Epicharis (Epicharitides) iheringii, Friese, 1899

Alvarez, Leopoldo Jesús, Silva, Wagner Pereira, Lucia, Mariano & Aguiar, Antonio J. C., 2019, The first cases of gynandromorphism in oil-collecting bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae: Centridini, Tapinotaspidini), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 59, pp. 1-5 : 2

Epicharis (Epicharitides) iheringii – gynandromorphy

Description: Body length 16.2, head length 4.0, head width 4.3, mesosoma width 4.9, metasoma width 6.7. Head: Bilateral gynandromoph, left side male-like and right side female; integument mostly black; labrum and clypeus yellow on left side as male, and black on right side as female; right paraocular area with a yellow stripe occupying half area like female. Both antennae have 10 flagellomeres as is typical for females. Pubescence on mandibles, frons, paraocular area, gena and clypeus not distinct between sides; right half of labrum with light brown setae as female, distinct longer than on male left side; left side of vertex with yellowish setae as male and right side with blackish setae as female ( Fig. 2B ). Mesosoma: general appearance female-like. Integument black and pubescence brown to black; mesoscutum and scutellum with sparse punctures. Legs female-like ( Fig. 2A ), with integument color black as in normal female. Fore and mid legs female-like, modified to collect oil on ventral surface. Hind legs female-like; the scopa yellowish composed of dense plumose pubescence with integument yellowish except the distitarsus and mediotarsus light brown; tibial spurs light brown; pubescence mostly yellowish. Metasoma: symmetric female-like, with six exposed terga and sterna, and symmetric yellow marks on terga as female ( Fig. 2C ).

Material Examined: One gynandromorph, Brazil, Brasília, Parque Nacional de Brasília, 23-XI-2012, Coll. J.C.S. Oliveira.

Figures

Figure 2. Gynandromorph of Epicharis (Epicharitides) iheringii Friese:(A) Habitus in lateral view.(B) Head in frontal view.(C) Metasoma in dorsal view.