Megachile rhodoleucura, Cockerell, 1937

Dorchin, Achik & Praz, Christophe J., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Western Palaearctic bees of the subgenus Pseudomegachile (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae, Megachile), Zootaxa 4524 (3), pp. 251-307 : 281

rhodoleucura species group

Description: This group currently includes a single species in the Palaearctic region, M. riyadhensis (see notes about the identity of this species below). It possesses a few unique characteristics: in the female, the particularly enlarged apicomedial protuberance of the clypeus ( Fig. 21 ) is possibly homologous to the much smaller preapical medial protuberance found in both the cyanipennis and incana species groups; and the mandible with four sharp teeth. In the male, the reduced, inconspicuous front coxal spine appears to build a transition between the incana and cyanipennis species groups ( Table 1); sternites 5 and 6 of the male are unlike that of any other species (Figs 93, 94), although S 5 may also be interpreted as intermediate between the two latter groups. Additionally, in the male the light front basitarsus with a conspicuous ventral dark spot is shared with the cyanipennis species group, while the absence of inferior mandibular projection is shared with the incana species group. Finally, the apical margin of T7 has a deep emargination, a unique character within Palaearctic and Arabian Pseudomegachile ( Fig. 37 ).

Figures

FIGURES 6–21. Clypeus and mandibles of females. 6: M. foersteri. 7: M. incana. 8: M. blepharis sp. nov.. 9: M. cinnamomea. 10: M. saussurei. 11: M. nigripes. 12: M. seraxensis. 13: M. ericetorum. 14: M. sanguinipes. 15 (hairs removed on left): M. maxschwarzi sp. nov.. 16 (hairs removed on left): M. flavipes. 17 (hairs removed on left): M. tecta. 18: M. cinnamomea. 19, 20 (profile): M. farinosa. 21: M. riyadhensis (profile). CT: clypeal tooth, APA: apical premarginal area of mandible, HT: clypeal hair tuft, FC: facial comb of hairs.

FIGURES 22–37. Diagnostic traits of males. 22: inferior mandibular projection of M. nigripes. Anterior coxal spine of 23: M. nigripes, 24: M. lanata. Front legs of males of 25: M. foersteri (anterior surface), 26: M. cyanipennis (anterior surface), 27: M. ericetorum (ventral surface), 28: M. cinnamomea (ventral surface), 29: M. cyanipennis (ventral surface), 30: M. cinnamomea (dorsal surface), 31: M. farinosa (dorsal surface). T6 and T7 of 32: M. farinosa, 33: M. cinnamomea, 34: M. lanata, 35: M. seraxensis, 36: M. schnabli, 37: M. riyadhensis. IBP: inferior basal projection, ACS: anterior coxal spine, AG: anterior groove, BAM: basitarsal anterior margin, MPS: minute posterior spot, PAC: preapical carina, LS: lateral spine.