Epeolus scutellaris Say, 1824

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 : 139-141

40. Epeolus scutellaris Say, 1824 Figs 83, 84, 97C

Epeolus scutellaris Say, 1824. In Keating, Narr. Long’s 2nd Exped., v. 2: 355 (♀); Onuferko, 2017. Can. J. Arthropod Identif. No 30: 44 (♀) [neotype designation].

Epeolus vernoniae Cockerell, 1907a. Entomologist 40: 136 (♂).

Diagnosis.

The following morphological features in combination (excluding any that are specific to the opposite sex of the one being diagnosed) can be used to tell E. scutellaris apart from all other North American Epeolus : the pronotal collar is predominantly black; the axilla is large, with the tip extending to or beyond the band of pale tomentum along the posterior margin of the mesoscutellum, dilated laterally, and ferruginous to some degree whereas the mesoscutellum ranges from entirely black to entirely ferruginous; the mesopleuron is closely (most i<1d) and evenly punctate and obscured by white tomentum only in the upper half (with a large, sparsely hairy circle occupying much of the ventrolateral half); the T1-T3 apical fasciae are complete or only very narrowly interrupted medially; and the pseudopygidial area of the female is lunate with the apex clearly>2 × the medial length. Epeolus scutellaris resembles E. basili , E. nebulosus , E. novomexicanus , and E. pusillus in that the axilla is large, with the lateral margin arcuate, and that the apical fasciae are complete or only very narrowly interrupted medially. However, in E. scutellaris the pseudopygidial area of the female is wider (the apex ~2.5-3 × the medial length) than in the four members of the "pusillus group" (the apex clearly <2.5 × the medial length). In all four members of the " pusillus group", the mesopleuron of the male (excluding the hypoepimeral area) is entirely obscured by white tomentum and lacks the sparsely hairy circular area present in both sexes of E. scutellaris . Epeolus scutellaris is most similar to E. packeri in terms of surface sculpture and structure, but in E. packeri the pronotal collar is predominantly ferruginous, the T1 basal fascia is absent or reduced to a pair of small patches of pale tomentum, and the T1-T3 apical fasciae are interrupted medially and commonly reduced to discrete lateral patches. Epeolus scutellaris is also similar to E. andriyi and E. howardi , but in E. andriyi and E. howardi the T1-T3 apical fasciae are distinctly interrupted medially, and the pseudopygidial area of the female is lunate with the apex <2 × the medial length.

Description.

This species was recently redescribed ( Onuferko 2017).

Distribution.

Widely distributed across the contiguous United States, excluding peninsular Florida and the west coast, and southern Canada (Maritime to Prairie provinces) (Fig. 84).

Ecology.

See Onuferko (2017) for host and floral records. Floral associations are also indicated in Suppl. material 1, which includes newly discovered associations with Chrysothamnus (possibly in reference to plants that now are in the genus Ericameria ), Erigeron , and Heterotheca subaxillaris based on labels of examined voucher specimens.

Discussion.

In Onuferko (2017), E. scutellaris is said to be similar to two species from Florida yet to be formally recognized, which herein are formally described under the names Epeolus deyrupi and E. packeri . Detailed morphological and taxonomic remarks about this species are given in Onuferko (2017).

Material studied.

Type material. Primary: USA: New York: Keene Valley (Essex County), 12.viii.1917, H. Notman ( E. scutellaris neotype ♀, AMNH); Virginia: Falls Church, 04.ix.????, N. Banks ( E. vernoniae holotype ♂, AMNH).

DNA barcoded material with BIN-compliant sequences.

Available. BOLD:AAG5250. Specimens examined and sequenced.-Canada: Nova Scotia: 1♀ (RSKM); Ontario: 1♀, 1♂ (PCYU).

USA: Alabama: Autauga County (32.4345°N; 86.5817°W), 19.x.2016, C.H. Ray (1♂, AUMNH); Lee County (32.5553°N; 85.3747°W), 09.x.2016, C.H. Ray (1♀, AUMNH); Montgomery (32.3135°N; 86.1744°W) (Montgomery County), 01.x.2016, A. Jeon (1♀, AUMNH); Idaho: 2♂ (AMNH).

Non-barcoded material examined.

Canada: Manitoba: Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie, 03.ix.1974, T.D. Galloway (2♀, JBWM); New Brunswick: 1♀, 1♂ (CNC); Nova Scotia: 11♀, 8♂ (CNC, PCYU, RSKM); Brooklyn Street (near Kentville, Kings County), 15.ix.2005, C. Sheffield and S. Westby (1♀, PCYU); Port Hawkesbury Station (Cape Breton Island), 03.ix.1985, L. Packer (1♀, PCYU); Ontario: 29♀, 29♂ (CNC, PCYU, ROM); Lambton County, 29.viii.2007, A. Taylor (1♀, PCYU); Marshlands Conservation Area (Kingston, Frontenac County), 20.viii.2016, J. Gibbs (2♀, JBWM); Norwood, 24.viii.1982, T.D. Galloway (1♀, JBWM); Ottawa Airport, 03.ix.1985, L. Packer (1♀, PCYU); Rockwood, 22.ix.1972, T.D. Galloway (1♀, JBWM); Quebec: 3♀, 2♂ (CNC).

USA: Alabama: Auburn (32.6005°N; 85.5102°W) (Lee County), 15.x.2016, C.H. Ray (1♀, AUMNH); Autauga County (32.4345°N; 86.5817°W), 19.x.2016, C.H. Ray (1♀, AUMNH); Covington County (31.2550°N; 86.2887°W), 05.xi.2016, C.H. Ray (2♀, AUMNH); Lee County (32.5553°N; 85.3747°W), 09.x.2016, C.H. Ray (3♀, AUMNH); Mobile Botanical Gardens (30.7010°N; 88.1606°W) (Mobile County), 27.ix.2016, C.H. Ray (1♂, AUMNH); Arizona: 17 mi S Safford, 22.viii.1986, R.R. Snelling (1♂, LACM); 4 mi E Willcox (Cochise County), 28.viii.1985, J.G and B.L. Rozen (2♂, AMNH); 5 mi S Apache (Cochise County), 12.ix.1976, R.M. Bohart (1♂, UCBME); 5 mi W Portal (Cochise County), 31.viii.2003, J.S. Ascher (1♂, AMNH); Near Portal (Cochise County), 08.ix.2011, A. Payne (1♀, AMNH); Phoenix (Maricopa County), 13.x.1997, K.C. Rozen (1♂, AMNH); W Turkey Creek (Chiricahua Mountains), 02.ix.2003, J.G. Rozen, J.S. Ascher, R.L. Staff, and R.E. Edwards (1♀, AMNH); Colorado: 2.4 mi N Hooper (Saguache County), 24.viii.1967, R.R. Snelling (1♂, LACM); Maine: 2♀, 1♂ (BIML); Maryland: 4♂ (BIML); Michigan: 1♀ (BIML); East Lansing (Ingham County), 03.ix.2016, J. Gibbs (1♂, JBWM); Minnesota: 3 mi E Glyndon (Clay County), 15.ix.1986, J.R. Powers (1♂, EMEC); Wabasha (Wabasha County), 17.viii.1995, J.R. Powers (2♀, 5♂, EMEC); New Hampshire: North Conway, Bequaert (1♂, EMEC); New Jersey: 1♂ (AMNH); New Mexico: 17 mi S Animas (Hidalgo County), 24.viii.1994, J.G. Rozen and J.S. Ascher (1♂, AMNH); 17 mi S Animas (Hidalgo County), 30.viii.1994, J.G. Rozen and J.S. Ascher (1♀, AMNH); 26 mi S Animas (Hidalgo County), 22.viii.1997, J.G. Rozen and B. McAdams (1♂, AMNH); 27-32 mi S Animas (Hidalgo County), 24.viii.1994, J.G. Rozen and J.S. Ascher (1♂, AMNH); 29-31 mi S Animas (Hidalgo County), 30.viii.1994, J.G. Rozen and J.S. Ascher (1♂, AMNH); 3 mi S Rodeo (Hidalgo County), 07.ix.2003, J.S. Ascher (1♂, AMNH); Cienega (Hidalgo County), 28.viii.1997, J.G. Rozen and B. McAdams (1♂, AMNH); Rodeo (Hidalgo County), 07.ix.1976, R.M. Bohart (1♂, UCBME); U.S. Route 180 (11 mi SE Mangas, Grant County), 04.ix.2011, J.G Rozen and E.S. Wyman (1♂, AMNH); New York: Cornell Botanic Gardens (42.4497°N; 76.4711°W) (Cornell University, Tompkins County), 19.viii.2012, J. Gibbs (1♀, JBWM); Lime Hollow (42.5650°N; 76.2550°W) (Cortland County), 03.ix.2011, J. Gibbs (1♀, JBWM); Mundy Wildflower Garden (42.4510°N; 76.4690°W) (Cornell University, Tompkins County), 18.viii.2012, J. Gibbs (1♂, JBWM); North Carolina: 1♂ (AMNH); North Dakota: 1 mi SE McLeod (Ransom County), 19.viii.1988, J.R. Powers (1♀, EMEC), 10.ix.1997, J.R. Powers (1♀, EMEC); 11 mi W Walcott (Richland County), 08.ix.1987, J.R. Powers (2♀, EMEC), 02.ix.1996, J.R. Powers (1♀, EMEC); 7 mi SE Sheldon (Ransom County), 19.viii.1980, J.R. Powers (2♀, 1♂, EMEC), 28.viii.1981, J.R. Powers (1♀, EMEC), 09.viii.2000, J.R. Powers (1♂, EMEC), 26.vii.1985, J.R. Powers (1♂, EMEC); Pennsylvania: Wilawana, 08-10.1934, R.H. Crandall (1♂, LACM); Utah: Cornish (Cache County), 04.ix.1982, R.M. Bohart (1♀, UCBME); Vermont: 1♀, 2♂ (AMNH); Wisconsin: 1♀ (FMNH).