Megachile (Argyropile) parallela Smith

Smith 1853: 191, ♂. Type Locality: Georgia, USA. Type repository: BNHM.

Mitchell 1937: 48 [mandible, genitalia and associated sterna, Pls. V and VI]; 1941: 167 [intersex]; 1943a: 12; 1943b: 661 (Ψ S6, Fig. 18); 1962: 159 [♂ genitalia and associated sterna, Fig. 50, 52 and 55; Fig. 51, mandible of Ψ and ♂] Fischer 1951: 49; 1953: 47 [nesting biology]

Medler & Lussenhop: 1968: 26 [nesting biology]

Ayala et al. 1997: 454 [distribution in Mexico]

Yañez-Ordóñez & Hinojosa-Díaz 2004: 188 [distribution in Mexico]

facunda Cresson 1872: 266, ♂. Type locality: Texas, USA. Type repository: ANSP. Cresson 1916: 118 [lectotype designation]

Hurd 1979: 2066 [synonymy with parallela]

6-dentata Robertson 1895: 125, ♂. Type locality: Illinois, USA. Type repository: INHS.

verbesinae Cockerell 1908: 264, Ψ. Mitchell, 1937: 57. Type locality: Sonoita, Arizona, USA. Type repository: CAS. Mitchell 1944: 132 [synonymy with parallela]

parallela rita Mitchell 1937: 53, Ψ. Type locality: Mt. Santiago, California, USA. Type repository: USNM.

parallela reta Mitchell 1937: 48, 1943a: 16; misspelling of parallela rita.

asterae Mitchell 1943a: 13, Ψ. Type locality: Kaibab Forest, Utah, USA. Type repository: CAS. [N. Syn.]

tulariana Mitchell 1937: 53, Ψ. Type locality: Tulare, California, USA. Type repository: CUIC. [N. Syn.]

Distribution. Southwestern Canada (British Columbia – Saskatchewan), western USA to North Dakota, Indiana, North Carolina and Florida; Mexico and Costa Rica.

Floral records. Aplopappus, Agoseris, Asclepias— Asclepiadaceae, Aster, Baccharis, Baileya multiradiata, Boltonia, Brassica geniculata— Brassicaceae, Calycadenia multiglandulosa, Ceanothus— Rhamnaceae, Centaurea melitensis, C. solstitialis, Cephalanthus— Rubiaceae, Chrysanthemum, Chrysothamnus paniculatus, C. nauseosus, C. viscidiflorus, Cirsium, Clarkia williamsonii— Onagraceae, Coreopsis grandiflora, C. lanceolata, C. tinctoria, C. palmata, Corethrogyne, Chilopsis linearis— Bignoniaceae, Dyssodia, Encelia virginensis, E. farinosa, Ericameria parishii, Erigeron pygmaeus, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Gaillardia pulchella, G. suavis, Gilia— Polemoniaceae, Gossypium— Malvaceae, Grindelia camporum, G. inuloides, G. squamosa, Gutierrezia californica, G. sarothrae, Haplopappus squarrosus, H. vernonioides, Helenium bigelovii, Helianthus annus, H. atrorubens, H. gracilentus, H. nuttallii, H. petiolaris, Heliopsis, Hemizonia lobbii, H. wrightii, Heterotheca grandiflora, H. subaxillaris, Hypericum— Clusiaceae, Lepachys, Lippia cuneifolia— Verbenaceae, Lotus scoparius— Fabaceae, Malacothrix tenuifolia, Medicago sativa— Fabaceae, Melilotus alba— Fabaceae, Nepeta cataria— Lamiaceae, Palafoxia linearis, Phaseolus— Fabaceae, Petaloste-mon— Fabaceae, Ratibida columnaris, R. columnifera pulcherrima, Rudbeckia bicolor, Sapindus drum-mondi— Sapindaceae, Senecio douglasii, S. flaccidus, Solidago, Silphium, Stephanomeria exigua, Verbena stricta— Verbenaceae, Verbesina, Viguiera, Xanthocephalum, Zexmenia, Zinnia .

Associated organisms: The mite Trochometridium tribulatum Cross (Acari, Trochometridiidae) has been taken from legs, propodeum and metasoma of females. The same mite species has also been recorded from other ground-nesting bees (P. Klimov, Pers. com).