Megachile (Megachiloides) nevadensis Cresson, 1879

Megachile nevadensis Cresson, 1879: 209 .

Megachile (Xeromegachile) nevadensis; Mitchell 1937a: 359. Hurd 1979: 2064.

Megachile (Megachiloides) nevadensis; Raw 2002: 19. Scott et al. 2011: 56.

Diagnosis. The female of M. nevadensis can be identified by its black scopal setae on S6, white scopal setae on S5, T5 with punctures ≤ 1 diameter apart medially, and 4-toothed mandibles with an asymmetrical emargination between the 3 rd and 4 th teeth that is deepest nearer the 4 th tooth (Fig. 7C). The females are most similar to M. manifesta (see M. manifesta above) and M. wheeleri, which has T5 with punctures 2–4 diameters apart medially (see Taxonomic Challenges). The male of M. nevadensis can be identified by its 3-toothed mandibles, its wide and spatulate procoxal spine (Fig. 8I), with a short, suberect patch of setae at the base, and carina on mesepisternum with long setae touching the hind coxae. The males are most similar to M. wheeleri and M. manifesta, neither of which have a patch of setae at the base of the procoxal spine.

Notes. This species was recorded from Bozeman, Montana, by Mitchell (1937a), but we were unable to locate the voucher (see Discussion: Searching for Mitchell’s Montana Species). However, collecting in eastern Montana resulted in collection of one male specimen of M. nevadensis in 2021 (Fig. 1X). The species was first described in Cresson (1879), then redescribed in more detail in Mitchell (1937a) with illustrations of male characters. Photographs of both sexes can be found on BOLD (http://www.barcodinglife.org).