Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) sopinci ( Crawford 1932 )

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 : 56-59

Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) sopinci ( Crawford 1932)

( Figs. 4J , 5J , 6J , 7J , 8J , 36 , 37A , 38 , 77A , 84A )

Halictus sopinci Crawford 1932, p. 69

Holotype. ♀ USA, North Carolina, Moore Co., Southern Pines , 26.iii.1923 (A.H. Manee) [ AMNH]. Fixed by monotypy. Examined by JG 2011.

Evylaeus bradleyi Mitchell 1960, p. 356

Holotype. ♂ USA, New Jersey, Gloucester Co., Pitman , 28.vi.1942 (J. C. Bradley) [ CUIC]. Fixed by original designation and monotypy. Examined by JG 2011

Evylaeus sopinci (in Mitchell 1960: redescription, key ♀; Hurd 1979: catalogue; Moure & Hurd 1987: catalogue) Lasioglossum (Evylaeus) sopinci (in Michener 1951: catalogue; Krombein 1967: catalogue)

Lasioglossum (Evylaeus) bradleyi (in Krombein 1967: catalogue)

Diagnosis. Both sexes of L. sopinci can be recognised by the combination of pronotum with sharply angled dorsolateral ridge; mesoscutum polished, doubly punctate with minute punctures throughout, interspersed with sparse, coarse punctures; and metapostnotum rugose ( Fig. 77A ).

Female L. sopinci have the frons distinctly doubly punctate and inner metatibial spur pectinate, basal tooth much longer than width of rachis ( Fig. 5J ). The coarse metapostnotal rugae ( Fig. 77A ) will distinguish L. sopinci from L. fedorense and L. swenki ( Figs. 77B, 77C ). Lasioglossum oenotherae are superficially similar to L. sopinci but can be distinguished by the sparse femoral scopa ( Fig. 74B ), singly punctate mesoscutum and frons, and strong oblique carinae ( Fig. 83A ).

Male L. sopinci have clypeus yellow, except for brown basolateral patch ( Fig. 6J ); mandible elongate, extending to opposing mandibular base ( Fig. 6J ); scape yellow; and gena wider than eye below midlength. Males of L. fedorense are most similar but have the metapostnotum rugulose (similar to Fig. 77B ).

Redescription. FEMALE. Length 6.6–7.4 mm. Head length 1.78–1.95 mm. Head width 1.91–2.05 mm. Wing length 5.3–5.8 mm. (n=5)

Colour. Head and mesosoma black. Antenna black, except ventral surface of flagellum reddish brown-orange at apex. Tegula dark reddish brown. Legs dark brown, except medio- and distitarsi reddish brown. Wing membrane hyaline, faintly dusky. Pterostigma dark brown. Metasomal terga dark brown, T1–T3 sometimes red.

Structure. Head long (L/W ratio = 0.93–0.98). Clypeus 2/3 below suborbital line. Eyes convergent below (UOD:LOD = 1.07–1.13). Gena narrower than eye. Ocelli normal. Pronotal ridge sharply angled; dorsolateral angle acute. Protibial spur with serrations subequal to width of malus. Inner metatibial spur pectinate, teeth 4, basal teeth longer than width of rachis. Metapostnotum sharply angled onto posterior propodeal surface. Propodeal lateral carina reaching dorsolateral slope, oblique carina absent.

Surface sculpture. Supraclypeal area imbricate; punctures fine, contiguous (i<d). Frons doubly punctate. Ocellocular area polished, distinctly punctate. Gena and postgena lineolate. Mesoscutum polished; doubly punctate, mostly fine, dense laterally (i≤d), well-separated between parapsidal lines (i=1–1.5d). Mesepisternum rugulose, imbricate ventrally. Metapostnotum anastomosingly rugose. Propodeum lateral surface ruguloseimbricate, posterior surface rugose. Metasomal terga polished, apical impressed areas weakly coriarious; punctures dense throughout.

Pubescence. Head and mesosoma with sparse plumose hairs. Paraocular area with sparse tomentum. Metafemoral scopa with dense plumose hairs. Propodeum sparse erect hairs. Metasomal terga with sparse apical fimbriae. T1 with sparse, erect plumose hairs. T2–T4 with basal tomentum. Metasomal sterna with mostly simple scopal hairs.

MALE. Length 7.0 mm. Head length 2.04 mm. Head width 2.11 mm. Wing length 5.3 mm. (n=1)

Colour. Head and mesosoma black. Clypeus yellow, except basolateral testaceous-brown patch. Mandible yellow. Labrum yellow. Antenna brown, except scape yellow ventrally and ventral surface of flagellum orange to yellow. Legs dark brown basally, tarsi and tibiae yellow-testaceous, except protibia and metatibia infused with brown, apical portion of meso- and metatibae yellow-testaceous. Wing membrane hyaline, faintly dusky. Pterostigma dark brown. Metasomal terga black-brown, sometimes orange-testaceous, except T4 apically and T5– T6 brown, T1 anterior surface infused with brown.

Structure. Head long (L/W ratio = 0.96). Mandible long, reaching opposing mandibular base. Flagellomeres, except F1, moderately elongate, F2 subequal to F1 and pedicel combined. Eyes convergent below (UOD:LOD = 1.13). Gena subequal to eye in width, widest below midline of eye. Pronotal ridge sharply angled. Metapostnotum posterior-dorsal margin sharply angled onto posterior surface. Propodeal lateral carina nearly reaching dorsal margin.

Surface sculpture. Supraclypeal area imbricate; punctures fine, dense (i≤d). Ocellocular area polished, distinctly punctate. Gena smooth to lineolate, postgena lineolate. Mesoscutum polished; punctures fine, dense laterally (i≤d), clearly separated between parapsidal lines (i=1–2d). Mesepisternum polished, densely punctate below scrobe. Metapostnotum coarsely carinate, anastomosing medially. Propodeum with lateral surface finely rugulose-imbricate, posterior surface rugulose. Metasomal terga polished; punctures close basally (i=1–1.5d), sparser on apical impressed areas.

Pubescence. Head and mesosoma with sparse plumose hairs. Frons and paraocular area with relatively dense tomentum. Posterior margin of pronotal lobe and dorsolateral angle with dense tomentum. Propodeum largely bare, with scattered plumose hairs. Metasomal terga with apical fimbriae sparse, virtually absent. Metasomal sterna with sparse, plumose hairs (1–1.5 OD).

Terminalia . As shown in Fig. 7J , 8J . Gonostylus large, round, with long, plumose setae. Retrorse lobe long, narrow.

Taxonomic notes. Lasioglossum sopinci has close affinities with L. fedorense and L. swenki .

Biology. Lasioglossum sopinci is primarily found in the south-eastern USA, excluding southern Florida. It has been recorded as far north as the New Jersey pine-barrens, which is a distribution pattern common for southern halictine bees (e. g. Packer 1999; Gibbs 2011). There are no published records of its nesting biology or social level, but it is believed to be a ground-nesting species. It may have a preference for sandy soils (e. g. Droege et al. 2009). No published floral records are available ( Moure & Hurd, 1987). One specimen from Texas was collected on Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelm. (Cactaceae) , but the pollen load does not seem to correspond to that species. Another specimen from Oklahoma was also collected on Opuntia .

DNA barcodes. Eleven individuals were sequenced (maximum intraspecific p-distance: 0.8%). The minimum interspecific p-distance separating L. sopinci from L. fedorense is 4.2%. Fixed substitutions at 10 sites distinguish L. sopinci from L. swenki and L. fedorense : 48(C), 66(T), 219(T), 222(T), 312(C), 321(T), 345(C), 432(T), 459(T), 564(T) (see Table 2). A single fixed nucleotide substitution distinguishes L. sopinci from other species included herein: position 303(C).

Range. Fig. 39 .

Material examined. 112 (100 females, 12 males). Deposited in AMNH, CTMI, CUIC, EMEC, NCSU, PCYU , and SEMC.

USA. ALABAMA: Mobile Co.: Kushla ; FLORIDA: Leon Co.: Apalachicola N.F.; Liberty Co. : Torreya S.P .; LOUISIANA: St. Tammany Par. : Covington ; MARYLAND: Anne Arundel Co .; MISSISSIPPI: Jackson Co .; NEW JERSEY: Burlington Co.: Atsion; Cumberland Co.: Manumuskin; Gloucester Co. : Pitman; Middlesex Co. : Jamesburg; Monmouth Co. : Lahaway; Ocean Co. : Lakewood ; NEW YORK: Suffolk Co.: Coram ; NORTH CAROLINA: Johnston Co.: Smithfield; Moore Co.: Southern Pines ; Yancey Co. : Valley of Black Mts .; OKLAHOMA: Caddo Co. : Red Rock Canyon S.P., Hinton ; SOUTH CAROLINA: Chesterfield Co.; Greenville Co. : Tigerville ; TEXAS: Bastrop Co.: Sayersville; Lee Co. : Lexington .

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 36. Lateral habitus of female Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) sopinci (Crawford). Scale bar = 1 mm.

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

FIGURE 38. Lateral habitus of male Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) sopinci (Crawford). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 39. Distribution map of Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) sopinci (Crawford). Heat map indicates predicted suitable range based on maximum entropy niche-modelling. Black circles indicate actual geo-referenced specimen records.

FIGURE 74. Scopa of hind leg. (A) L. boreale—unmodified scopa. (B) L. oenotherae—modified scopa for Onagraceae pollen collection.

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 83. Propodeum and metapostnotum of female Lasioglossum (Sphecodogastra) in the Onagraceae specialist lusorium species-group. (A) L. oenotherae showing coarse sculpture and strong carinae. (B) L. lusorium showing fine sculpture and weak carinae.

FIGURE 84. Clypeus and mandible of male Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus). (A) L. sopinci showing large clypeal maculation and elongate mandible. (B) L. lustrans showing entirely black clypeus and elongate mandible. (C) L. inconditum showing narrow, distal, clypeal maculation and short mandible.