Lasioglossum (Dialictus) apopkense (Robertson)

Gibbs, Jason, 2011, Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini), Zootaxa 3073, pp. 1-216 : 49-53

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) apopkense (Robertson)

( Figures 57–61 )

Halictus apopkensis Robertson, 1892: 272 Ƥ.

Lectotype. Ƥ USA, Florida, Inverness, 12.ii.1891 (C. Robertson); [INHS: 9991] by W. E. LaBerge (in Webb 1980). Examined

Taxonomy. Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) apopkense , p. 1112 (catalogue); Mitchell, 1960: Dialictus apopkensis , p. 382 (redescription); Krombein, 1967: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) alachuense , p. 462 (catalogue); Moure and Hurd, 1987: Dialictus apopkensis , p. 90 (catalogue).

Diagnosis. Both sexes of L. apopkense can be recognised by the following diagnostic combination: size small (3.7– 4.8 mm); mesoscutum dull due to coarse microsculpture, punctation sparse throughout ( Figs. 58 , 60 ); propodeal carinae strong; and metasomal terga impunctate on apical halves. Female L. apopkense are most similar to L. achilleae , which have mesoscutum polished due to lack of microsculpture.

Redescription. FEMALE. Length 3.66–4.80 mm; head length 1.06–1.36 mm; head width 1.15–1.46 mm; forewing length 2.66–3.51 mm.

Colouration. Head and mesoscutum pale bluish green to pale green. Mandible dark orange. Clypeus with apical half blackish brown. Antenna dark brown, flagellomeres with ventral surface reddish brown. Metapostnotum blue. Tegula pale amber. Wing venation and pterostigma pale yellow. Wing membranes hyaline with pale hairs. Legs brown, except metabasitarsus infused with reddish brown, medio- and distitarsi reddish brown. Metasoma brown, terga and sterna with apical margins reddish brown, T2–T4 apical margins translucent yellow.

Pubescence. Dull white. Mostly sparse. Head and mesosoma with sparse woolly hairs (1–2 OD), longest on genal beard, metanotum, and mesopleuron (2–2.5 OD). Lower paraocular area with tomentum. Gena with sparse tomentum. Propodeum with plumose hairs on lateral and posterior surfaces (2–2.5 OD). Metasomal terga with sparse, fine hairs. T1 acarinarial fan sparse with wide dorsal opening, equal to width of lateral fan. T2–T3 basolaterally and T4 entirely with very sparse tomentum. T3–T4 with very sparse apical fringes.

Surface sculpture. Face polished, weakly imbricate, punctation moderately fine. Clypeus polished, punctation sparse (i=1–3d). Supraclypeal area with punctation sparse (i=3–5d). Lower paraocular area punctation dense (i<d). Antennocular area punctation moderately sparse (i=0.5–2d). Upper paraocular area and frons punctation moderately dense (i≤1.5d). Gena polished, finely punctate. Postgena imbricate. Mesoscutum tessellate, punctation deep and moderately sized, sparse throughout (i=1–4d), moderately sparse laterad to parapsidal line (i=2d) and anterolateral area (i=1–2d). Mesoscutellum similar to mesoscutum, submedial area punctures sparse (i=2–4d). Axilla punctate. Metanotum imbricate. Preëpisternum rugulose. Hypoepimeral area imbricate. Mesepisternum ruguloso-imbricate above, lower half imbricate with obscure punctation (i=1–2d). Metepisternum upper half rugoso-carinulate, lower half imbricate. Metapostnotum coarsely rugosocarinulate, interstitial areas weakly imbricate. Propodeum dorsolateral slope, lateral and posterior surfaces imbricate-tessellate. Metasomal terga polished except apical impressed areas coriarious. T1 largely impunctate. T2–T4 punctation sparse basally (i=1–3d), apical half impunctate (except along premarginal line).

Structure. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.92–0.93). Eyes weakly convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.24– 1.25). Clypeus 1/3 below suborbital tangent, apicolateral margins convergent. Antennal sockets close (IAD/OAD <0.5). Frontal line carinate, ending 2OD below median ocellus. Eye wider than gena. Inner metatibial spur pectinate with 3–4 branches. Metapostnotum relatively elongate (MMR ratio = 1.18), posterior margin carinate, separated from posterior surface. Propodeum with dorsolateral slope delimited below by strong oblique carina forming an obtuse angle, lateral carina not reaching dorsal margin.

MALE. Similar to female except for the usual secondary sexual characters and as follows. Length 4.17–4.72 mm; head length 1.10–1.33 mm; head width 1.18–1.38 mm; forewing length 3.21–3.48 mm.

Colouration. Mandible yellow on apical half. Flagellum with ventral surface reddish brown. Pterostigma pale brownish yellow. Legs brown, except tarsi pale brownish yellow.

Pubescence. Face below eye emargination with scattered tomentum partially obscuring surface, denser on lower paraocular area. Metasomal sterna sparsely pubescent, S3–S4 with small apicolateral tufts (1 OD).

Surface sculpture. Dorsolateral slope coarsely rugose.

Structure. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.94–0.97). Eyes strongly convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.55– 1.61). Clypeus 2/3 below suborbital tangent, apicolateral margins weakly convergent. Antennal sockets distant (IAD/ OAD> 1.7). Frontal line carinate, ending 1.5 OD below median ocellus. Pedicel shorter than F1. F2 length 2.0X F1. F2– F10 moderately elongate (length/width ratio = 1.31–1.64). Metapostnotum elongate (MMR ratio = 1.08–1.11), posterior margin sharply angled onto posterior propodeal surface.

Terminalia . S7 with median lobe narrowly clavate, apex rounded ( Fig. 61 ). S8 with apicomedial margin weakly convex ( Fig. 61 ). Genital capsule as in Fig. 61 . Gonobase with ventral rim distinctly separated. Gonostylus small, dorsal setae elongate. Retrorse lobe elongate, attenuated apically.

Range. Georgia, Mississippi north to New Jersey pine barrens ( Fig. 56 ). USA: AL, GA, FL, MS, NC, NJ, SC, TX, VA.

Additional material examined. USA: ALABAMA: 1Ƥ Baldwin Co., Bon Secour N.W. Ref., T9S R2E Sec. 23 SE, 12.x.1991 (G.C. Eickwort); 1Ƥ Baldwin Co., Bon Secour N.W. Ref., T9S R2E Sec. 25 S, 12.x.1991 (G.C. Eickwort); 1Ƥ Baldwin Co., Bon Secour N.W. Ref., T9S R2E Sec. 25 N, 13.x.1991 (G.C. Eickwort); 13 Baldwin Co., Bon Secour N.W. Ref., T9S R2E Sec. 25 N, 12–16.x.1991 (T. Schiefer & G.C. Eickwort); [ CUIC]; GEORGIA: 1Ƥ Jasper Co., Oconee N.F., Starr Rd., 18.vii.2008 (J. Hanula & S. Horn); 1Ƥ Jasper Co., Oconee N.F., Julliett Rd/Powerline, 18.vii.2008 (J. Hanula & S. Horn); 10ƤƤ Liberty Co., St. Catherine’s Isl., N31˚41ʹ W081˚9ʹ. 30.iv–4.v.1995 (A. Sharkov); [ PCYU]; FLORIDA: 11Ƥ Leon Co., Apalachicola National Forest, " ant heaven", N30.31687 W084.50008, 20–27.vi.2005 (Ronquist Lab); 1Ƥ Putnam Co., Ordway-Swisher Biological Station (UF), Rd. G-11, 14.x.2009 (J.S. Ascher, H.G. Hall); [ AMNH]; 1Ƥ Alachua Co., 28.ii.1930 (C.J. Guard); [ CUIC]; 1Ƥ paratype, Inverness, (C. Robertson); [ INHS]; MISSIS- SIPPI: 1Ƥ Jackson Co., N30.5297 W088.6942, 4–5.vi.2005 (S.W. Droege); [ PCYU]; NORTH CAROLINA: 5ƤƤ Moore Co., Southern Pines, N35.17389 W079.3925, 159 m, 22.iii.1918; 1Ƥ Moore Co., Southern Pines, N35.17389 W079.3925, 159 m, 10.iv.1918; [ AMNH]; 1Ƥ So. Pines, 26.iii.1923 (A.H. Manee); [ CNC]; 1Ƥ Holly Shelter, 16.ix.1952 (T.B. Mitchell); 13 Holly Shelter, 9.x.1954 (T.B. Mitchell); 1Ƥ Raleigh, 11.vii.1949 (M.W. Wing); [ CUIC]; SOUTH CAROLINA: 13 C. Sandhills NWR, N34.5597 W080.2561, 6.ix.2006 (S.W. Droege); 1Ƥ Chesterfield Co., N34.5825 W080.2201, 29.v.2007 (S.W. Droege); 3ƤƤ Chesterfield Co., N34.48889 W080.3012, 25.ix.2007 (S.W. Droege); 1Ƥ Chesterfield Co., N34.5303 W080.3028, 25.ix.2007 (S.W. Droege); 13 Chesterfield Co., N34.5306 W080.225, 26.ix.2007 (S.W. Droege); 1Ƥ Horry Co., N33.6873 W078.8831, 17.viii.2004 (S. Na); 1Ƥ Williamsburg Co., N33.7103 W079.4425, 17.vii.2007 (D. Green); TEXAS: 1Ƥ Nacogdoches Co., N31.5011 W094.7839, 9–22.ix.2010 (C. Adams); [ CUIC]; VIRGINIA: 1Ƥ Assateague I., N37.9086 W075.3564, 1–2.vii.2006 (S.W. Droege); 1Ƥ Assateague I., N37.9181 W075.3274, 30.vi–1.vii.2006 (S.W. Droege); [ PCYU].

Floral records. AQUIFOLIACEAE : Ilex ; ASTERACEAE : Aster , Chrysopsis, Croptilion , Solidago ; CAR- DIACEAE: Rhus ; CLUSIACEAE : Hypericum ; FABACEAE : Melilotus ; POLYGONACEAE : Polygonella ; RHAMNA- CEAE: Ceanothus ; ROSACEAE : Amelanchier , Prunus ; SALICACEAE : Salix ; UNCERTAIN: “ Gerardia ”. DNA Barcode. Available. Multiple sequences.

Comments. Common.

Figures

FIGURE 56. Distribution map of Lasioglossum apocyni (circles) and L. apopkense (stars).

FIGURE 57. Lasioglossum apopkense (Mitchell) female, (A) lateral habitus, (B) face. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 58. Lasioglossum apopkense (Mitchell) female, dorsal view of mesosoma.

FIGURE 59. Lasioglossum apopkense (Mitchell) male, (A) lateral habitus, (B) face. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 60. Lasioglossum apopkense (Mitchell) male, dorsal view of mesosoma.

FIGURE 61. Lasioglossum apopkense (Mitchell) male terminalia, (A) ventral view, (B) dorsal view. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.