Hylaeus (Prosopis) gaigei ( Cockerell 1916 )

Gibbs, Jason, Ascher, John S., Rightmyer, Molly G. & Isaacs, Rufus, 2017, The bees of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), with notes on distribution, taxonomy, pollination, and natural history, Zootaxa 4352 (1), pp. 1-160 : 73-74

Hylaeus (Prosopis) gaigei ( Cockerell 1916) (Michigan holotype)

( Fig. 16B )

Prosopis gaigei Cockerell 1916: 2 .

Holotype. ♀ Michigan, Schoolcraft Co.: Floodwood , 26 Jul.1915, F.M. Gaige ( NMNH: 23311).

County records: Schoolcraft.

Notes. Originally described from two specimens, the holotype has ‘29’ handwritten on the locality label. The specimen was collected as part of the UMMZ Bryant Walker expedition to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The collection locality refers to Floodwoods Road, on the Manistique River, 26 mi. northeast of Manistique ( Rogers 1918).

Snelling (1970) transferred H. gaigei to the subgenus H. ( Prosopis ) and suggested it may be a synonym of H. modestus . A photograph of the type on the NMNH Department of Entomology website is distinguishable from the standard H. modestus female by its small facial maculations. However, coloration characters of this sort can be unreliable. It is already challenging to distinguish females of H. modestus from related species ( Zarrillo et al. 2016), so resolving the identity of H. gaigei requires a dedicated taxonomic study.

Several females of H. ( Prosopis ) collected in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula also seem to have similarly reduced maculations. We provide information on these specimens to facilitate future study of this material.

Material examined. Dickinson Co.: T43N R29W Sec. 14, 24 Jun. 1983, M. Arduser, Rubus allegheniensis (2 ♀ MSUC) ; T43N R30W Sec. 33, 30 Jul. 1983, M. Arduser, Cirsium arvense (1 ♀ MSUC) ; Channing , T43N R30 W Sec. 18, 3 Jul. 1983, R.L. Fischer (1 ♀ MSUC) ; Gogebic Co.: Watersmeet , 19 Jul. 1983, M. Arduser (1 ♀ MSUC) ; Marquette Co.: Michigamme , 8 Aug. 1936, Sabrosky (1 ♀ MSUC) .

Figures

FIGURE 16. Colletidae faces from Michigan (not to scale). A) Colletes aestivalis Patton male. B) Hylaeus gaigei (Cockerell) holotype female. Photograph of H. gaigei provided with the permission of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 10 th and Constitution Ave. N. W., Washington, DC 20560 - 0193. (http: // www. nmnh. si. edu /).