Lasioglossum (Dialictus) cattellae (Ellis)

Gibbs, Jason, 2010, Revision of the metallic species of Lasioglossum (Dialictus) in Canada (Hymenoptera, Halictidae, Halictini) 2591, Zootaxa 2591 (1), pp. 1-382 : 89-91

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) cattellae (Ellis)

(Figures 85A–E, 86A–H)

Halictus cattellae Ellis, 1913: 209 . ♀ ♂.

Holotype. ♀ USA, New York, Garrison , [ UCMC]. Examined.

Dialictus alternatus Mitchell, 1960: 433 . ♂. [new synonymy]

Holotype. ♂ USA, Massachusetts, Forest Hills , 29–30.Aug.1922 (W.M. Wheeler); [ MCZ: 30469]. Examined.

Taxonomy. Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) cattellae , p. 1112 (catalogue); Mitchell, 1960: Dialictus cattellae ♀, p. 386 (redescription); Krombein, 1967: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) alternatum , p. 462, L. (D.) cattellae , p. 462 (catalogue); Hurd, 1979: Dialictus alternatus , p. 1964, D. cattellae , p. 1965 (catalogue); Moure & Hurd, 1987: Dialictus alternatus , p. 89, D. cattellae , p. 94 (catalogue).

Diagnosis. Females of L. cattellae are recognisable by the diagnostic combination of a polished golden green colour on the head, mesosoma and vaguely on the metasoma, strong mesoscutal punctures which are dense adjacent to the parapsidal lines, yellowish woolly hairs on the mesoscutum, strong and sparse mesepisternal punctures (i=1–2d), complete but small T1 acarinarial fan, sparse punctures on the basal portions of the metasomal terga and nearly impunctate apical halves of the metasomal terga (Fig. 85E). They are most similar to L. tenax which are bluish green with less strong mesoscutal punctures and dull white woolly hairs on the mesoscutum. Female L. obscurum are also similar but have sparse punctures on the lateral mesoscutal surface.

Males of L. cattellae are similar to the females but have moderately dense punctures reaching the premarginal line, only the apical impressed area impunctate. They are most similar to L. tenax which have relatively sparse punctures on the basal halves of the metasomal terga that clearly do not reach the premarginal line.

Redescription. FEMALE. Length 4.82–5.86 mm; head length 1.37–1.49 mm; head width 1.37–1.51 mm; forewing length 3.97–4.15 mm.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma green to golden green. Clypeus with apical half blackish brown, basal half, and supraclypeal area brassy. Lower paraocular area with blue reflections. Antenna dark brown, flagellum with ventral surface reddish brown. Tegula reddish brown to amber. Wing membrane subhyaline, venation and pterostigma amber. Legs brown, tibial bases reddish brown to orange, medio- and distitarsi brownish yellow. Metasoma brown, T1–T3 with vague golden to green reflections, terga and sterna with apical margins reddish brown to translucent brownish yellow.

Pubescence. Dull white to yellowish. Sparse. Head and mesosoma with moderately dense woolly hairs (1–2 OD), longest on genal beard, metanotum and mesopleuron (2–2.5 OD), distinctly yellowish on mesoscutum. Paraocular area without tomentum. Gena with sparse tomentum. Propodeum with moderately dense plumose hairs on lateral and posterior surfaces (2–2.5 OD). Metasomal terga with sparse, fine setae. T1 acarinarial fan complete, not reaching dorsal margin of declivitous surface. T2–T3 basolateral areas with few appressed hairs. T4 with sparsely scattered appressed hairs on disc. T3–T4 without apical hair bands.

Surface sculpture. Face polished, faintly imbricate, punctation moderately strong. Clypeal punctation sparse (i=1–3d). Supraclypeal area with punctation moderately sparse (i=1–2.5d). Lower paraocular and antennocular areas with punctation moderately dense (i=1–1.5d). Upper paraocular area and frons reticulatepunctate. Ocellocular area sparsely, minutely punctate (i=1–2d). Gena shining, faintly lineolate. Postgena polished. Mesoscutum polished, punctation moderately strong, medially sparse (i=1–2d), but contiguous adjacent to parapsidal lines and on anterolateral portions. Mesoscutellum punctation similar to mesoscutum, distinctly separated on medial line, submedial area polished. Axilla reticulate-punctate. Metanotum imbricate. Preëpisternum and mesepisternum polished between strong punctures (i=1–2d). Metepisternum with dorsal half rugoso-striate, ventral half imbricate. Metapostnotum incompletely striate. Propodeum with dorsolateral slope and lateral surface imbricate, posterior surface tessellate. Metasomal terga polished except T1 declivitous surface and apical impressed areas weakly coriarious, punctation on basal halves sparse (i=2–4d), apical halves impunctate (except along premarginal line).

Figure 85. Lasioglossum cattellae (Ellis) . Female (A) lateral habitus; (B) dorsal habitus; (C) face; (D) metapostnotum; (E) metasomal terga. Scale bars, A–C = 1 mm.

Structure. Head round (length/width ratio = 0.98–1.00). Eyes convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.15– 1.21). Clypeus ½ below suborbital tangent, apicolateral margins convergent. Antennal sockets close (IAD/ OAD <0.5). Gena narrower than eye. Inner metatibial spur pectinate with 3 teeth. Metapostnotum moderately elongate (MMR ratio = 1.18–1.21), posterior margin weakly angled onto posterior surface. Propodeum with oblique carina weak, lateral carina weak, not reaching dorsal margin.

MALE. Length. 4.33–4.45 mm; head length 1.32–1.38 mm; head width 1.30–1.37 mm; forewing length 3.48–3.54 mm.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma bluish green to pale green. Clypeus with apical half blackish brown, basal half and supraclypeal area bronze. Antenna dark brown, flagellum with ventral surface brownish yellow. Tegula dark reddish brown. Wing membrane subhyaline, venation and pterostigma yellowish brown. Legs brown, tarsi brownish yellow. Metasoma dark brown, terga and sterna with apical margins reddish brown to translucent brownish yellow.

Pubescence. Dull white. Moderately sparse. Head and mesosoma with moderately dense woolly hairs (1– 1.5 OD), longest on genal beard, metanotum and mesopleuron (1.5–2.5 OD). Face below eye emargination with sparse tomentum not obscuring surface. Lower paraocular area with moderately dense tomentum, partially obscuring surface. Gena with sparse tomentum. Propodeum with moderately dense plumose hairs on lateral and posterior surfaces (1.5–2 OD). Metasomal terga with moderately dense, fine setae. T1 acarinarial fan sparse, complete dorsally. S2–S3 apical halves and S4–S5 lateral portions with moderately sparse plumose hairs.

Surface sculpture. Face weakly imbricate, punctation fine. Clypeus polished, punctation moderately dense (i=1–2d). Supraclypeal area with punctation moderately dense (i=1–1.5d). Lower paraocular and antennocular areas with punctation dense (i≤d). Upper paraocular area, frons and ocellocular area punctate-reticulate. Gena and postgena strongly lineolate. Mesoscutum weakly imbricate, punctation moderately strong, deep, sparse between parapsidal lines (i=1–2.5d), dense laterad of parapsidal line (i≤d), contiguous on anterolateral portion. Mesoscutellum similar to mesoscutum, submedial punctation sparse (i=1–3d). Axilla minutely punctate. Metanotum rugulose. Preëpisternum rugose. Hypoepimeral area reticulate. Mesepisternum polished, strongly punctate (i=1–1.5d). Metepisternum with dorsal two-thirds rugoso-striate, ventral third imbricate. Metapostnotum completely rugoso-striate. Propodeum with dorsolateral slope and posterior surface rugose, lateral surface rugulose. Metasomal terga weakly coriarious, punctation uniformly dense (i=1–1.5d), except apical impressed areas impunctate.

Structure. Head round (length/width ratio = 1.01). Eyes strongly convergent below (UOD /LOD ratio = 1.52). Clypeus 2/3 below suborbital line, anterolateral margins weakly convergent. Antennal sockets distant (IAD/OAD> 1.3). Frontal line carinate, ending 2 OD below median ocellus. Pedicel shorter than F1. F2 length 1.7–1.8X F1. F2–F10 moderately elongate (length/width ratio = 1.64–1.73). Gena narrower than eye. Metapostnotum truncate (MMR ratio = 1.14–1.20), posterior margin sharply angled onto posterior surface. Propodeum with oblique carina strong, obscure among sculpture, lateral carina moderately strong, reaching 2/ 3 of the distance to dorsal margin.

Terminalia . S7 with median lobe clavate, sides subparallel, apex rounded ( Fig. 86G ). S8 with apicomedial margin weakly convex ( Fig. 86G ). Genitalia as in Fig. 86E–F . Gonobase with ventral arms narrowly separated. Gonostylus small, setae elongate. Retrorse lobes elongate and narrow, attenuated apically.

Range. Michigan, Massachusetts south to Georgia, west to Kansas, possibly Ontario and Quebec ( Fig. 84 ).

Additional material examined. USA: INDIANA: 1♀ Jasper Co., Nipsco , wpt, 1.vii.2003 ( R. P. Jean) ; 1♀ Parke Co., Coxville , 28.vii.1998 ( R. P. Jean) ; 1♀ 8♂♂ Porter Co., Indiana Dunes NL, Howe’s Prairie , N41°39´09´´ W087°04´15´´, 31.viii.2004 ( R. Grundel) ; MARYLAND: 1♀ Garrett Co., N39.4545 W079.3846, 12.viii.2007 (S.W. Droege); [ PCYU] ; MASSACHUSETTS: 1♂ ( D. alternatus paratype) topotypical ; 1♂ ( D. alternatus paratype) Milton, 2.ix. (P.G. Bolster ); [ MCZ] ; MICHIGAN: 1♀ Van Buren Co., 2 mi NW Grand Junction , 17.v.2006 (J.K Tuell et al.) ; MISSOURI: 1♀ St. Charles Co., Weldon Sprgs NA, muddy drainage in mesic woods, 19.iv.2000, 12:30, (Arduser); [ PCYU] ; NEW YORK; 1♀ Orange Co., Cornwall, Black Rock Forest , 18- N4582302 E580161, 9.vii.2003 ( V. Giles & J. Rozen); [ AMNH] ; OHIO: 3♀ Ashland Co., N40.9225 W082.1788, 25.vii.2007 (D. Green); [ PCYU] ; WEST VIRGINIA: 1♀ Hardy Co., Lost River S.P., 4.vii.1953 (K. V. Krombein); [ CUIC] .

Floral records. ASTERACEAE : Chrysanthemum , Helianthus divaricatus , Solidago ; CAPRIFOLI- ACEAE: Viburnum ; ROSEACEAE: Aruncus , Malus , Rubus ; RUBIACEAE : Houstonia , Rudbeckia .

Comments. Uncommon. DNA barcodes of L. cattellae and L. tenax are identical. The species are morphologically very similar but can be differentiated as described above. The former species seems to have a more southern distribution. Canadian records for this species cannot be confirmed but it does occur in adjacent states of the USA. Grixti and Packer (2006) reported this species from Southern Ontario but their specimens were found to be incorrectly determined and were actually L. zephyrum . A paratype of D. alternatus with a missing head, collected in Virginia and deposited at the NMNH, is not conspecific and is possibly a L. perpunctatum . The Ontario records from Knerer & Atwood (1962b) cannot be confirmed.

Figures

FIGURE 84. Distribution of Lasioglossum callidum (light grey) and L. cattellae (dark grey).

FIGURE 86. Lasioglossum cattellae (Ellis). Male (A) lateral habitus; (B) dorsal habitus; (C) face; (D) mesepisternum; (E) ventral view of genital capsule; (F) dorsal view of genital capsule; (G) S7, S8; (H) metasomal terga. Scale bars, A–C = 1 mm, G = 0.5 mm.