Stelis anthocopae, Parker, Frank D. & Griswold, Terry, 2013

Parker, Frank D. & Griswold, Terry, 2013, New species of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Stelis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae, Anthidiini) from the Nearctic Region, Zootaxa 3646 (5), pp. 529-544 : 535-536

Stelis anthocopae , n. sp.

( Figs. 6 , 16 , 26 , 36 )

Diagnosis. Stelis anthocopae can be distinguished from most Nearctic Stelis by the combination of the black body with pale tergal markings but no markings on the head, second recurrent vein basad second transverse cubital vein, and terga with distinct apical pubescent bands at least laterally. Among females with these traits only S. anthocopae and S. paiute have S6 not produced apically and T6 surrounding S6; from the latter S. anthocopae differs by its larger size (> 6.5mm vs. <5mm) and well defined, white, continuous or narrowly interrupted tergal bands (versus diffuse white lateral maculae connected by amber bands). Males with these traits differ in the combination of hind tibial spurs dark, and S4 with broad apical comb and no central depression.

Description. Female. Length 7mm; forewing 5mm long. Black, the following parts reddish: mandible medially, junctions between femora and tibiae, tegula, wing veins at base; creamy-white wide horizontal submedian bands (interrupted medially) on T1 – T5, increasingly smaller spots apically; wings appearing dark (dark setae). Pubescence white, thickly plumose, recumbent on lower frons, clypeal area, more setose, erect, bordered by plumose hairs on vertex, summit of scutum, scutellum; recumbent, plumose on pleura, mesepisternum, femora; less branched, more erect on rest of legs, propodeum; sparse on metasoma, setose, longer laterally on T4 – T6, thin, plumose bands on apical margins of terga, S1 – S5; dense, short hair brush covering surface of S6. Punctation coarse, punctures deep, contiguous, basal zone of propodeum with cells laterally; surface shiny on scutum, scutellum; terga with coarser punctation than sterna; S6 with fine, close punctures. F1 apically, F2 basally contrasting in sculpture, F1 slightly shorter than F2 (0.8X), combined lengths of F1 and F2 subequal to F10; head broader than long; genal width equal to eye width; OOD = OPD, OPD> (1.1X) IOD, IOD> (2.5X) LMOD, OPD> (1.3X) LOP, DIOD> (1.1X) BLID; pronotal lobe carinate; apical tibial spines minute; scutellum overhanging metanotum; second recurrent vein ending basad second transverse cubital; T1 – T3, ~ 3X as wide as long, tergal profile in lateral view evenly curved, no subapical indentation; T6 with bluntly rounded apical margin, ~ 2X as wide as long ( Fig. 16 ); S6 semicircular in outline, ~ 2X as wide as long; S2 – S5 with depressed apical borders (where row of plumose hairs produced).

Male. Similar to female except: apical margin of S1 round, with plumose hair band; margin of S2 indented medioapically with small projection, overhanging margin in some, apical 1/3 bordered with red; S3 with prominent V-shaped tooth on medioapical margin, apical margin reddish with thick band of plumose hair ( Fig. 26 ); S4 depressed mediosubapically with small (0.2X width of sternum) fine-toothed comb, apically with fringe of long, thick, plumose hair ( Fig. 36 ); S5 with wide, shallow V-shaped apical emargination; S6 with truncate apical margin; S7 with narrowly truncate apical margin; S4 – S6 forming bowl-shaped depression.

Type material. Holotype female. “CAL Riverside Co White Water Cyn. Reared F. D. Parker”/”Rearing No. 25638A”, [ex nest of Atoposmia hypostomalis ]. Paratypes. CALIFORNIA, Riverside Co: 18 Ƥ, 19 3, same data as holotype, and reared from the same host; 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Blythe, 18 mi W, reared, FD Parker; 1 Ƥ, 29 Palms, 23 mi SE, reared, FD Parker; 5 3, 5 Ƥ, Thousand Palms, reared, FD Parker; Imperial Co: 2 3, 6 Ƥ, Glamis, reared, FD Parker; Inyo Co: 1 3, 2 Ƥ, Big Pine, 11 mi NE, reared, FD Parker; 1 Ƥ, Keeler, 24 mi E, reared, FD Parker; 1 Ƥ, Mesquite Spring, 1.5 mi S, 2000’, 16 Apr 1993, T Griswold; 1 Ƥ, Tuber Canyon, 9 Apr 1998, T Griswold, C Schultz; Kern Co: 1 Ƥ, Inyokern, 4 mi NE, 24 Apr 1960, DD Linsdale; San Bernardino Co: 2 Ƥ, Morongo Valley, 1 mi S, reared, FD Parker; 2 Ƥ, Cima, 5.1 air mi S, reared, T Griswold; 1 Ƥ, Kramer Hills, reared FD Parker; San Diego Co; 13 3, 20 Ƥ, Borego Springs, 2 mi W, reared FD Parker; 1 Ƥ Coyote Creek, Borego Valley, reared, FD Parker; 1 Ƥ, Ocotillo Valley, 3 mi W, reared, FD Parker; 2 Ƥ, Ocotillo, 9 mi W, reared, FD Parker. ARIZONA: 1 Ƥ, Big Bend Wash, reared, FD Parker. NEVADA, Clark Co: 1 3, Hidden Valley, 14 May 1998, Baileya multiradiata , K Receveur; 1 3, Overton, reared, FD Parker; 1 Ƥ, St. Thomas Gap, 0.4 mi E, 12 May 2005, R. Andrus; 4 3, Sheep Mountain, W, 4 May 1998, Baileya multiradiata , M Andres, K Keen; 1 Ƥ, same except T Griswold; 4 3, Sheep Mountain, W, 8 May 1998, Baileya multiradiata , T Griswold; 1 3, same except K Keen, K Receveur; 3 3, 3 Ƥ, Valley of Fire, reared, FD Parker; 1 Ƥ, White Sage Flat, 2.93 mi E, 8 Jun 2005, R Andrus. UTAH, Washington Co: 1 Ƥ, Hurricane, reared, FD Parker; 1 Ƥ, Warner Ridge, 10 km E Bloomington, 30 Apr 1993, G Bryant. Holotype deposited in BBSL, paratypes in BBSL and EMEC.

Biology. Stelis anthocopae was reared from cells of Atoposmia hypostomalis (Michener) and Hoplitis biscutellae (Cockerell) . Both of these host bees make complete cells in preexisting cavities (Parker 1975, Rust 1980). This cleptoparasite has been recorded visiting Baileya multiradiata and Arctomecon .

Distribution. Known only from the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of southern California, Nevada and Utah.

Etymology. Derived from the traditional generic name for one of the host bees, what we now recognize as Atoposmia .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Female habitus in profile view. 1. Stelis joanae, 2. S. occidentalis, 3. S. lamelliterga, 4. S. broemelingi, 5. S. paiute, 6. S. anthocopae, 7. S. imperialis, 8. S. anasazi, 9. S. shoshone, 10. S. alta. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 20. Apex of female metasoma in posterior view. 11. Stelis joanae, 12. S. occidentalis, 13. S. lamelliterga, 14. S. broemelingi, 15. S. paiute, 16. S. anthocopae, 17. S. imperialis, 18. S. anasazi, 19. S. shoshone, 20. S. alta. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 21 – 30. Male S 3 in ventral view. 21. Stelis joanae, 22. S. occidentalis, 23. S. lamelliterga, 24. S. broemelingi, 25. S. paiute, 26. S. anthocopae, 27. S. imperialis, 28. S. anasazi, 29. S. shoshone, 30. S. alta. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 31 – 40. Male S 4 in ventral view. 31. Stelis joanae, 32. S. occidentalis, 33. S. lamelliterga, 34. S. broemelingi, 35. S. paiute, 36. S. anthocopae, 37. S. imperialis, 38. S. anasazi, 39. S. shoshone, 40. S. alta. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.