Lasioglossum (Dialictus) tenax (Sandhouse)

Gibbs, Jason, 2011, Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini), Zootaxa 3073, pp. 1-216 : 196

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) tenax (Sandhouse)

Halictus (Chloralictus) tenax Sandhouse, 1924: 15 . Ƥ.

Holotype. Ƥ USA, Colorado, Long Peak Inn, Colorado, 25.vi., (Cockerell); [ NMNH: 26406]. Examined. Halictus (Chloralictus) meritus Sandhouse, 1924: 19 . Ƥ.

Holotype. Ƥ USA, Colorado, Halfway House, Pikes Peak, 30.v., on Fragaria, (Cockerell) ; [ NMNH: 26415]. Examined. Dialictus disabanci Knerer and Atwood, 1966 a: 882 . Ƥ3.

Holotype. Ƥ CANADA, Ontario, Pearl, Thunder Bay Dist., 20.viii.1963 on Anaphalis, (G. Knerer) ; [ ROM: 83869].

Examined.

Taxonomy. Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) meritum , p. 1115, L. (C.) tenax , p. 1118 (catalogue); Hurd, 1979: Dialictus disbanci ( lapsus calami ), p. 1966, D. meritus , p. 1968, D. tenax , p. 1972 (catalogue); Moure & Hurd, 1987: Dialictus disabanci , p. 99, D. meritus , p. 112, D. tenax , p. 134 (catalogue); Gibbs, 2010b: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) tenax Ƥ3, p. 329 (redescription, key, synonymy).

Diagnosis. Female L. tenax can be recognised by the following diagnostic combination: mesepisternal punctures distinct, mesoscutal punctures dense laterad of parapsidal line, head and mesosoma usually bluish, mesoscutal pubescence dull white, T1 acarinarial fan without dorsal opening, and apical impressed areas of metasomal terga impunctate. They are most similar to L. cattellae , which has head and mesosoma golden green and mesoscutal pubescence yellowish.

Male L. tenax can be recognised by the following diagnostic combination: head wide to round (length/width ratio = 0.96–1.02); mesoscutum dull, punctures relatively coarse, sparse between parapsidal lines (i=1–2d); mesepisternum punctate or rugulose; tegula reddish brown; tarsi brownish yellow; and metasomal terga with basolateral tomentum, impunctate on apical half (except along premarginal line).

Range. Newfoundland west to Alaska, south to Colorado, Utah, and North Carolina along the Appalachian mountains. USA: AK, CO, NC, NH, UT, WI, WY. CANADA: AB, BC, NB, NF, NT, ON, PQ, SK, YT.

DNA Barcode. Available. Multiple sequences.

Comments. Rare in the eastern USA. Lasioglossum tenax has an alpine/boreal distribution.

Lasioglossum tenax is evidently a solitary species (Packer 1994).