Figs. 3–11 )

Gynandromorph I ( Figs. 3–4 ): Body length 10, head length 2.2, head width 2.15, mesosoma width (through the tegula) 3.1 and metasoma width (through the T2) 3.06. General color of body metallic blue-green, except black in mandibles, apical half of clypeus and labrum; antennae dark brown to black; legs brown, except the coxae and femora with blue-green coloration. Head: ( Fig. 3 ) entirely male-like. Length and width of the left eye, 1.75:1.1, ocellorbital distance 0.4; antennae with 13 articles (length of scape, pedicel and F1:0.52:0.14:0.26); yellow markings at base of labrum, spot at mandible base, three spots in apical half of clypeus, one in parocular area ending just at the level of antennal socket and a small elongate stripe behind the eye. Mesosoma: partially asymmetric, fore and middle legs as in males, hind legs female-like; fore legs with a yellow stripe extending full length of tibia and small pale apical maculation on outer surface of femur and trochanter; rest of mesosoma with female features. Wings subhyaline. Metasoma: Symmetric, with six exposed terga and sterna as in females, but general appearance male-like. Genital structure developed as a sting, corresponding to the female. Material examined: one gynandromorph, ARGENTINA, Buenos Aires, Berisso (34°52'25" S, 57°50'18" W, 6 m a.s.l.), 2- XII-2009, Col. L. Alvarez-M. Lucia ( MLP). Captured using yellow Moericke traps.

Gynandromorph II ( Figs. 5–6 ): As described in gynandromorph I, except as follows: Body length 10, head length 2.46, head width 2.35, mesosoma width (through the tegula) 3.23 and metasoma width (through the T2) 3.5. Head: ( Fig. 5 ) normal male characters (except for antennae as in female). Length and width of left eye, 1.78:1.13, ocellorbital distance 0.42; antennae with 12 articles (length of scape, pedicel and F1: 0.54:0.16:0.30). Material examined: one gynandromorph, ARGENTINA, Buenos Aires, Berisso (34°52'25" S, 57°50'18" W, 6 m a.s.l.), 2- XII-2009, Col. L. Alvarez-M. Lucia ( MLP). Captured using yellow Moericke traps.

Gynandromorph III ( Figs. 7–11 ): Body length 10, mesosoma width (through the tegula) 3.15, metasoma width (through the T2) 3.5. General coloration of body metallic blue-green, except mandibles, apical half of clypeus and labrum black; antennae dark brown to black; legs brown, except coxae and femora blue-green ( Fig. 7 ). Head: shows a mixture of male and female characters ( Fig. 8 ). Left side exhibits male features (except mandible), right side female features (except for mandible as in male). Length and width of the left eye (male) 1.84 and 1.1, ocellorbital distance, 0.34; length and width of the right eye (female), 1.74 and 1; distance between lateral ocelli and the orbit, 0.5. Left side with yellow markings as follows: labrum basally, apical half of clypeus, medially divided spot in parocular area ending just above antennal socket, and small elongate stripe behind the eye. Mandible black; antenna is broken but scape length is as in normal male. Right side with yellow markings between clypeus and lower margin of eye, small spot at the level of antennal socket near eye margin, elongate stripe behind eye and spot at base of mandible; labrum as in normal female, antenna is broken but scape length is as in normal female. Mesosoma: partially asymmetric, left side of pronotum and left foreleg typical of males, with yellow stripe marking extending the full length of tibia and small pale apical maculation in the femur; rest of mesosoma typical of females. Wings subhyaline. Metasoma: with seven exposed terga and six sterna, with appearance of a normal female. T6 and T7 irregularly developed, with left half tending male-like ( Figs. 9–10 ). Genitalia bilaterally asymmetric, right side composed of a hemi-male genitalia showing part of the gonobase, a single penis valve and a single gonostylus; left side formed by part of a sting ( Fig. 11 ). Material examined: one gynandromorph, ARGENTINA, Buenos Aires, Parque Pereyra Iraola, (34°50'S, 58°05'W, 6 m a.s.l.), 12-V-2003, Col. M Lucia ( MLP). This specimen was collected foraging on Verbena sp. ( Verbenaceae ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Gynandromorphs, body lateral and head frontal views. 1 – 2, Xylocopa splendidula and 3 – 6, Ceratina rupestris gynandromophs I and II.

FIGURES 7 – 11. Ceratina rupestris gynandromorph III. 7, body lateral view; 8, head frontal view; 9, T 6 dorsal view; 10, T 7 dorsal view and 11, genitalia in dorsal view.