Anthophora (Micranthophora) mortuaria Timberlake, 1937

Orr, Michael C., Pitts, James P. & Griswold, Terry, 2018, Revision of the bee group Anthophora (Micranthophora) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), with notes on potential conservation concerns and a molecular phylogeny of the genus, Zootaxa 4511 (1), pp. 1-193 : 83-85

Anthophora (Micranthophora) mortuaria Timberlake, 1937

( Figs. 41C , 46C , 51C , 56C , 61C , 66C , 71C , 76C )

Anthophora mortuaria Timberlake, 1937: 10 (holotype: ♂; Furnace Creek, CA, USA; coll. Timberlake, 1 May 1927, at Pluchea sericea ; AMNH, accession 35342).

Diagnosis. Males may be determined by the following character combination: facial maculations unusually pale, white to slightly yellow-green ( Fig. 51C ); galea strongly tessellate, dull; clypeal maculation of greatest height medially, typically nearing top of clypeus, and gradually lessening to sides ( Fig. 51C ); punctation unusually fine in clypeal maculation, appearing impunctate; scape fully maculated beneath; terga clothed in appressed setae throughout; T7 with strong medial longitudinal carina, lateral projections reduced to mere bumps, and medial projections relatively broad and rounded at tips ( Fig. 61C ). Females may be determined by the following character combination: facial maculations unusually pale, white to slightly yellow-green ( Fig. 41C ); galea moderately to strongly tessellate, with weak reflections if any; clypeus with inverted-T maculation; supraclypeus with transverse maculation, vaguely triangular ( Fig. 41C ); scape fully maculated beneath; terga clothed in appressed setae throughout; and anal fimbria blackish, rarely brown.

Male description. Head: Facial maculations white to very slightly off-white. Galea reaching back to near front of foretrochanter in repose; medium to dark brown; strongly to moderately tessellate, with weak reflections. Mandible with inferior tooth large and triangular, strongly angled off main blade; maculated from base to start or middle of inferior tooth ( Fig. 51C ). Labral rim tridentate; fully maculated. Clypeal maculation a thick band, reaching lateral sides, filling half or more of clypeus medially, often with a narrow connection to top ( Fig. 51C ); punctation nearly absent within maculation. Paraocular area almost always maculated; slight filling at bottom, more than a dot. Supraclypeal area maculated; triangular to amorphous. Scape maculated; fully along length and width below. Mesosoma: Scutum shiny; without or with impunctate areas, but usually relatively small if present. Tegula transparent, tan to light brown. Basitibial plate absent. Metasoma: T1–T6 covered in appressed setae. Terga shiny between punctures, with relatively strong reflections; usually apparent through appressed setae. Tergal rims transparent, tan. Male T7 ( Fig. 61C ) with strong medial longitudinal carina; lateral projections reduced, small corners; medial projections long, gradually narrowed to relatively broad, rounded tips. Male S5 ( Figs. 38A, 38C ) setal arrangement unremarkable, without large, distinctive patches, at most longer along rim. Male S6 ( Fig. 38A ) clearly medially emarginate. Male S7 ( Fig. 66C ) with setae fully banding S7 but denser laterally around midpoint of length; widening from midpoint to tip, apical half widest at pointed lateral tips; apical half resembling cat head, rim broadly emarginate between lateral tips. Male S8 ( Fig. 71C ) lateral projections distinct; medial projection narrowing to tip, apically emarginate. Male genital capsule ( Fig. 76C ) with outer corners, where gonocoxite tips curve inward, marked by obvious flange of about 90 degrees or slightly less, best seen in profile; from corner to apex, in profile, gonocoxite relatively unmodified, concave or straight; tip, in profile, pointed and strongly curved ventrally; gonostylus tip position slightly to significantly exceeding that of gonocoxite, measured from above along primary axis of latter. Pubescence: See Fig. 56C . Appears yellow to tan overall, though often faded to light gray. Setae tan to white, except as follows: leg inner faces orange.

Female similar to male, except: Head: Mandible with inferior tooth large and triangular, clearly angled off main blade ( Fig. 41C ). Labral rim rounded. Clypeal maculation strong inverted-T, reaching lateral sides, somewhat broadly reaching top of clypeus ( Fig. 41C ). Paraocular maculation small but distinct. Supraclypeal maculation usually thinly transverse. Scape maculation somewhat narrower. Mesosoma: Scutal impunctate areas present more often, but typically small. Midtibial spur apically curved; tan to orange. Basitibial plate circular distally, teardropped overall. Metasoma: T1–T4 covered in appressed setae; T5 with extensive appressed setae. T4 impunctate rim of short length medially, distinct but rather linear. Anal fimbria strongly triangular, covering over third to slightly under half of T5 length medially. Pubescence: See Fig. 46C . Hindbasitarsal brush light to dark brown; anal fimbria usually dark brown to black, rarely light brown.

Distribution. See Fig. 20 . Present in USA: California, Arizona, Nevada; Mexico: likely Baja California Norte, likely Sonora. Found almost exclusively in Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, possibly only in proximity to water. Ecoregional habitance is as follows, based on 341 specimen records: 4 ecoregions total: Sonoran Desert (183=53.5%), Mojave Desert (141=41.2%), Great Basin shrub steppe (15=4.4%), Arizona Mountains forests (2≤1%).

Phenology. Recorded from March–July, most common in April–May. Univoltine.

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Floral specialization. Specialist on Asteraceae , narrowly specialized on Pluchea sericea . Primary recorded visits by 64 females include: Family Asteraceae (97%); Genus Pluchea (97%); Species Pluchea sericea (94%). 103 total floral records from three families include: Asteraceae (39 ♂ 62 ♀): Pluchea sericea 29 ♂ 60 ♀, Pluchea sp. 10 ♂ 2 ♀, Boraginaceae (1 ♀): Phacelia sericea 1 ♀ (likely transcription error), Cactaceae (1 ♀): Opuntia basilaris 1 ♀.

Specimens examined: USA: ARIZONA: Maricopa County: Arlington, 10 km S; Gillespie Dam: 2 ♂ 1 ♀, 18–29 May 2006, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker; Arlington, 8km S: 6 ♂ 2 ♀, 28 Apr–4 May 2007, M.E. Irwin; 1 ♀, 6–13 Apr 2010, M.E. Irwin; 1 ♀, 25 May–3 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin; Buckeye: 2 ♀, 27 May 1955, G. Butler; 1 ♂, 27 May 1955, G.D. Butler; Gila River, 10 km S Arlington: 2 ♂, 25 May–3 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin; Gila River, SE of Agua Caliente: 1 ♀, 15 May 1955, R.A. Flock; Gila River; Arlington, 8 Km S: 2 ♂ 3 ♀, 18–25 May 2010, M.E. Irwin; Mohave County: Bill Williams Fork: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 5 Jun 1937, W. Benedict; Cattail Cove, 9 mi N Parker Dam: 5 ♂ 3 ♀, 7 Apr 1972, W. Apperson; Parker Dam, 3 mi N: 4 ♀, 24 May 1981, C.W. Melton; Pima County: San Xavier Mission: 1 ♀, 18 May 1939, collector unknown; Yuma County: The Island, dunes near Fort Yuma, 1 km W Colorado River: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, date unknown, collector unknown; Yuma: 1 ♂ 4 ♀, 11 May 1952, G. Butler; 1 ♂ 3 ♀, 11 May 1952, G.D. Butler; 10 ♂ 2 ♀, 13 Apr 1955, Butler, Werner; 1 ♂ 10 ♀, 13 May 1955, Tuttle; 9 ♂ 13 ♀, 18 May 1955, Tuttle; 1 ♀, 18 May 1955, collector unknown; 3 ♀, 1 Jun 1955, G.D. Butler; 1 ♀, 4 Jun 1955, G. Butler; 1 ♂, 13 Jun 1955, G.D. Butler; 1 ♂, 15 May 1956, A.D. Telford; 1 ♀, 23 Apr 1962, J.C. Bequaert; 3 ♀, 15 Jun 1983, Tuttle; CALIFORNIA: Imperial County: 11 mi NE of Calexico: 2 ♂, 5 May 1956, R.R. Snelling; 12 miles E of Heber: 1 ♂, 18 May 1956, T.R. Haig; 14 mi E of Calexico: 4 ♀, 5 May 1956, R.R. Snelling; 3 mi E of Imperial: 1 ♂, 4 May 1956, R.R. Snelling; 8 mi SE of Holtville: 1 ♀, 17 May 1956, R.R. Snelling; Calexico, 10 mi W: 1 ♂, 27 Apr 1950, C.D. MacNeil; Calexico, 11 mi NE: 1 ♂, 5 May 1956, R.R. Snelling; Calexico, 14 mi E: 1 ♀, 6 May 1956, R.R. Snelling; Heber, 12 mi E: 2 ♀, 12 May 1956, T.R. Haig; 4 ♀, 17 May 1956, T.R. Haig; 1 ♂, 18 May 1956, T.R. Haig; 3 ♂, 19 May 1956, T.R. Haig; Hot Mineral Spa: 1 ♂, 25 Apr 1953, B. Markley; Imperial: 1 ♂, 29 Apr 1950, C.D. MacNeil; Palo Verde: 1 ♂, 19 May 1947, J.W. MacSwain; Picacho Peak State Park, 27 km S: 1 ♀, 28 Apr 1990, collector unknown; Seeley: 1 ♀, 27 May 1956, R.R. Snelling; Westmorland: 1 ♀ 11 ♀, 31 May 1930, P.H. Timberlake; 1 ♀, May 1932, collector unknown; Winterhaven: 1 ♀, 22 Jun 1963, R.L. Westcott; Inyo County: Death Valley, Furnace Creek: 1 ♀, 31 Mar 1953, J.W. MacSwain; 9 ♂ 4 ♀, 27 Apr 1956, R.M. Bohart; Furnace Creek: 2 ♂, 27 Apr 1956, R.M. Bohart; Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park: 8 ♂, 1 May 1927, P.H. Timberlake; Morning Sun Mine: 3 ♂, 15 May 1977, collector unknown; 1 ♀, 18 May 1977, collector unknown; 1 ♀, 19 May 1977, D. Giuliani; 1 ♀, 22 May 1977, collector unknown; 1 ♂, 23 May 1977, collector unknown; 1 ♀, 25 May 1977, collector unknown; 1 ♂ 2 ♀, 27 May 1977, D. Giuliani; 1 ♀, 6 Jun 1977, D. Giuliani; 2 ♀, 8 Jun 1977, D. Giuliani; 1 ♀, 9 Jun 1977, collector unknown; Saline Valley: 1 ♀, 5–6 May 1977, D. Giuliani; 1 ♂, 14 May 1977, D. Giuliani; Los Angeles County: Little Rock: 1 ♀, 3 Jul 1961, collector unknown; Riverside County: Blythe: 1 ♀, 12 May 1937, E.P. VanDuzee; 1 ♂, 1 May 1947, A. Lander; Blythe, 2 mi NW: 1 ♂, 30 Apr 1972, F.D. Parker, P.F. Torchio, G.E. Bohart; Boyd Desert Reservation Center, 4 mi S Palm Desert: 1 ♂, 20 Apr 1986, collector unknown; Coachella: 2 ♂, 13 May 1917, E.P. VanDyke; 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 17 May 1928, E.C. VanDyke; Coachella Valley: 1 ♂, 9 May 1927, E.C. VanDyke; Collis Mayflower County Park [= 6th Ave. County Park]: 3 ♂, 16 Apr 1969, collector unknown; Desert Beach [= Date Palm Beach]: 1 ♀, 10 May 1952, collector unknown; Dos Palmas Preserve, ~ 15 mi ESE Mecca: 1 ♀, 4–5 May 1991, J. Cole; Hunters Spring: 1 ♂, 25 Apr 1953, collector unknown; Palm Springs: 1 ♀, 2 May 2012, F.D. Parker, T. McIntyre; Palo Verde, 6.6 km N; Bradshaw Trail: 1 ♂ 7 ♀, 8 May 2012, M.C. Orr; 3 ♀, 8 May 2012, Z.M. Portman; San Bernardino County: Joshua Tree: 1 ♂, 26 May 1975, T.L. Griswold; Kelso Dunes: 1 ♂, 6 May 1980, T.L. Griswold; Needles: 1 ♀, 21 Apr 1966, P.F. Torchio, R.W. Rust, N. Youssef; Parker, 1km W: 3 ♂, 28 Apr–4 May 2007, M.E. Irwin; Yermo: 1 ♂ 4 ♀, 23 May 1940, G.E. Bohart; San Diego County: Borego: 2 ♂, 3 May 1945, A. Lander; Palm Canyon: 1 ♀, 3 May 1945, collector unknown; Vallecito Valley: 1 ♂, 31 May 1959, P.A. Rude; NEVADA: Clark County : 0.3 mi SE Corn Creek Spr.: 2 ♂, 17 May 2004, E. Ahlstrom; Bitter Spring: 1 ♀, 18 May 2004, D. Skandilis; Corn Creek Springs: 1 ♂, 17 Jun 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen; 4 ♂ 4 ♀, 17 Jun 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen, K. Receveur, C. Schultz; Corn Creek Springs, N: 1 ♂, 17 Jun 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen, K. Receveur, C. Schultz; Logandale: 1 ♂, 19 May 1984, F.D. Parker; Mormon Well Road: 1 ♀, 17 Jun 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen, K. Receveur, C. Schultz; Overton, 2.5 mi N: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 11 May 2004, E. Ahlstrom; 1 ♂, 11 May 2004, S.M. Higbee; Riverside, 4.5 mi W: 82 ♂ 4 ♀, 1 May 1997, F.D. Parker; S Overton, Kaolin Wash: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 24 May 2009, D. Yanega.

Figures

FIGURE 20. Distribution of Anthophora mortuaria. Generated with 341 specimen records from 65 locations.

FIGURE 38. Male sterna, S5 setae density and S6 rim form. Scale=0.5 mm. A) S5 with sparse setae; S6 medially emarginate, at least vaguely triangularly, evenly so (A. estebana, 72476). B) S5 setae density high, appearing tufted; S6 medially emarginate, at least vaguely triangularly, but at least slightly filled medially, sometimes tufted (A. maculifrons, 82068). C) S5 with sparse setae; S6 entire or nearly so, with transparent square of integument (A. petrophila, BBSL655748). D) S5 setae density high; S6 entire, medially knobbed (A. flavocincta, BBSL504065).

FIGURE 41. Female face of A) Anthophora hololeuca (BBSL504392), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL275403), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL504557), D) A. pachyodonta (BBSL907957), E) A. parkeri (BBSL919866), F) A. peritomae (BBSL504698). Scale=0.5 mm.

FIGURE 46. Female habitus of A) Anthophora hololeuca (BBSL504366), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL504490), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL541193), D) A. pachyodonta (FDP114661), E) A. parkeri (BBSL920041), F) A. peritomae (BBSL466517). Scale=1 mm.

FIGURE 51. Male face of A) Anthophora hololeuca (101115), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL504449), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL504535), D) A. pachyodonta (BBSL504596), E) A. parkeri (BBSL311827), F) A. peritomae (BBSL504667). Scale=0.5 mm.

FIGURE 56. Male habitus of A) Anthophora hololeuca (98984), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL933889), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL237718), D) A. pachyodonta (BBSL920043), E) A. parkeri (BBSL920049), F) A. peritomae (BBSL504654). Scale=1 mm.

FIGURE 61. Male T7 of A) Anthophora hololeuca (98996), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL504449), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL504535), D) A. pachyodonta (BBSL504591), E) A. parkeri (BBSL504584), F) A. peritomae (BBSL504615). Scale=0.25 mm.

FIGURE 66. Male S7 of A) Anthophora hololeuca (BBSL274689), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL504442), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL504532), D) A. pachyodonta (BBSL504592), E) A. parkeri (BBSL321358), F) A. peritomae (BBSL504641). Scale=0.25 mm.

FIGURE 71. Male S8 of A) Anthophora hololeuca (BBSL274689), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL504442), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL504526), D) A. pachyodonta (BBSL504601), E) A. parkeri (BBSL504578), F) A. peritomae (BBSL504641). Scale=0.25 mm.

FIGURE 76. Male genital capsule of A) Anthophora hololeuca (BBSL274689), B) A. maculifrons (BBSL504474), C) A. mortuaria (BBSL504532), D) A. pachyodonta (BBSL504595), E) A. parkeri (BBSL504584), F) A. peritomae (BBSL504671). Scale=0.25 mm.