Agapostemon (Agapostemon) virescens (Fabricius)

Portman, Zachary M., Arduser, Mike, Lane, Ian G. & Cariveau, Daniel P., 2022, A review of the Augochloropsis (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) and keys to the shiny green Halictinae of the midwestern United States, ZooKeys 1130, pp. 103-152 : 103

Agapostemon (Agapostemon) virescens (Fabricius)

Diagnosis.

Females of Agapostemon virescens are the only midwestern species that has the metasoma dark (Fig. 4A ), rather than metallic green (but see comments on dark Agapostemon melliventris ).

Males of Agapostemon virescens can be recognized by the lack of a transverse swelling on S4 (Fig. 7A ). In addition, S5 and S6 are usually all dark (Fig. 7A ), whereas those sterna usually (though not always) have at least some yellow in other Agapostemon species. Finally, Agapostemon virescens males have a relatively slender hind femur compared to most other midwestern Agapostemon species (see Fig. 8E ).

Remarks.

Two western species with females with non-metallic metasomas have been recorded from nearby states though they have not been recorded from Iowa, Minnesota, or Missouri. Agapostemon melliventris has been found as far east as eastern Kansas and Nebraska, but they have the metasoma lighter and the apex of the clypeus yellow, compared to black in Agapostemon virescens females. In addition, Agapostemon coloradinus (Vachal) is a Great Plains species which occurs as far east as eastern Kansas, though Agapostemon coloradinus is usually noticeably larger than Agapostemon virescens with finer, closer striations on the hypostomal area on the underside of the head (see Roberts 1972). Males of Agapostemon coloradinus are similar to males of Agapostemon virescens , but Agapostemon coloradinus males have a dark stripe on the posterior surface of the hind femur and the inner gonostylar flap of Agapostemon coloradinus lacks a pronounced, medially-directed process basally, which is present in Agapostemon virescens .

Figures

Figure 4. Agapostemon female metasomas A entirely black (Agapostemon virescens pictured) B dark brown with amber (Agapostemon melliventris pictured), note this is a darker specimen C metallic green (Agapostemon texanus pictured).

Figure 7. A Agapostemon virescens metasomal sterna with unmodified S 3 and S 4 B Agapostemon texanus metasomal sterna with swelling on S 4 (and S 3 to a lesser extent) C Agapostemon sericeus modified S 3 and S 4 D Agapostemon texanus modified S 3 and S 4.

Figure 8. Male Agapostemon hind legs A Agapostemon melliventris B Agapostemon sericeus C Agapostemon splendens D Agapostemon texanus E Agapostemon virescens. Scale bar 1 mm, all images at the same scale.