Lasioglossum (Dialictus) zephyrum (Smith)

Gibbs, Jason, 2011, Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini), Zootaxa 3073, pp. 1-216 : 211

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) zephyrum (Smith)

Halictus zephyrus Smith, 1853: 68 . 3.

Holotype. 3 USA, Florida, St. John’s Bluff [ BMNH: B.M. Type 17a 993]. Examined. Halictus (Chloralictus) academicus Sandhouse, 1924: 12 . Ƥ.

Holotype. Ƥ USA, Colorado, Boulder, 14.v. (I. Bleasdale); [ NMNH: 26402]. Examined. Halictus (Chloralictus) vintonensis Sandhouse, 1924: 22 . Ƥ.

Holotype. Ƥ USA, Iowa, Vinton, 23.vi.1922 (G. Sandhouse); [ NMNH: 26417]. Examined.

Taxonomy. Robertson, 1895: Halictus zephyrus Ƥ, p. 117 (description); Robertson, 1902b: Chloralictus zephyrus , p. 248 (key); Cockerell, 1905: Halictus zephyrus 3, p. 352 (redescription); Viereck, 1916: Halictus (Chloralictus) zephyrus , p. 706 (key); Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) academicum , p. 1111, L. (C.) zephyrus , p. 1118 (catalogue); Mitchell, 1960: Dialictus zephyrus Ƥ3, p. 431 (redescription); Krombein, 1967: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) zephyrum , p. 467 (catalogue); Hurd, 1979: Dialictus academicus , p. 1963 (catalogue); Dialictus academicus , p. 1963, D. zephyrus , p. 1973 (catalogue); Moure & Hurd, 1987: Dialictus academicus , p. 87, D. zephyrus , p. 140 (catalogue); Pesenko et al., 2000: Evylaeus zephyrus , p. 42 (review); Gibbs, 2010b: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) zephyrum Ƥ3, p. 362 (redescription, key, synonymy).

Diagnosis. Female L. zephyrum can be recognised by the following diagnostic combination: size relatively large (5.31–7.08 mm); head wide (length/width ratio = 0.94–0.95); lower paraocular area with dense tomentum obscuring surface; gena wider than eye; hypostomal carina parallel; mesoscutum polished, punctures fine, moderately sparse between parapsidal lines (i=1–2d); mesepisternal punctures fine, sometimes obscure; metapostnotal rugae reaching approximately halfway to posterior margin; and metasomal terga polished with faint metallic reflections.

Male L. zephyrum are similar to females but can be further distinguished by the following combination: clypeus sometimes brownish yellow apically; denser tomentum on paraocular area; flagellomeres long (length/width ratio = 1.75–1.86), bright yellow ventrally; gena narrower than eye; mesepisternal punctures distinct; tarsi, apices and bases of tibiae pale brownish yellow; metapostnotal rugae longer, posterior margin smoothly rounded onto posterior propodeal surface; and metasomal terga colour variable from brown with greenish reflections to orange-red.

Range. Quebec west to Alberta, Oregon, south to Florida, Texas. USA: AL, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MT, NC, NE, NY, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, WI, WV. CANADA: AB, MB, ON, PQ.

DNA Barcode. Available. Multiple sequences.

Comments. Common.

Lasioglossum zephyrum is a eusocial species ( Batra 1966) and is the most thoroughly studied species of L. ( Dialictus ) (see Gibbs 2010b for a bibliography).