Lithurgus andrewsi Cockerell

Gonzalez, Victor H., Engel, Michael S. & Griswold, Terry L., 2013, The lithurgine bees of Australia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), with a note on Megachile rotundipennis, Journal of Melittology 2013 (11), pp. 1-19 : 9

Lithurgus andrewsi Cockerell

( Figs. 17–19 )

Lithurgus andrewsi Cockerell, 1909: 312 . Holotype: NHML No. 17.a.2068a; ♀, near Flying-Fish Cove , Christmas Island, Australia.

DIAGNOSIS: The female of this species can be distinguished easily from other Australian species of Lithurgus by the following combination of characters: distal terga with reddish setae as on sternal scopa ( Fig. 17 ); mesoscutum rugulose; mesoscutellum mostly coarsely, densely foveate; facial prominence broadly convex, wide, about 0.6 times length of lower interorbital distance ( Fig. 18 ); and vertex with contiguous punctures ( Fig. 19 ).

COMMENTS: This species is only known from Christmas Island, the type locality. As stated by Cockerell (1909), this species was described based on a female, the only female specimen among those studied by W.F. Kirby (1900) in his description of Megachile rotundipennis from Christmas Island (Appendix, vide infra). Thus, there is no need to designate it as lectotype.

Figures

Figures 17–19. Photomicrographs of holotype female of Lithurgus andrewsi Cockerell. 17. Lateral habitus. 18. Facial view. 19. Detail of vertex.