Triepeolus flavipennis ( Friese, 1916 )

Onuferko, Thomas M., Rightmyer, Molly G., Melo, Gabriel A. R. & Roig-Alsina, Arturo, 2024, A revision of the South American species of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Triepeolus Robertson, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Apidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 931, pp. 1-50 : 22-27

Triepeolus flavipennis ( Friese, 1916)

Figs 1E , 10 , 13A

Epeolus flavipennis Friese, 1916: 337 (♂), lectotype presently designated.

Triepeolus bilineatus Cockerell, 1949: 460 (♀, ♂), syn. nov.

Triepeolus flavipennis – Moure & Melo 2007: 586 (in Friese’s original paper, the name is spelled both “ flavipennsis ” (p. 337) and “ flavipennis ” (p. 349 in reprint; p. 372 in bound volume); as first revisers, Moure & Melo established ‘ flavipennis ’ as the valid original spelling, with ‘ flavipennsis ’ recognized as a misprint; see also Rasmussen & Ascher 2008).

Diagnosis

The following morphological features in combination tell T. flavipennis apart from all other South American Triepeolus : T1 has a medially interrupted basal band or pair of anterolateral patches of pale tomentum, which on each side (or each of which) is mesally convex, such that the discal patch forms a trapezoid or triangle with concave anterolateral sides ( Fig. 10B ), and the T2 apical transverse band does not have lobe-like anterolateral extensions. Triepeolus flavipennis is the only species in the T. verbesinae species group—containing species in which the pseudopygidial area of the female is distinctly circular ( Fig. 10D )—that (usually) does not have an apical transverse band on T1. More commonly in this species, the T1 anterolateral patches of pale tomentum each have a short, medially directed posterolateral extension ( Fig. 10B ).

Etymology

Although Friese (1916) did not explain the etymology of his Epeolus flavipennis , the specific epithet was presumably inspired by its yellow-orange wings, which do not reliably distinguish this species from similar-looking congeners.

Material examined

Primary type material

COLOMBIA • ♂, lectotype of E. flavipennis ; Cauca, Popayán ; 1900; Lehmann leg.; ZMB 323e41 .

HONDURAS • ♀, holotype of T. bilineatus ; Francisco Morazán, Zamorano ; 20 Jan. 1947; A. Rivera leg.; USNM 534618 .

Secondary type material

COLOMBIA • 1 ♂, paralectotype of E. flavipennis ; Cauca, Popayán ; 1900; Lehmann leg.; ZMB 505a65 .

HONDURAS • 1 ♂, allotype of T. bilineatus ; Francisco Morazán, Zamorano; 20 Jan. 1947; USNM Allotype NO. 58538 USNM; 165/M.G.R. Database No. 5611.

Non-type material

COLOMBIA • 1 ♀; Valle del Cauca, Lobo Guerrero; 23 Sep. 1976; Bell, Breed, and Michener leg.; KUNHM • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 23 Sep. 1977; Bell, Breed, and Michener leg.; KUNHM • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 20 Oct. 1977; C. García leg.; DZUP .

GUATEMALA • 1 ♀; Guatemala, Ciudad San Cristóbal; Jan.; AMNH Ac. 4875 /M.G.R. Database No. 1550 .

HONDURAS • 1 ♂; Comayagua, El Taladro ; 15 Jun. 1979; J.A. Chemsak, A. and M. Michelbacher, and W.W. Middlekauff leg.; EMEC M.G.R. Database No. 1454 • 1 ♂; Francisco Morazán, Zamorano ; J. Williams leg.; USNM M.G.R. Database No. 5933 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 20 Jan. 1947; USNM M.G.R. Database No. 5932 .

MEXICO • 1 ♀, paralectotype of E. mexicanus ; F. Sumichrast leg.; ANSP 2229-8 • 1 ♂; Colima, 10 mi W of Colima; 1 Aug. 1954; M. Cazier, W. Gertsch, and Bradts leg.; AMNH M.G.R. Database No. 2243 • 1 ♀; Durango, 5 mi W of Durango ; 14 Jun. 1964; J.F. McAlpine leg.; CNC 753863 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 23 Jul. 1964; J.F. McAlpine leg.; CNC 808413 , 808414 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 23 Jul. 1964; J.F. McAlpine leg.; CNC 808385 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 29 Jul. 1964; J.F. McAlpine leg.; CNC 808394 • 2 ♀♀; Guerrero, 17 mi N of Chilpancingo ; 7 Aug. 1962; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database Nos. 5176 , 5177 • 1 ♀; Guerrero, 3.9 km NE of Taxco (mi. 73588.7); 16 Sep. 1976; C.D. George and R.R. Snelling leg.; USNM No. 73588 A/M.G.R. Database No. 5610 • 2 ♀♀; Guerrero, Mezcala; 29 Jun. 1951; H.E. Evans leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database Nos. 5174 , 5175 • 1 ♂; Hidalgo, 4 km N of Metzquititlán ; 11 Nov. 1991; Noguera leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 7120 • 1 ♀; Hidalgo, 9 mi NW of Actopan ; 1 Sep. 1962; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 5180 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 1 Sep. 1962; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 5181 • 1 ♀; Jalisco, 10 mi W of Tizapán ; 18 Jul. 1953; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 1549 • 1 ♀; Jalisco, 15.5 mi NE of Lagos de Moreno ; 26 Jul. 1962; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 1330 • 3 ♂♂; Jalisco, Guadalajara ; Crawford leg.; USNM M.G.R. Database Nos. 5929 , 5930 , 5931 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; “ IX.18 ”; McClendon leg.; ANSP • 1 ♀; Jalisco, Villa de Guadalupe ; 26 Jul. 1951; H.E. Evans leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 5173 • 1 ♂; Michoacán, Palo Alto ; 12 Jul. 1970; R.E. Beer and party leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 5183 • 1 ♀; Michoacán, Río del Marqués (3 km E of Cuatro Caminos on Hwy 120 ); 17 Jul. 1989; A. Roig-Alsina and R. Brooks leg.; KUNHM #061 /M.G.R. Database No. 5172 • 1 ♀; Morelos, Sierra de Huautla (2.5 km N and 4 km W of the Center for Environmental Education and Research Sierra de Huautla ); 18.4500° N, 99.0333° W; 5 Sep. 1996; R. Brooks leg.; KUNHM MEX 1B96 013/M.G.R. Database No. 5171 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 5 Sep. 1996; R. Brooks leg.; KUNHM MEX 1B96 014/M.G.R. Database No. 5170 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 5 Sep. 1996; R. Brooks leg.; KUNHM MEX 1B96 012/M.G.R. Database No. 5185 • 1 ♂; Oaxaca, 17 km W of Tehuantepec ; 8 Sep. 1965; D.H. Janzen leg.; USNM M.G.R. Database No. 5928 • 2 ♂♂; Oaxaca, 6 km S of San Sebastián Frontera ; 18.2129° N, 97.6490° W; 5 Oct. 2007; L. Packer leg.; PCYU • 1 ♂; Oaxaca, El Camarón; 7 Jul. 1953; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 1331 • 1 ♀; Oaxaca, El Camarón ; 7 Jul. 1952; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 5178 • 1 ♀; Oaxaca, San Sebastián Frontera; 25 Sep. 2008; L. Packer leg.; PCYU CCDB-00601 H01 • 1 ♀; Puebla, 6 km SW of Zapotitlán Salinas ; 3 Nov. 1991; T. Griswold leg.; KUNHM SM0326486 /M.G.R. Database No. 7119 • 1 ♀; Puebla, 8 mi SE of Tehuitzingo ; 29 Jun. 1961; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 5182 • 1 ♂; Puebla, SW of Plan de San Miguel, Hwy 125 (km 53.4); 18.2125° N, 97.5450° W; 13 Sep. 1996; R. Brooks leg.; KUNHM MEX 1B96 056/M.G.R. Database No. 5184 • 1 ♀; Puebla, SW of Zapotitlán; 24 Sep. 2008; L. Packer leg.; PCYU CCDB-00601 H02 • 1 ♀; Querétaro, Peña Blanca; 12 Aug. 1979; R. Murillo leg.; USNM M.G.R. Database No. 5926 • 1 ♀; Querétaro, Peña Blanca ; 27 May 1979; R. Murillo leg.; USNM M.G.R. Database No. 5927 • 1 ♀; San Luis Potosí, 6.5 mi E of Ciudad del Maíz ; 23 Jul. 1962; KU Mex Expedition leg.; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 5179 .

USA • 1 ♂; Texas, The Basin, Big Bend National Park ; 13–14 Jul. 1948; M.A. Cazier leg.; AMNH M.G.R. Database No. 2244 .

Non-preserved material

MEXICO • 1 unsexed specimen; Coahuila, Arteaga; 25.3451° N, 100.7944° W; 30 Jun. 2020; L. Jimenez Hernandez obs.; iNaturalist record #53088456 • 1 ♂; Coahuila, Saltillo; 25.3363° N, 100.9900° W; 3 Aug. 2019; L. Jimenez Hernandez obs.; iNaturalist record #30154605 • 1 ♂; Jalisco, Teuchitlán; 28 May 2023; J.A. Álvarez Ruiz obs.; iNaturalist record #165064942 • 1 ♀; Oaxaca, Monte Albán, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán ; 23 Jul. 2022; J. Kemner obs.; iNaturalist record #142220347 • 1 ♀; Oaxaca, San Pedro Totolapa ; 28 Jun. 2022; J. Kemner obs.; iNaturalist record #140242303 • 1 ♂; Querétaro, Cadereyta de Montes; 20.6872° N, 99.8048° W; 30 Jun. 2017; H. Ugalde obs.; iNaturalist record #6902218 • 1 ♂; Querétaro, Cadereyta de Montes ; 20.6860° N, 99.8035° W; 24 Aug. 2023; J.B. Hernández Díaz obs.; iNaturalist record #180022886 • 1 ♀; Querétaro, Fraccionamiento Vista Real, Corregidora ; 20.5219° N, 100.3881° W; 31 May 2022; C. Govaerts obs.; iNaturalist record #119663290 • 1 ♀; Querétaro, Fraccionamiento Vista Real, Corregidora ; 20.5219° N, 100.3882° W; 6 Oct. 2021; C. Govaerts obs.; iNaturalist record #97401415 • 1 ♀; Querétaro, Fraccionamiento Vista Real, Corregidora ; 20.5221° N, 100.3880° W; 7 Nov. 2019; C. Govaerts obs.; iNaturalist record #35428605 • 1 ♀; Querétaro, Fraccionamiento Vista Real, Corregidora ; 20.5226° N, 100.3884° W; 31 Oct. 2019; C. Govaerts obs.; iNaturalist record #35147139 • 1 ♂; Querétaro, Fraccionamiento Vista Real, Corregidora ; 20.5227° N, 100.3882° W; 28 Aug. 2020; C. Govaerts obs.; iNaturalist record #57873580 • 1 ♀; Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro ; 10 Jul. 2020; F. Fleck obs.; iNaturalist record #52755779 .

Redescription

MEASUREMENTS OF LECTOTYPE. Body length 8.2 mm; ITW 1.7 mm; head length 2.0 mm; head width 2.8 mm; fore wing length 7.5 mm.

Both sexes

INTEGUMENT COLORATION. Dark brown to black except as follows. Mandible with apical two-fifths golden yellow (entirely dark brown/black in some non-type specimens). Mandible with middle fifth (middle three-fifths in holotype of T. bilineatus ), labrum to some extent (except basomedially), scape and pedicel to some extent, F1 extensively, pronotal lobe, tegula, coxae to some extent, trochanters to tarsi (excluding brown meso- and metatibial spurs) partially to entirely, metasomal terga laterally, and metasomal sterna to some extent orange. F2 with orange spot basally. Fore wing membrane dusky subhyaline throughout. Hind wing membrane dusky subhyaline to hyaline. Pygidial plate to some extent reddish brown.

PUBESCENCE. Face with tomentum densest around antennal socket. Tomentum slightly sparser on clypeus; upper paraocular and frontal areas and vertexal area mostly exposed. Pronotal collar with tomentum uniformly pale yellow. Mesoscutum with well-defined paramedian band of pale-yellow tomentum, tapering slightly toward and attaining anterior margin; pale tomentum otherwise mostly restricted to lateral and posterior margins. Mesopleuron with off-white, appressed, branched setae; upper half densely setose, except behind pronotal lobe, with setae slightly sparser on hypoepimeral area; ventrolateral half sparsely setose. Metanotum with tomentum uninterrupted, uniformly off-white. Propodeal triangle mostly glabrous, with (pale) setae restricted to small lateral patches. Metasomal terga with bands of bright to pale-yellow tomentum. T1 with basal band separated medially into pair of anterolateral patches, each continuous with (and indistinguishable from) lateral longitudinal band and mesally convex, such that discal patch forming trapezoid or triangle with concave anterolateral sides; anterolateral patch with short, medially directed posterolateral extension in lectotype of E. flavipennis ; with medially interrupted apical transverse band in some non-type specimens. T2–T4 with medially narrowly interrupted apical transverse bands (in lectotype of E. flavipennis ) or medially narrowed apical transverse bands (in paralectotype of E. flavipennis , holotype of T. bilineatus , and multiple non-type specimens); these bands without well-defined anterolateral extensions, although T2–T3 with faint lateral longitudinal bands of diffuse off-white setae in types of E. flavipennis and multiple non-type specimens. S2–S3 with apical transverse bands of white tomentum.

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Labrum and clypeus with punctures equally dense (most i <1d); interspaces well defined, shining. Vertexal area densely punctate (most i <1d). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, and axilla with punctures more or less equally dense and nearly contiguous (most i<1d). Mesopleuron with punctures in upper half not much denser (most i<1d) than in ventrolateral half (most i≤ 1d); interspaces shining; punctures similar in size throughout. Discs of metasomal terga with punctures very fine, dense (i ≈1d), and evenly distributed; interspaces shining somewhat.

STRUCTURE. Labrum with pair of small subapical denticles, each preceded by discrete longitudinal ridge. Pronotal collar rather short (medial length ~ ⅔ MOD). Mesoscutellum weakly bigibbous. Axilla extending little if at all beyond midlength of mesoscutellum; tip visible but somewhat blunt, mesally unattached to mesoscutellum for less than ⅓ medial length of axilla; lateral margin relatively straight.

Female

T5 with broadly convex apical margin and large patch of off-white to pale-yellow tomentum on each side lateral to pseudopygidial area or large, continuous patch (or band) of pale tomentum bordering and contacting pseudopygidial area. Pseudopygidial area circular, with basal crescent of dense, silvery setae; setae glossy, coppery, and sparser centrally; apical margin with row of dense, appressed and suberect coppery to silvery setae. Pygidial plate apically truncate. S4 with apical transverse band of white tomentum. S5 slightly downturned apically, with apical fimbria of coppery bristle-like setae; S5 otherwise covered in off-white tomentum.

Male

T5–T6 with complete or medially narrowly interrupted apical transverse bands of pale-yellow tomentum. Pygidial plate apically rounded and slightly downturned, with basal transverse ridge ill-defined and lateral margin somewhat sinuate. S4–S5 each with apical/subapical fringe of dense, long (> 1 MOD), curved, coppery to silvery setae, not contrasting strongly with bands of preceding sterna.

Distribution

Texas ( USA) to Colombia ( Fig. 1E ).

Ecology

Host records

Unknown. One vouchered male bears a label indicating that the specimen was collected in the presence of “ Anthocopa on rock wall” near Metzquititlán in Hidalgo, Mexico, but an association between the two taxa seems very unlikely given that no osmiine bees have been confirmed as hosts of Triepeolus ( Rightmyer 2006) .

Floral records

Rightmyer (2006) reported this species on Aloysia gratissima (Gillies & Hook.) Tronc. ( Verbenaceae ), Cleome viscosa L. ( Cleomaceae ), Larrea tridentata (Sessé & Moc. ex DC.) Coville ( Zygophyllaceae ), Prosopis L. ( Fabaceae ), and Zanthoxylum L. ( Rutaceae ). Images on iNaturalist show this species visiting Heterotheca inuloides Cass. ( Asteraceae ), Lantana velutina M.Martens & Galeotti ( Verbenaceae ), Lysiloma divaricatum (Jacq.) J.F.Macbr. ( Fabaceae ), and Verbesina serrata Cav. ( Asteraceae ). The label of one more recently examined voucher specimen further indicates that this species has been collected from Bidens pilosa L.

Remarks

Rightmyer (2006) indicated that T. bilineatus and T. flavipennis are likely conspecific. In one of the two studied (male) types of E. flavipennis , the T2–T4 apical transverse bands of yellow tomentum are narrowly interrupted medially. In this species, the bands are more commonly complete, but specimens with medially narrowed and/or narrowly interrupted metasomal tergal bands have been observed from across the range of this species. In both the other type of E. flavipennis and (female) holotype of T. bilineatus , the T2–T4 apical transverse bands are complete, albeit somewhat narrowed medially. The authors of the present study do not consider these to be distinct species, and T. bilineatus is herein synonymized under T. flavipennis .

Since Friese (1916) did not explicitly designate a holotype, one of the two studied male syntypes (that which bears a red label that says “Type”) is herein designated as the lectotype of E. flavipennis . The other male, which bears an orange label that says “Typus”, is recognized as a paralectotype.

In South America, this species is presently only known from a couple of localities along the Pacific coast of Colombia. Triepeolus flavipennis has not yet been confirmed from the Isthmus of Panama and consequently shows a disjunct distribution ( Fig. 1E ); however, its presence there is expected based on its occurrence in northern South America and the Northern Triangle of Central America.

Figures

Fig. 1. Occurrence records (yellow circles) of species of Triepeolus Robertson, 1901 represented in South America. A. T. alvarengai Moure, 1955. B. T. atoconganus Moure, 1955. C. T. buchwaldi (Friese, 1908). D. T. cecilyae Packer, 2016. E. T. flavipennis (Friese, 1916). F. T. nemoralis (Holmberg, 1886). G. T. osiriformis (Schrottky, 1910). H. T. rufotegularis (Ashmead, 1900). I. T. tuberculifer Onuferko, Rightmyer & Roig-Alsina sp. nov.

Fig. 10. Triepeolus flavipennis (Friese, 1916). A. Female (CNC 753863), habitus, lateral view. B. Female (CNC 808414), habitus, dorsal view. C. Male (PCYU), habitus, lateral view. D. Female (CNC 808413) pseudopygidial area, dorsal view.

Fig. 13. Axillae and mesoscutellum of male, dorsal view. A. Triepeolus flavipennis (Friese, 1916) (PCYU). B. T. nemoralis (Holmberg, 1886) (CNC 1801912). C. T. osiriformis (Schrottky, 1910) (AMNH M.G.R. Database No. 1329). D. T. tuberculifer Onuferko, Rightmyer & Roig-Alsina sp. nov., allotype (FSCA M.G.R. Database No. 3704).