Augochlora Smith, 1853

ENGEL, MICHAEL S., 2000, Classification Of The Bee Tribe Augochlorini (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (250), pp. 1-89 : 31-32

Genus Augochlora Smith

DIAGNOSIS: This large, diverse group is second only to the genus Augochloropsis in number of recorded species. Augochlora is most similar to the genera Augochlorella , Ceratalictus , and Pereirapis . It can be distinguished from them all, however, by the acute epistomal sulcus that forms a lobe protruding into the basal margin of the clypeus.

DESCRIPTION: Female. Lateral margins of labral distal process with strong teeth. Prementum not greatly elongate. Galeal apex rounded; galeal comb absent. Hypostomal ridge carinate; anterior angle pointed or produced into a short tubercle. Length of malar space less than basal mandibular width. Epistomal sulcus acute, protruding into clypeus. Ocelli not greatly enlarged; ocellar furrow absent. Vertex not ridged behind ocelli. Preoccipital ridge carinate among living species (rounded in one extinct species: see below under subgenus Electraugochlora ). Pronotal lateral angle produced, acute to obtuse; dorsal ridge carinate; lateral ridge angled, but distinctly not carinate. Mesoscutal anterior border rounded; mesoscutal lip rounded. Tegula oval. Anterior basitarsal brush present. Basitibial plate with well-developed borders. Inner hind tibial spur serrate. Apex of marginal cell truncate. Distal hamuli with irregular spacing pattern. Basal area of propodeum striate or rugose. S1 frequently bearing anterior median ridge or spine. Male. Mandible simple. Labrum without distal process; basal area not notched. Antennae of moderate length, extending posterad to scutellum; F2 length approximately equal to F1. Inner hind tibial spur serrate. Metasoma oval. Apical margins of S4 and S5 unmodified. Apical margin of S6 usually emarginate (a few species are unmodified). Apical margins of S7 and S8 with median projection; spiculum narrow. Proctiger with anal filaments. Gonobasal bridge narrow; dorsal lobes strong. Parapenial lobe absent; basal process present; dorsal process reduced to strong ridge with setae. Ventral surface of penis valve with prong.

REVISIONS: Refer to subgeneric treatments. Michener (1954b) gave a key to the Panamanian species and Cockerell (1897b) provided a key to the Mexican species; however this latter key is somewhat out of date and should be used with caution. Neither of these keys utilize the currently recognized subgeneric groupings and species identities should therefore, be cross-referenced with Moure and Hurd (1987) for subgeneric associations and appropriate synonymies.

Subgenus Augochlora Smith s.s. Figures 17 , 41 , 43 , 48 , 58

Augochlora Smith, 1853: 73 . Type species: Halictus purus Say, 1837 , designated by Cockerell (1923).

Oxystoglossa Smith, 1853: 83 . Type species: Oxystoglossa decorata Smith, 1853 , monobasic.

Angochlora Schrottky, 1901: 212. Lapsus calami

Odontochlora Schrottky, 1909a: 141. Type species: Augochlora mulleri Cockerell, 1900 [= Augochlora muelleri Schrottky, 1909a , nomen emendatum (unjustified)], original designation.

Oxystoglosss Moure, 1940: 57. Lapsus calami.

Odontochlor Mitchell, 1960: 456. Lapsus calami

Auglochlora Dodson, 1967: 6. Lapsus calami.

Augochlora (Mycterochlora) Eickwort, 1969a 423. Type species: Halictus repandirostris Vachal, 1911 , original designation. NEW SYN- ONYMY.

DIAGNOSIS: The nominate subgenus is most easily separated from the other subgenera by the strongly bidentate mandible and the transverse basal elevation on the labrum

DESCRIPTION: As for the genus with the following additions: Female. Mandible strongly bidentate. Labral distal process usually narrowly triangular (a few species have broadly triangular processes); basal elevation transverse, protuberant. Angle of epistomal sulcus strongly protruding into clypeus. Preoccipital ridge carinate. Male. Ridge bordering ventral gonostylar process with short setae, not surpassing gonostylar apex.

REVISIONS: There has been no revision of Augochlora s.s. Moure and Hurd (1987) list- ed 85 described species, although one, Augochlora essequibensis Cockerell , is newly synonymized with A. nigrocyanea Cockerell below (appendix 1). Three previously unplaced species have been recently transferred to this subgenus (Moure, 1999).

BIOLOGY: Species of Augochlora are soli- tary and form nests in rotting wood (Eickwort and Eickwort, 1973b; Stockhammer, 1966). Immature stages have been described by Michener (1953, 1954a) and Eickwort and Eickwort (1973b) (table 2).

DISTRIBUTION: This subgenus has the greatest distribution of any augochlorine group. Species range from northern Argentina to southern Canada and into the West Indies.

Electraugochlora , new subgenus Figures 79–81

TYPE SPECIES: Augochlora (Electraugochlora) leptoloba , new species (described in appendix 1).

DIAGNOSIS: This monotypic subgenus is unique among Augochlora species in the absence of a preoccipital carina, instead having an entirely rounded preocciptal area (a derived feature among the enitre Augochlora - group of genera). The acute epistomal sulcus places it among Augochlora , but the lobe is very small, in this way differing from living species of the genus. The orbicular basal elevation on the labrum is similar to Oxystoglossella , but in this subgenus the elevation is strongly protuberant. Further details of this groups morphology are presented below as well as in appendix 1, where the type species is described.

DESCRIPTION: As for the genus with the following additions: Female. Mandible with moderate subapical tooth. Labral basal elevation orbicular, low and not protuberant (figs. 80, 81). Angle of epistomal sulcus only weakly protruding into clypeus (figs. 80, 81). Preoccipital ridge rounded. S1 without median ridge or spine. Male. Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: The new generic name is a combination of electrum (L. amber) and the genus Augochlora , type genus of the tribe.

REVISIONS: There is only the one included species (described in appendix 1).

DISTRIBUTION: Presently known only from Miocene Dominican amber.

Figures

Figs. 17–20. Labra of female Augochlorini. 17. Augochlora (Augochlora) pura (Say). 18. Rhinocorynura briseis (Smith). 19. Megalopta (Megalopta) genalis Meade-Waldo. 20. Temnosoma metallicum Smith.

Figs. 38–41. Features of female Augochlorini. 38. Scutellum, metanotum, and basal area of propodeum of Megommation (Cleptommation) minutum (Friese). 39. Scutellum, metanotum, and basal area of propodeum of Chlerogella sp. 40. Hind leg of Temnosoma metallicum Smith, scopa absent from femur and tibia. 41. Hind leg of Augochlora (Augochlora) pura (Say), scopa on femur and tibia.

Figs. 42–45. Leg modifications of female Augochlorini. 42. Inner surface of mesotrochanter of Thectochlora alaris (Vachal) showing hook on dorsal surface. 43. Basitibial plate of Augochlora (Augochlora) pura (Say). 44. Basitibial plate of T. alaris. 45. Outer surface of metatibial base of Megommation (Cleptommation) minutum (Friese), showing absence of basitibial plate.

Figs. 46–51. Spurs and antenna cleaners of female Augochlorini. 46. Inner hind tibial spur of Chlerogella sp. 47. Inner hind tibial spur of Thectochlora alaris (Vachal). 48. Inner hind tibial spur of Augochlora (Augochlora) pura (Say). 49. Inner hind tibial spur of Pereirapis semiaurata (Spinola). 50 Antenna cleaner of Chlerogella sp. 51. Antenna cleaner of Megommation (Cleptommation) minutum (Friese).

Figs. 56–59. Metasomal modifications of female Augochlorini. 56. Metasoma of Temnosoma metallicum Smith, dorsal aspect. 57. Metasoma of T. metallicum, profile. 58. S1 of Augochlora (Augochlora) pura (Say), median apical ridge. 59. Apex of T5 of Megalopta (Megalopta) genalis Meade- Waldo, medioapical cleft of pseudopygidial area.

Fig. 79. Photomicrograph of holotype female of Augochlora (Electraugochlora) leptoloba, new subgenus and new species, in Dominican amber (photograph by author).

Figs. 80–81. Augochlora (Electraugochlora) leptoloba, new subgenenus and new species, female.