Oreopasites (Perditopasites) linsleyi Rozen

ROZEN, JEROME G. & ÖZBEK, HIKMET, 2003, Oocytes, Eggs, and Ovarioles of Some Long-Tongued Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), American Museum Novitates 3393, pp. 1-36 : 18

Oreopasites (Perditopasites) linsleyi Rozen

Because it was impossible to dissect oocytes of this species intact, the following description and figure 35 are based on fragments, leaving certain details obscure.

MATURE OOCYTE (fig.35): Length 0.55– 0.63 mm; maximum diameter 0.18 mm; egg index 0.60 (small). Opercular surface curved, with narrow flange anteriorly, but flange disappearing posteriorly so that posterior opercular edge not defined, at least under stereoscopic and compound microscope examination; as seen in lateral view (fig. 35), opercular surface a continuum with dorsal surface of oocytes (but see Remarks under O. barbarae , above); posterior part of oocyte with numerous, well­defined, transverse folds dorsally, these folds not reaching ventral surface; micropyle a median cluster of pores close to anterior edge of operculum, not on projection. Chorion clear, unpigmented; chorion of operculum and anterior dorsal surface thicker than elsewhere, with polygon pattern of fine ridges when viewed stereoscopically or by compound microscope; unlike in Or­ eopasites barbarae , intersections of ridges more elevated, giving surface rather uniform, finely nodular appearance; elsewhere chorion smooth, reflective, apparently without sculpturing; chorion not studied by SEM.

MATERIAL STUDIED: One female, New Mexico, Hidalgo Co., 5 mi N Rodeo, IX­1– 1989 (J.G. and B.L. Rozen, and R. L. Foster) .

REMARKS: We note that the largest oocytes of three of the four species of Oreopasites described here are nearly equal in length, with O. barbarae being the exception. As a result, the egg indices of these three vary considerably in relation to female body size: O. vanduzeei is by far the largest species (egg index 0.36), O. favreauae the next largest (egg index 0.49), and O. linsleyi the shortest and most slender (egg index 0.60). Although O. barbarae is much smaller than O. linsleyi , its egg index (0.63) is somewhat larger than that of the others.