Microsphecodes, Eickwort & Stage, 1972

Engel, Michael S., 2013, A new species of Microsphecodes from Peru, with notes on the classification of the genus (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Journal of Melittology 2013 (24), pp. 1-9 : 4-5

Key to species of Microsphecodes s.str.

(Females only)

1. Head and mesosoma entirely dark brown to black except pronotal lobe sometimes testaceous or ferruginous ........................................................................... 2

―. Head dark brown or black with clypeus largely to entirely orange, orange-red, or testaceous; mesosoma with large areas of orange, orange-red, or testaceous integument, particularly on pronotum, mesoscutellum, and metanotum, such areas sometimes infuscated .................................................................. 3

2(1). Scape dark brown to black; setae of compound eye absent or scarcely visible; basal area of propodeum with areolae bordering midline not greatly enlarged relative to neighboring areolae ( Colombia) ............. M. truncaticaudus Michener

―. Scape yellowish red; setae of compound eye prominent, longer than 2 ommatidial diameters; basal area of propodeum with areolae bordering midline greatly enlarged ( Colombia) ........................................ M. trichommus Michener

3(1). Basal area of propodeum with areolae on either side of midline distinctly enlarged relative to those between radiating striae; mesoscutum dark brown to black; clypeus very broad, 3.5 or more times as wide as medially long ........ 4

―. Basal area of propodeum with areolae on either side of midline narrow, more similar in size relative to those between radiating striae ( Fig. 3 ); mesoscutum laterally, medioanteriorly, and medioposteriorly orange-red, remainder of surface pitch black with thickened H-shaped appearance ( Fig. 1 ); clypeus not as broad, slightly less than 3 times as wide as medially long ( Peru) ................. ........................................................................................ M. stenochorus Engel, n. sp.

4(3). Mesoscutellum orange-red; clypeus 3.5–4 times as wide as medially long (Costa Rica-Colombia) ................................................................ M. kathleenae (Eickwort)

―. Mesoscutellum infuscated testaceous; clypeus 4.5 time as wide as medially long ( Brazil) .............................................. M. russeiclypeatus (Sakagami & Moure)

Figures

Figures 1–4. Photomicrographs of holotype female of Microsphecodes (Microsphecodes) stenochorus, new species, from Abujao, Ucayali, Peru. 1. Dorsal habitus. 2. Facial view. 3. Detail of dorsal-facing surface of propodeum. 4. Posterior view.