Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) fedorense (Crawford 1906)

Gibbs, Jason, Packer, Laurence, Dumesh, Sheila & Danforth, Bryan N., 2013, Revision and reclassification of <i> Lasioglossum </ i> (<i> Evylaeus </ i>), <i> L. </ i> (<i> Hemihalictus </ i>) and <i> L. </ i> (<i> Sphecodogastra </ i>) in eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae), Zootaxa 3672 (1), pp. 1-116 : 24-27

Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) fedorense (Crawford 1906)

( Figs. 4B , 5B , 6B , 7B , 8B , 15 , 16 , 77B , 78B )

Halictus fedorensis Crawford 1906a, p. 4 (♀)

Syntypes. ♀ USA, Texas, Lee Co., Fedor, (G. Birkmann) [ MCZ: 32506—missing head, labeled type]; [ NMNH: 12044, labelled paratype]. Examined by JG 2011 and 2012, respectively .

( Labels read “ Texas Fedor XI.11.1897 Birkmann [month and day handwritten]/M. C.Z. Type 32506 [number handwritten on red label]/ Halictus fedorensis ♀ Type Cwfd [partially handwritten]”)

(Labels read “ Texas Fedor V.1. 1898 Birkmann [month and day handwritten]/ ParaType No 12044 U.S. N.M [partially handwritten on red label]/ Halictus fedorensis ♀ Paratype Cwfd [handwritten on orange label]/ Evylaeus fedorensis (Crawf.[ord])”

Evylaeus fedorensis (in Hurd 1979: catalogue; Moure & Hurd 1987: catalogue)

Lasioglossum (Evylaeus) fedorense (in Michener 1951: catalogue)

Diagnosis. Female L. fedorense can be recognised by the combination of pronotum sharply angled; mesoscutum imbricate, dull; hypoepimeral area finely rugulose, impunctate ( Fig. 78B ); and inner metatibial spur pectinate with five narrow teeth, basal tooth much longer than width of rachis ( Fig. 5B ). Lasioglossum fedorense can be easily distinguished from all eastern species, except L. swenki , by the characters listed above. In L. fedorense the pronotal carina appears more complete and extends on the lower portion of the pronotum anterior to the dorsolateral sulcus. Females of L. swenki can often be distinguished by the reddish colour of the metasoma ( Fig. 40 ), but this is not always true ( Fig. 37B ). Specimens of L. swenki with a brown metasoma can be distinguished by the hypoepimeral area smooth, distinctly punctate ( Fig. 78A ) and pronotal carina not extending anterior to the oblique sulcus.

Male L. fedorense can be recognised by the combination of clypeus yellow, except for basolateral patch infused with brown ( Fig. 6B ); mandible elongate, reaching opposing mandible base (as in Fig. 6J ); scape yellow, distinctly longer than F2 ( Fig. 6B ); gena wide, maximum width below centre of eye ( Fig. 16 ); mesepisternum imbricate, dull, with shallow punctures; and metapostnotum rugulose. They are most similar to L. sopinci and L. swenki . Male L. sopinci have the metapostnotum coarsely rugose. Male L. swenki have the gena narrow and mesepisternum polished, shiny, with distinct, but fine, punctures.

Redescription. FEMALE. Length 7.3–7.8 mm. Head length 1.93–2.03 mm. Head width 1.93–2.08 mm. Wing length 5.8–6.1 mm. (n=5)

Colour. Head and mesosoma black. Antenna black, except ventral surface of flagellum reddish brown. Tegula testaceous. Legs dark brown, except medio- and distitarsi reddish brown. Wing membrane hyaline. Pterostigma pale testaceous. Metasomal terga dark brown, except apical margins testaceous.

Structure. Head wide to round (L/W ratio = 0.95–1.00). Clypeus 1/2 below suborbital line. Eyes convergent below (UOD:LOD = 1.08–1.21). Gena narrower than eye. Ocelli normal. Pronotal ridge sharply angled, indistinctly interrupted by oblique lateral sulcus; lower portion distinctly carinate. Protibial spur with apical serrations subequal in length to width of malus. Inner metatibial spur pectinate, teeth 4–5, basal teeth longer than width of rachis. Metapostnotum posterior margin smoothly rounded onto posterior propodeal surface. Propodeal lateral carina not reaching dorsal margin, oblique carina absent.

Surface sculpture. Supraclypeal area imbricate; punctures fine, contiguous (i<d). Frons doubly punctate. Gena and postgena polished. Mesoscutum weakly imbricate; obscurely doubly punctate, most punctures fine, dense laterally (i≤d), separated between parapsidal lines (i=1–1.5d). Mesepisternum relatively smooth, polished, punctate. Metapostnotum carinate-rugose, apical margin imbricate. Propodeum imbricate-tessellate. Metasomal terga polished, apical impressed areas weakly coriarious; punctures dense throughout.

Pubescence. Head and mesosoma with sparse plumose hairs. Frons and paraocular area with tomentum. Mesoscutum lateral margins with tomentum. Mesepisternum and metepisternum with tomentum beneath erect plumose hairs. Metafemoral scopa with dense plumose hairs. Propodeum with tomentum beneath erect hairs. Metasomal terga with moderately dense apical fimbriae, continuous on T3–T4. T1 with sparse, erect plumose hairs. T2–T4 with basal tomentum. Metasomal sterna with mostly simple scopal hairs.

MALE. Length 5.5–7.4 mm. Head length 1.72–2.05 mm. Head width 1.74–2.05 mm. Wing length 4.5–5.3 mm. (n=4)

Colour. Head and mesosoma black. Clypeus yellow, except basolateral testaceous-brown patch. Mandible yellow. Labrum yellow. Antenna yellow, except dorsal surface of flagellum brown, scape infused with brown dorsally. Legs yellow-testaceous, except coxae, trochanters brown, outer and inner surface of meso- and metatibiae infused with brown, femora infused with brown. Wing membrane hyaline, pale. Pterostigma pale testaceous. Metasomal terga black-brown, apical impressed areas testaceous, T1–T3 sometimes orange-testaceous in part.

Structure. Head long (L/W ratio = 0.96–1.00). Mandible long, reaching opposing mandibular base. Flagellomeres, except F1, moderately elongate, F2 longer than F1 and pedicel combined, much shorter than scape. Eyes weakly convergent below (UOD:LOD = 1.13–1.22). Gena wider than eye, widest distally. Pronotal ridge sharply angled. Propodeal lateral carina not reaching dorsal margin.

Surface sculpture. Supraclypeal area imbricate; punctures fine, dense. Ocellocular area polished, distinctly punctate. Gena and postgena smooth, weakly imbricate. Mesoscutum polished; punctures fine, dense laterally (i≤d), clearly separated between parapsidal lines (i=1–1.5d). Mesepisternum reticulate-rugulose, punctures indistinct. Metapostnotum carinulate-rugulose, apical margin imbricate. Propodeum rugulose-imbricate. Metasomal terga polished, punctures close throughout.

Pubescence. Head and mesosoma with sparse plumose hairs. Frons and paraocular area with relatively dense tomentum. Mesoscutum lateral margin with tomentum. Mesepisternum and metepisternum with appressed tomentum below erect plumose hairs. Propodeum largely bare, with scattered plumose hairs. Metasomal terga with apical fimbriae sparse. Metasomal sterna with sparse, plumose hairs (1–1.5 OD).

Terminalia . As shown in Figs. 7B , 8B . Gonostylus large, round, with long, plumose hairs. Retrorse lobe moderately long, narrow.

Taxonomic notes. Lasioglossum fedorense shows a close affinity to the south-eastern species L. sopinci and the Midwestern species L. swenki . Preliminary molecular phylogenetic results (JG, unpublished data) place this species-group within the same clade as L. lustrans and L. pectorale ( Danforth et al. 2003; Gibbs et al. 2012a, b). We therefore transfer L. fedorense , L. sopinci , and L. swenki to the subgenus L. ( Hemihalictus ). This relationship is further supported by morphological characters, such as the “carinaless” propodeum and appressed hairs on T1 (similar to those of L. lustrans , L. pectorale , and L. nelumbonis ).

Crawford’s (1906a) original description was based on two specimens (see above), but no holotype was explicitly designated. One specimen has a holotype label attached, but it is in poorer condition than the other specimen.

The male of L. fedorense is described above for the first time.

Biology. The female has been collected on Oenothera (Onagraceae) , Calylophus serrulatus (Nutt.) P. H. Raven (Onagraceae) , Helianthus petiolaris Nutt. (Asteraceae) , Coreopsis (Asteraceae) , Gaillardia (Asteraceae) , Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Woot. & Standl. (Asteraceae) , Asclepias hirtella (Pennell) Woodson (Asclepiadaceae) , Phacelia (Hydrophyllaceae) , Monarda (Lamiaceae) , Cucurbita foetidissima Kunth (Cucurbitaceae) , Callirhoe (Malvaceae) , Potentilla recta L. ( Rosaceae ), Rubus (Rosaceae) , Brazoria truncata (Benth.) Engelm. & A. Gray (Lamiaceae) and Argemone (Papaveraceae) . There are no published records of its nesting biology or social level, but it is believed to be a solitary ground-nester. The species apparently has a preference for sandy, prairie habitats.

DNA barcodes. Two individuals were sequenced (intraspecific p-distance: 0%). Consensus sequences of L. fedorense (n=2) and L. swenki (n=3) collected in sympatry have 43 diagnostic substitutions (minimum interspecific p-distance: 5.7%). Fixed substitutions at 29 sites distinguish L. fedorense from L. sopinci and L. swenki : 84(T), 89(G), 90(A), 132(T), 150(C), 180(G), 201(C), 219(A), 240(G), 255(A), 276(T), 304(A), 334(G), 345(A), 435(A), 495(C), 499(C), 535(C), 537(T), 538(C), 540(T), 541(C), 567(T), 573(T), 585(A), 594(C), 595(C), 630(T), 651(C) (see Table 2). Two unique nucleotide substitutions distinguish L. fedorense from all other species included herein: positions 240(G) and 541(C).

Range. Fig. 17 .

Material examined. 103 (90 females, 13 males). Deposited in AMNH, BBSL, CTMI, CUIC, INDL, IRCW, MCZ, NMNH, PCYU , and SEMC.

USA. ILLINOIS: Madison Co.: Poag, nr. Edwardsville, sand prairie remnant; Poag, bottomland, prairie remnant; Will Co.: Braidwood, dune; INDIANA: Lake Co.: Indiana Dunes N.L.; KANSAS: Harvey Co.: Burrton, 4 mi N; Sheridan Co.: Quinter, 5 mi. N; MISSOURI: Clark Co.: Iliniwek Village State Historic Site; OKLAHOMA: Caddo Co. : Gracemont; Custer Co.: Weatherford; Ellis Co.: Four Canyon Preserve, sandy area nr. HQ; TEXAS: Bastrop Co.: Bastrop; Bastrop S.P.; Sayers; Sayersville; Smithville; Dimmitt Co.: Carrizo Springs, 8 mi. W; Galveston Co.: Galveston; Gillespie Co.: Cherry Spring; Goliad Co.: Goliad; Guadalupe Co.: Seguin, 13 mi. SE; Kenedy Co.: Sarita, 29 mi S; La Salle Co.: Chaparral Wildlife Management Area; Lavaca Co.: Halletsville, 15 mi. S; Lee Co.: Fedor; Giddings; Giddings, 7 mi SW; Lexington; Lincoln; Wilbarger Co.: Vernon, 19 mi N; WISCONSIN: Jackson Co.; Monroe Co.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Faces of female Lasioglossum subgenus Hemihalictus in frontal view. (A) L. birkmanni. (B) L. fedorense. (C) L. foxii. (D) L. inconditum. (E) L. lustrans. (F) L. macoupinense. (G) L. nelumbonis. (H) L. pectinatum. (I) L. pectorale. (J) L. sopinci. (K) L. swenki. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Drawings of inner metatibial spurs of female Lasioglossum subgenera Hemihalictus (A-K), Evylaeus (L), and Sphecodogastra (M-Q). (A) L. birkmanni. (B) L. fedorense. (C) L. foxii. (D) L. inconditum. (E) L. lustrans. (F) L. macoupinense. (G) L. nelumbonis. (H) L. pectinatum. (I) L. pectorale. (J) L. sopinci. (K) L. swenki. (L) L. cinctipes. (M) L. boreale. (N) L. comagenense. (O) L. quebecense. (P) L. seillean. (Q) L. truncatum. See McGinley (2003) figures 61, 62, and 65 for images of inner metatibial spurs of L. lusorium, L. oenotherae, and L. texanum.

FIGURE 6. Faces of male Lasioglossum subgenus Hemihalictus in frontal view. (A) L. birkmanni. (B) L. fedorense. (C) L. foxii. (D) L. inconditum. (E) L. lustrans. (F) L. macoupinense. (G) L. nelumbonis. (H) L. pectinatum. (I) L. pectorale. (J) L. sopinci. (K) L. swenki. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Genital capsule of male Lasioglossum subgenus Hemihalictus in dorsal view. (A) L. birkmanni. (B) L. fedorense. (C) L. foxii. (D) L. inconditum. (E) L. lustrans. (F) L. macoupinense. (G) L. nelumbonis. (H) L. pectinatum. (I) L. pectorale. (J) L. sopinci. (K) L. swenki. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Genital capsule of male Lasioglossum subgenus Hemihalictus in ventral view. (A) L. birkmanni. (B) L. fedorense. (C) L. foxii. (D) L. inconditum. (E) L. lustrans. (F) L. macoupinense. (G) L. nelumbonis. (H) L. pectinatum. (I) L. pectorale. (J) L. sopinci. (K) L. swenki. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 15. Lateral habitus of female Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) fedorense (Crawford). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Lateral habitus of male Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) fedorense (Crawford). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Distribution map of Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) fedorense (Crawford). Heat map indicates predicted suitable range based on maximum entropy niche-modelling. Black circles indicate actual geo-referenced specimen records.

FIGURE 37. Alternate colour patterns of the metasomal terga of (A) female Lasioglossum sopinci and (B) female Lasioglossum swenki.

FIGURE 40. Lateral habitus of female Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) swenki (Crawford). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 77. Propodeum and metapostnotum of female Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) of the fedorense species-group. (A) L. sopinci showing coarse sculpture. (B) L. fedorense showing fine sculpture. (C) L. swenki showing fine sculpture.

FIGURE 78. Mesepisternum of female Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) of the fedorense species-group. (A) L. swenki showing finely punctate surface. (B) L. fedorense showing impunctate surface.