Epeolus ainsliei Crawford, 1932

Onuferko, Thomas M., 2018, A revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Epeolus Latreille for Nearctic species, north of Mexico (Hymenoptera, Apidae), ZooKeys 755, pp. 1-185 : 10-11

1. Epeolus ainsliei Crawford, 1932 Figs 3A, 4, 5, 95A

Epeolus ainsliei Crawford, 1932. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 34: 74 (♀).

Diagnosis.

The following morphological features in combination can be used to tell E. ainsliei apart from all other North American Epeolus : the mandible lacks a preapical angle or tooth and the preoccipital ridge joins the hypostomal carina. In some specimens of E. scutellaris , the preoccipital ridge joins or nearly joins the hypostomal carina, in which case it is separated from the hypostomal carina by less than 1 MOD at its terminal, but the species has a blunt, obtuse preapical tooth on the mandible and the axillae are relatively straight along the medial margin whereas in E. ainsliei the free portion is distinctly hooked. Epeolus ainsliei is also very similar to E. attenboroughi and E. rufulus , which it resembles in that in all three species the axilla is dilated laterally and the free portion is distinctly hooked, and the T1-T4 apical fasciae are complete; however, in both E. attenboroughi and E. rufulus the mandible has a blunt, obtuse preapical tooth, the mesoscutum lacks the distinct paramedian bands present in E. ainsliei and is instead largely obscured by pale tomentum, and the preoccipital ridge does not join the hypostomal carina.

Redescription.

This species was recently redescribed ( Onuferko 2017).

Distribution.

Great Plains to southwestern Ontario (Fig. 5).

Ecology.

HOST RECORDS: Epeolus ainsliei has been collected with possible host species Colletes susannae Swenk in Birds Hill Provincial Park ( Gibbs et al. 2017) and Spruce Woods Provincial Park (J. Gibbs, personal communication, 2017), Manitoba, Canada and Spring Green Preserve in Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA ( Wolf and Ascher 2009). In all cases at least one other species of Colletes was observed at the same locality and time as C. susannae and E. ainsliei , but observations of other Colletes were limited to one or two localities.

FLORAL RECORDS: Labels of examined voucher specimens indicate floral associations with Dalea purpurea Vent. ( Leguminosae ) and D. villosa (Nutt.) Spreng.

Discussion.

Detailed morphological and taxonomic remarks about this species are given in Onuferko (2017).

Material studied.

Type material. Primary: USA: Iowa: Sioux City, 15.vii.1922, C.N. Ainslie (holotype ♀ [USNM, catalog number: 534035]).

DNA barcoded material with BIN-compliant sequences.

Available. BOLD:ACZ1957. Specimens examined and sequenced. Canada: Manitoba: 1♀ (PCYU); Birds Hill Provincial Park (50.0190°N; 96.8820°W) (Division 12), 05.viii.2017, J. Gibbs and Nozoe (1♀, JBWM); Ontario: Rondeau Provincial Park (42.2814°N; 81.8427°W) (Beach Access #10, near Visitor Centre), 08.viii.2017, R. Ferrari (1♂, PCYU).

Non-barcoded material examined.

Canada: Alberta: 10♀, 1♂ (BBSL, CNC); Manitoba: Yellow Quill Mixed Grass Prairie Preserve (49.6911°N; 99.5747°W) (near Treesbank), 17.vii.2006, A.M. Patenaude (1♀, JBWM); Bald Head Hills (Spruce Woods Provincial Park), 01.viii.1983, W.E. Ralley (1♀, JBWM); Birds Hill Provincial Park (50.0100°N; 96.9100°W) (Division 12), 15.vii.2017, J. Gibbs and Nozoe (1♂, JBWM); Birds Hill Provincial Park (50.0115°N; 96.9065°W) (Division 12), 05.viii.2017, J. Gibbs and Nozoe (2♀, JBWM).

USA: Colorado: Longmont (Boulder County), 21.vii.1936, R. Bauer (1♂, CUM); Roggen, 08.vii.1933, M. and H. James and L. Ireland (1♂, CUM); Iowa: 1♀ (AMNH); Michigan: Edwin S. George Reserve (Livingston County), 12.viii.1960, U.N. Lanham (1♀, CUM); Minnesota: 1♀ (EMEC); Nebraska: 1♀ (AMNH); North Dakota: 7♀, 3♂ (AMNH, EMEC); Texas: 3♀, 2♂ (AMNH, CAS, CTMI); Wyoming: 1♀ (USNM).