Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa)

Lucia, Mariano, Alvarez, Leopoldo J. & Abrahamovich, Alberto H., 2014, Large carpenter bees in Argentina: systematics and notes on the biology of Xylocopa subgenus Neoxylocopa (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Zootaxa 3754 (3), pp. 201-238 : 204-205

Key to species of the Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) present in Argentina

Females

1. Pubescence in part ferruginous on mesosoma or metasoma..................................................... 2 - Pubescence entirely black............................................................................... 4 2. Ferruginous pubescence restricted along sides and apex of metasoma ( Fig. 9 )............................... X. augusti - Ferruginous pubescence restricted to mesosoma............................................................. 3 3. T 2 -T 3 with median pubescence short, 0.3–0.6 times MOD; gena narrow and densely punctate; tegula dark brown..........

.......................................................................................... X. tacanensis - T 2 –T 3 with median pubescence long, 1.1–1.3 times MOD; gena wide and sparsely punctate; tegula ferruginous or light brown

............................................................................................. X. eximia 4. Integument of metasomal terga I–IV or I–V with reddish bands ( Figs. 11, 12 ), if the integument is completely black, then

scutellum is angled as seen in profile...................................................................... 5 - Integument of metasomal terga without reddish bands, completely black, scutellum not angled in profile................ 6 5. Face with conspicuous carina below lateral ocelli ( Fig. 4 ); scutellum gently rounded as seen in profile; T 2 –T 3 with short and

scattered hairs, generally specimens more than 30 mm long............................................. X. frontalis - Face without conspicuous carina below lateral ocelli; scutellum angle as seen in profile; T 2 –T 3 with short and abundant hairs,

generally specimens less than 30 mm long....................................................... X. nigrocincta 6. T 2 and basal third of T 3 with median pubescence very short, barely exiting the insertion puncture, 0.2–0.4 times MOD,

remaining of T 3 with hairs 3–4 times longer than those on T 2; supraorbital area wide (3.5–4.1 times DOM)….… X. mendozana - T 2 –T 3 with median pubescence short, hairs 0.3–0.5 times MOD, noticeably surparsing the insertion puncture; supraorbital

area narrow (2.4–2.8 times DOM)........................................................... X. atamisquensis

Males

Note: the male of X. tacanensis is unknown. Plumose hairs intermixed with simple hairs can be found on T 2–5 in all males studied.

1. T 2 –T 3 with small contiguous punctures and median pubescence very short, barely surpassing the insertion puncture and apparently hairless ( Fig. 25 )........................................................................ X. mendozana

- T 2 –T 3 with punctures separated by one or more times puncture width, but never contiguous; median pubescence variable.. 2

2. T 2 –T 3 with median pubescence short (0.1–0.3 times MOD); ventral surface of posterior tibia with pubescence distributed throughout the surface ( Fig. 30 ). Specimens more than 30 mm long. Genitalia, in dorsal view, with sphata strongly curved ( Fig. 36 )........................................................................................ X. frontalis

- T 2 –T 3 with median pubescence long, abundant and dense; ventral surface of posterior tibia with pubescence distributed either basally, medially or subaplically. Specimens less than 30 mm long Genitalia, in dorsal view, with sphata not strongly curved..................................................................................................... 3

3. T 2 –T 3 with median pubescence short, (0.4–0.7 times MOD); ventral surface of the posterior tibia with pubescence restricted to the basal and median parts ( Fig. 32 ). Genitalia, in dorsal view apex of pennis valve abruptly narrowed ( Fig. 56 )..................................................................................................... X. nigrocincta

- T 2 –T 3 with median pubescence long more than 0.7 times MOD; ventral surface of the posterior tibia with pubescence variable.................................................................................................... 4

4. Ventral surface of the posterior tibia with pubescence forming two separate tufts (basal and subapical) and median small notch on the posterior edge ( Fig. 28 ).................................................................... X. augusti

- Ventral surface of the posterior tibia with pubescence forming one tuft ( Fig. 27, 29 ); posterior tibia without a median small notch on the posterior edge.............................................................................. 5

5. T 6–7 with dark brown to black pubescence ( Fig. 23 ); ventral surface of the posterior tibia with pubescence restricted to the base ( Fig. 29 ). Genitalia, in ventral view, with apex of gonostyle as in figure 47 ............................. X. eximia

- T 6–7 with ferruginous pubescence ( Fig. 21 ); ventral surface of the posterior tibia with pubescence forming one tuft (basalmiddle) ( Fig. 27 ). Genitalia, in ventral view, with apex of gonostyle as in figure 45 ..................... X. atamisquensis

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 14. Metasoma of female, dorsal view. 9, Xylocopa augusti; 10, Xylocopa eximia; 11, Xylocopa frontalis; 12, Xylocopa nigrocincta; 13, Xylocopa tacanensis; 14, Xylocopa mendozana. Scale bars: 2 mm.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Head of female, frontal view. 1, Xylocopa atamisquensis; 2, Xylocopa augusti; 3, Xylocopa eximia; 4, Xylocopa frontalis. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 21 – 26. Metasoma of male, dorsal view. 21, Xylocopa atamisquensis; 22, Xylocopa augusti; 23, Xylocopa eximia; 24, Xylocopa frontalis; 25, Xylocopa mendozana; 26, Xylocopa nigrocinta.

FIGURES 27 – 32. Hind tibia of male, posterior view. 27, Xylocopa atamisquensis; 28, Xylocopa augusti; 29, Xylocopa eximia; 30, Xylocopa frontalis; 31, Xylocopa mendozana; 32, Xylocopa nigrocincta.

FIGURES 33 – 38. Genitalia male, dorsal view. 33, Xylocopa atamisquensis; 34, Xylocopa augusti; 35, Xylocopa eximia; 36, Xylocopa frontalis; 37, Xylocopa mendozana; 38, Xylocopa nigrocincta.

FIGURES 45 – 56. Gonostyle and pennis valve, ventral view. 45, Xylocopa atamisquensis; 46, Xylocopa augusti; 47, Xylocopa eximia; 48, Xylocopa frontalis; 49, Xylocopa mendozana; 50, Xylocopa nigrocincta. Gonostyle and pennis valve, dorsal view. 51, Xylocopa atamisquensis; 52, Xylocopa augusti; 53, Xylocopa eximia; 54, Xylocopa frontalis; 55, Xylocopa mendozana; 56, Xylocopa nigrocincta.