Mesoplia rufipes (Perty)

ROZEN, JEROME G., 2003, Eggs, Ovariole Numbers, and Modes of Parasitism of Cleptoparasitic Bees, with Emphasis on Neotropical Species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), American Museum Novitates 3413, pp. 1-36 : 23-24

Mesoplia rufipes (Perty)

Rozen (1991) reported that a female of this species inserted her egg through a small opening in the cell cap of the closed cell of Epicharis albofasciata Smith on Trinidad, and that Aglaomelissa duckei (Friese) deposited its eggs the same way in cells of Centris carrikeri Cockerell. However, Vinson et al. (1987) reported finding parasitized cells of Centris flavofasciata Friese , some of which exhibited small oviposition holes made by Mesoplia females in the closures while others did not. This suggests that Mesoplia may also attack open cells still being provisioned by the host.

The ovarian formula of this species is 4:4.

DESCRIPTION OF MATURE OOCYTE (figs. 45– 50): Length 3.9–4.3 mm, maximum diameter 0.65–0.70 mm (N = 7); egg index 0.72–0.86 (small to medium). Shape approximately symmetrical around its gently curved long axis; front end round, slightly flatter below than above in lateral view; apparent protrusion at anterior pole presumably resulting from plumelike chorionic ornamentation (figs. 45, 46); midsection long, parallel­sid­ ed; posterior end tapering more gradually than anterior end in lateral view, narrowly rounded; micropyle elliptical cluster of pores, each more or less surrounded by blunt flattened filaments (figs. 46, 47); chorion microscopically sculptured, dull; under SEM examination, outcurved side of micropylar cluster bordered by elongate, peglike filaments (fig. 47); incurved side below micropylar array with protruding, plumelike mass of spongy filaments (fig. 46); extreme anterior end of chorion with strong polygonal pattern incised into spongy chorion, each polygon with one or two rounded nodules (fig. 50); polygonal pattern fading posteriorly, scarcely evident beyond distance of one oocyte diameter from anterior pole; nodular surface conspicuous throughout (fig. 49).

MATERIAL STUDIED: Three females, Brazil: São Paulo, Luiz Antônio, Estação Ecológica de Jatai , 2­XI­2000 (M.C. Gaglianone), nesting site of Epicharis nigrita .