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New species of Ashmeadiella Cockerell (: ) from Mexico

Chapter · September 2015

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Ricardo Ayala Terry Griswold Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México United States Department of Agriculture

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Carlos Hernan Vergara Universidad de las Americas Puebla

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Abstract: Two new species endemic to Mexico are described and illustrat- ed: Ashmeadiella (Ashmeadiella) danuncia n. sp. and A. (A.) mandibularis n. sp. !ese species are most frequently found visiting "owers of Cactaceae, although they have also been collected on "owers of Acacia, Prosopis, Lope- zia, Dalea and Bidens. Ashmeadiella mandibularis is restricted to areas with xerophytic vegetation, as well as to the transition to tropical deciduous for- est in Morelos, Oaxaca and Puebla; A. danuncia occurs in pine forests and pine-oak forests in the western region of the Transverse Volcanic Belt, in Jalisco and Michoacan. Keywords: Ashmeadiella, new species, Megachilidae, Mexico, , Taxo- nomy. Resumo: Descrevem e ilustram-se duas novas espécies endêmicas do Mé- xico, Ashmeadiella (Ashmeadiella) danuncia n. sp. e A. (A.) mandibularis n. sp. Estas são visitantes frequentes de "ores de cactáceas, mas também têm sido coletadas visitando "ores de Acacia, Prosopis, Lopezia, Dalea e Bidens. A Ashmeadiella mandibularis está presente em áreas com vegetação xérica e na transição desta com o bosque tropical caducifólio nos estados de Morelos, Oaxaca e Puebla; a A. danuncia está presente em áreas com bosque de pínus e pino-encino no extremo oeste do Cinto Vulcânico Transversal em Jalisco e Michoacán. Palavras-chave: Ashmeadiella, novas espécies, Megachilidae, México, Osmiini, Taxonomia.

1 Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Apartado Postal 21, 48980 San Patricio, Jalisco, México. E-mail: rayala@ ib.unam.mx. 2 USDA-ARS, Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5310, USA. E-mail: [email protected]. 3 Departamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Universidad de las Américas, Puebla. Ex -Hacienda Santa Catarina Mártir, 72820 Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. E-mail: [email protected].

 



!e bee genus Ashmeadiella Cockerell (Megachilidae: Osmiini) is found in western North America from Canada to Guatemala and the Yucat- an Peninsula (Michener 2007, Enríquez et al. 2012). !e genus was revised by Michener (1939). Currently, #ve subgenera are recognized: Arogochila Michener, Ashmeadiella Cockerell (s. str.), Chilosima Michener, Cubitogna- tha Michener, and Isosmia Michener (Michener 2007). !e 58 described species (Ascher & Pickering 2012) are especially abundant in xeric regions, rare in the tropics and in eastern North America. !ese bees are small, robust and heriadiform, generally black or with red metasoma and with tergal bands of pale pubescence. !e anterior surface of the #rst metasomal tergum is concave and delimited by a carina almost as in and the omaulus is carinate. Males are readily recognized by the presence of four teeth on T6. !ese bees nest in preformed burrows in stems, other small cavities and also in snail shells (Michener et al. 1994). Ayala et al. (1996) reported 34 species of Ashmeadiella for Mexico, concentrated in the north- western part of the country. Only two species are known from the central and southern states: A. (Arogochila) clypeodentata Michener (Puebla) and A. (Ashmeadiella) bequaerti Cockerell (Yucatan). Herein, we describe two new central Mexican species placed in the subgenus Ashmeadiella.



Some of the specimens used for the description of the new species report- ed here were collected during #eldwork at Zapotitlán de las Salinas (Puebla, Mexico) associated with a faunistic survey of the bees of that region (Vergara & Ayala 2002). Additional specimens came from the following Collec- tions: Chamela Field Station, Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico; Division of Entomol- ogy, Natural History Museum, and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA; USDA-ARS Bee Bi- ology and Systematics Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA and Entomological Collection, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. Morphological terminology for the description follows that proposed by Michener (2007). We use Michener & Fraser (1978) for mandibular terminol- ogy. !e following abbreviations are used in the descriptions: "agellar segment (F), metasomal tergum (T), metasomal sternum (S) and ocellar diameter (OD).

 

Measurements are given for the holotype specimen, with the observed range among paratypes or additional specimens following in parentheses. Specimens were examined and measured using a Leica MZ6 dissection microscope and ocular micrometer. Photomicrographs of the bees, genitalia and sterna, were taken using an Olympus SZH dissecting microscope with a Nikon Coolpix 990 digital camera attached to it.



 [zoobank.org:act:7F691D0C-A114-4144-9C70-B94AE9D0E029] (Figures 1-8)

 Females of Ashmeadiella (Ashmeadiella) danuncia n. sp. can be easi- ly separated from other species by the characteristic shape of the clypeus, which is wide and strongly projected and has a strong, conspicuous de- pression medially that reaches the ventral margin, forming a medioapical notch; the clypeus also has lateral depressions dorsally; the raised ventro- lateral area has irregular oblique ridges (Fig. 1). Another distinctive feature is the wide mandibles, with the outer ridge very prominent, similar to that found in A. chumashae Griswold, A. opuntiae (Cockerell) and A. vandykiella Michener, from the southwestern USA and northern México. Further, the propodeal triangle has reticulated dull integument and irregular grooves at the top margin. Males may be distinguished from other species by the shape of the clypeal margin with its pair of submedial projections forming a distinctive medial notch, as occurs in A. biscopula Michener and A. van- dykiella (neither of which occurs in the range of A. danuncia), by the la- brum scarcely narrowed distally, densely punctate throughout (A. biscopula and A. vandykiella narrowed distally and impunctate apicolaterally), by the dull propodeal triangle similar to the propodeum of the female, and by the shape of the teeth on T6, with the middle two short and the space between them wider than long.

 

Figures 1-8 – Ashmeadiella danuncia n. sp. Female: 1, ventral half of face, high- lighting clypeal margin; 2, mandible. Male: 3, mandible; 4, ventral half of face, highlighting clypeal margin; 5, teeth of T6; 6, S7; 7, S8; 8, genitalia, dorsal view (in Figs. 1 and 4 with pubescence removed).

 Female Holotype (RA103): Body length: 7.04 mm; forewing length: 4.86 mm; general color black with whitish pubescence. Head: Width=length (2.48 mm); mandible with three teeth (Fig. 2), apical tooth largest; distance between apical and subapical teeth shorter than distance between subapical and inner teeth; angle between apical and subapical teeth well de#ned but not deep, closer to subapical tooth; subapical and inner teeth

  similar in size, smaller than apical tooth; condylar ridge elevated along margin, arc shaped; acetabular interspace, between acetabulum and apical and inner teeth, wide, with integument dull, whitish pubescence on basal half, yellow- ish on apical; outer interspace with brown-reddish pubescence apically; outer groove reaching apical tooth base; strong acetabular carina (especially at base) continued up to base of inner tooth; trimma wide all entire distance to base of pollex with integument smooth and shiny. Basal half of labrum concave, distal half with converging lateral margins, distal margin notched. Clypeus wider than long, quite prominent, with depression at middle towards ventral margin and depression along upper lateral margin, de#ning a raised inverted Y-shaped area on clypeus; ventral margin with notch medially, laterally with lateral angles not projected, only slightly prominent with integument shiny; ventrolateral area with oblique, irregular ridges, on rest strongly punctured (Fig. 1); clypeus with pubescence scarce, hairs long on lateral margins and lower paraocular area. Interantennal area produced as continuation of clypeus, punctation similar to clypeus, but punctures more rounded and coarser than on frontal area; lower margin with pair of convergent tufts of brown reddish pubescence and line of short pubescence with similar color in middle; malar area very narrow; inner paraocular margin with carina almost reaching upper extreme of inner ocular margin; antennal alveoli set at ocular mid length; interantennal distance (0.74 mm) twice antennalocular distance; vertex elevated above upper ocular margin, pubescence scarce; interocellar distance shorter than ocellocular distance (0.35 mm: 0.45 mm); distance between anterior and lateral ocelli shorter than OD (0.22 mm: 0.13 mm); distance between posterior ocelli and upper margin of vertex greater than ocellocular distance (0.58 mm: 0.41 mm); median ocellus distinctly below line tangent to upper margin of ocular orbits; occiput concave in dorsal view; scape slightly wider than "agellum; scape (0.54 mm) slightly shorter than interantennal distance; F1 longer than F2, F2 as long as F3; genal area with abundant pubescence; gena somewhat narrower than ocular width in lateral view (0.66 mm: 0.73 mm); ocular length, 1.76 mm; hypostomal carina strong. Mesosoma: Pronotal anterior margin with short carina delimited by preapical groove, middle part of anterior margin concave, mid dorsal ante- rior part and posterolateral edges with dense, abundant pubescence. Scutum at anterior tegular edge wider than long (1.96: 1.57 mm), rounded, puncta- tion strong, dense, integument shiny, pubescence at anterior edge, plumose, erect, abundant but not dense, lateral margin with dense pubescence; axilla at same level as scutellum. Scutellum wider than long (1.13: 0.49 mm), puncta- tion similar to that of scutum, posterior margin of scutellum and metanotum with abundant pubescence of long hairs; metanotum as vertical continuation of scutellum, with irregular punctures, integument dull, covered with whitish

  pubescence. Propodeum slightly projected with respect to metanotum and as vertical continuation of metanotum; propodeal triangle with granulate, dull integument, with band of striate irregular integument on superior margin that gradually changes to granulate; lateral surface with abundant, long pubescence. Mesepisternum with well de#ned pre-episternal anterior margin; omaulus car- inate; mesepisternum with very abundant pubescence, punctation coarser than on scutum but slightly separated. Tegula dark-brown, smooth and shiny, pubes- cence restricted to anterior end. Wings: forewing length, 4.86 mm, width, 1.73 mm; hind wing length, 3.71 mm, width, 0.87 mm; wings translucent, slightly darkened, darker along costal margin of marginal cell; wing surface clothed with abundant dark hairs. Legs: distal posterior margin of fore and mid tibiae with strong hook- like projections, mid tibial spur longer than half length of mid basitarsus; hind tibial spurs black, strong and serrated, inner spur longer than outer one; hind tibia length, 1.29 mm, width, 0.43 mm; basitarsus, 0.67 mm; hind tibia with strong and di$use punctures; posterior margin with whitish pubescence, ante- rior margin and rest of surface with long pubescence not dense; hind basitarsus and tarsomeres with brown pubescence on inner surface; fore, mid and hind distitarsi and claws reddish-brown. Metasoma: Terga with small short pubescence, punctation smaller than that on scutum; integument shiny between points; T1 with anterior concavity with smooth integument; T1-T5 distal margins with bands of pale hair, T6 also with apical whitish pubescence band; T4 in part, T5 and T6 with simple abun- dant yellowish pubescence; S1 with prominent medial elevation; S2-S5 with scopae of whitish hairs; S2-S5 apical margins with bands of hyaline brown integument; S6 with apical band of dense pubescence. Allotype male (RA85): General color black with whitish pubescence; body length: 6.58 mm; forewing length 4.49 mm, width 1.53 mm. Head (Fig. 3): width 2.27 mm, length 2.3 mm; mandible reddish-brown, darker on pollex and basal area, close to condyle; with two teeth similar in size; outer ridge and acetabular carina reaching acetabulum; acetabular carina elevated at base; trimma continues up to inner tooth; outer ridge along mandible extends up to smooth and shiny area on apical tooth; lower half of acetabular space (area between acetabulum and pollex) with smooth integument, rest of surface punctate, pubescence yellowish (Fig. 3). Malar area very narrow, almost absent. Labrum scarcely narrowed distally, densely punctate throughout. Clypeus 1.24 mm wide, 0.87 mm long; prominently convex in lateral view; medial area of apical margin with notch de#ned sub- laterally by rounded projection (Fig. 4); margin slightly concave lateral to projection, concavity similar in size to sublateral projection, lateral margin

  rounded, with band of shiny integument. Clypeal surface with pubescence dense along inferior edge and sparser on rest of clypeus, paraocular area with dense pubescence covering part of lateral margin of clypeus; punc- tures coarser than on frontal area; anterior tentorial pit elongate; interan- tennal area less produced than clypeus, with small projection at beginning of frontal line. Inner paraocular margin with carina running from mandib- ular acetabulum to top of inner ocular margin; antennal alveoli set at ocular mid-length; interantennal distance, 0.24 mm, nearly twice antennal-ocular distance (0.13 mm). Vertex strongly elevated above upper ocular margin, pubescence scarce; anterior ocellus at upper margin of eyes, lateral ocelli above this level; ocellocular distance slightly larger than interocellar dis- tance; distance between anterior and lateral ocellus half diameter of anteri- or ocellus (0.12 mm: 0.22 mm); distance between lateral ocellus and upper margin of vertex greater than ocellocular distance (0.46 mm: 0.33 mm); scape and pedicel with integument black, rest of "agellum reddish brown; F1 slightly longer than F2; F2 and F3 similar in length; "agellum slightly wider than scape; scape slightly shorter than interantennal space (0.51 mm: 0.56 mm); genal area with pubescence abundant but not dense; genal width distinctly narrower than ocular width in lateral view (0.49 mm: 0.73 mm); ocular length, 1.58 mm; hypostomal carina strong. Mesosoma: Pronotal anterior margin with carina delimited by preapical groove, middle part of anterior margin concave, mid dorsal anterior part and posterolateral edge with dense, abundant pubescence; scutum at anterior teg- ular tangent wider than longer (1.61 mm: 1.19 mm), rounded, with punctures strong, dense, contiguous anteriorly, integument shiny; pubescence at anteri- or edge, plumose, erect, abundant but not dense, lateral margin with slender line of plumose pubescence, disc with pubescence sparse, scarcely plumose; scutellum somewhat raised above level of axilla; scutellum wider than longer (0.85 mm: 0.51 mm), punctures similar to those on scutum, posterior margin of scutellum and metanotum with abundant pubescence of long hairs; axilla with punctures smaller than on scutellum; metanotum as vertical continua- tion of scutellum, with integument reticulate medially and striate laterally; propodeum forming vertical continuation of metanotum, propodeal triangle dull, reticulate, supra-lateral margin with well de#ned and irregular grooves, lateral surface with dense, long pubescence; posterior depression of propode- um with smooth and shiny integument. Well de#ned pre-episternal anterior margin with carinate omaulus not reaching pronotal lobe; mesepisternum with abundant pubescence and punctation coarser than on scutum, #ner on metepisternum. Tegula dark-brown, smooth and shiny, brown pubescence re- stricted to anterior end.

 

Wings: forewing length 4.6 mm, forewing width 1.54 mm; wings trans- lucent with green and magenta iridescence, venation very dark, almost black, wing surface clothed with abundant dark hairs; marginal cell with costal area obscured. Legs: Integument dark-brown; distal posterior margin of fore and mid tibiae with strong, spine-like projections, mid tibial spur brown, as long as half length of basitarsus, hind tibial spurs strong, serrated, inner spur longer than outer one; hind basitarsus and tarsomeres with brown pubescence on inner surface; fore, mid and hind distitarsi and claws reddish brown. Metasoma: Terga with shiny integument; punctation smaller than on scu- tum; distance between punctures approximately one puncture diameter; terga with short pubescence emerging from punctures, T1-T4 distal margins with bands of pale hair, rest of terga with sparse pubescence; T5 and T6 with sim- ple abundant hairs, appressed, not hiding integument; T6 with 4 tooth-like projections, middle ones longer than lateral ones and longer than wide; dis- tance between middle teeth slightly larger than teeth length; distance between middle teeth greater than between middle and lateral teeth; lateral teeth short, wider than long (Fig. 5); S1 with medial elevation and covered with whitish pubescence; S2-S3 with apical bands of pale hairs and strong subapical sulci, more pronounced in S4; middle area strongly elevated, entire S4 punctate up to posterior margin, with rounded lateral margin; S5-S7 brown and membranous, S7 and S8 as in Figs. 6, 7, genitalia as in Fig. 8.  Holotype Ƃ: MEXICO, Jalisco, La Manzanilla 8 km SE, La Soledad 4/11/1990, R. Ayala (RA103). Allotype ƃ: MEXICO, Jalisco, 16 km SW Ciudad Guzmán, 18/07/1989, L. Godínez, ex Heterotheca inuloides (RA85). Paratypes: MEXICO, Jalisco: La Manzanilla, 8 km SE La Soledad 4/11/1990, R. Ayala (RA 102, RA115, RA119) (3 Ƃ); 16 km SW Ciudad Guzmán, 18/07/1989, L. Godínez ex Heterotheca inuloides (RA82) (1 ƃ); same except 17/07/1989, T. Griswold, no "oral record (4 ƃ). Michoacán: La Sauda, 8/10/1988, R. Ayala (RA87) (1 ƃ); Dr. Miguel Silva, 9 km S Ario de Rosales, 1450 m, 29/10/1987, T. Griswold (3 ƃ, 2 Ƃ); Las Cañas, 21 km S Ario de Rosales, T. Griswold (1 Ƃ). !e holotype and allotype are deposited at the National Collection at Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Paratypes at the Snow Entomogical Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas; USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah and the Entomological Collection, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Cholula, Puebla, Mexico.

 

 !e speci#c epithet is a matronymic honoring our friend and colleague Danuncia Urban in recognition of her major contributions to melittology in the Americas and in celebration of her 80th birthday.  Females of A. danuncia n. sp. can be easily separated in the key of Mi- chener (1939) by changing couplet 30 of the key, adding: “truncation of cly- peus with apicomedian third quadrilobate with additional subapical median protuberance, laterally with deep, narrow emargination (Fig. 1)”. !is species is described from specimens collected in pine and pine-oak forest, between 1500 m and 2000 m of altitude. However, one of the male specimens was found in a low-altitude locality at the transition between pine forest and dry forest, in the state of Michoacán. !is species is probably endemic to central Mexico, west of the Transversal Volcanic Belt, in mountains of Manantlán, Colima Volcano, Sierra del Tigre and Sierra del Halo, in the states of Jalisco and Michoacán.

 [zoobank.org:act:6C9620A4-948B-47D6-917D-464650CFCB11] (Figures 9-16)  !is is a very distinctive species, which is characterized in the female by the unique mandibles that are large and wide along the pollex; they have the outer ridge, between the acetabulum and the apical tooth, very high, forming a projection as a denticle toward the basal end; and on the basal third they have a wide groove between the acetabulum and the condyle (Fig. 10). !e female clypeus has a transverse raised area in the middle; the lower margin is almost straight, with only two slight projections on lateral angles (Fig. 9). Males have mandibles with the outer ridge elevated, as well as the basal part of the acetabu- lar carina (Fig. 11). !e ventral margin of clypeus is narrowly produced medially into shallow concavity between a pair of submedial projections; the lateral por- tion of the ventral margin adjacent to the eye is broadly impunctate and shiny (Fig. 12). Margin of T6 with very short teeth, the notch between middle teeth of similar size to the teeth (Fig. 13).

 

Figures 9-16 – Ashmeadiella mandibularis n. sp. Female: 9, ventral half of face, highlighting clypeal margin; 10, mandible. Male: 11, mandible; 12, ventral half of face, highlighting clypeal margin; 13, teeth of T6; 14, S7; 15, S8; 16, genitalia dorsal view (in Figs. 9 and 12 with pubescence removed).

 Female Holotype (RA154): Body length: 7.2 mm; forewing length 4.50 mm; width 1.62 mm; general color black with whitish pubescence. Head: Width=length (2.35 mm); mandible with three teeth, apical tooth larger than subapical (Fig. 10), with two small teeth-like projections on pollex be- tween subapical and inner teeth; distance between apical and subapical teeth much less than distance between subapical and inner teeth, so that margin of pollex is very broad; angle between apical and subapical teeth strong, well de#ned but not deep; mandible broad and robust, only slightly longer than wide (length 0.92 mm

  on lower margin, pollex width 0.80 mm), with broad basal groove between the ac- etabulum and the condyle; very prominent outer ridge most elevated basally, form- ing a tooth-shaped projection, outer ridge not reaching base of mandible, closer to condyle than to acetabulum; distal half of acetabular area up to pollex with dense uniform punctures and whitish pubescence on basal half, longer orange pubescence on distal half; margin of pollex with integument smooth, shiny; subapical margin on outer ridge with abundant brown-reddish pubescence. Malar area very narrow, linear. Clypeus (Fig. 9) much wider than long (1.33 mm: 0.58 mm), raised on slightly less than lower half except lateral angles; lower margin almost straight, with only two minor undulations that de#ne a shallow notch; lower margin with a depression and smooth and shiny edge; lateral angles of lower margin slight- ly produced; clypeal surface uniformly punctured, less dense than on frontal area, with long, abundant, but not dense, pubescence; lower margin with two tufts of orange hairs converging toward middle, interocellar area slightly elevated. Inner paraocular margin with a carina that reaches upper extreme of orbit. Antennal al- veolus set below middle of ocular length; interantennal distance slightly wider than antennocular distance (0.41 mm: 0.32 mm); interantennal distance slightly larger than interocellar posterior distance (0.46 mm: 0.41 mm); interocellar distance larg- er than ocellocular distance (0.41 mm: 0.34 mm); distance between median and lateral ocelli shorter than width of median ocellus (0.19 mm: 0.15 mm); distance between posterior ocelli and upper margin of vertex greater than ocellocular dis- tance (0.64 mm: 0.32 mm); vertex elevated above upper ocular margin, with pu- bescence sparse; median ocellus at level of upper margin of eye; occiput concave as viewed from above; antenna with black integument; width of scape similar to that of "agellum; scape longer than interantennal width (0.53 mm: 0.46 mm); F1-F3 similar in length; genal area with abundant whitish pubescence, not dense; genal and ocular width similar in length in lateral view (0.73 mm); ocular length, 1.71 mm; hypostomal carina strong. Punctures on vertex similar to those on genal area, punctures more dense on frons area. Mesosoma: Pronotal anterior margin with short carina delimited by preapical groove, middle part of anterior margin concave, mid dorsal part and posterolateral edges with dense, abundant pubescence; anterior dorsal area with a wide margin, de#ned by a median groove that reaches lateral areas. Scutum at anterior tegular edge wider than longer (1.70 mm: 1.33 mm), rounded; punc- tures strong, dense; distance between punctures a little less than half a puncture diameter, integument shiny; pubescence of scutum sparse on discal area; at anterior edge erect, abundant, but not dense, lateral and posterior margins with dense pubescence; axilla on same level as scutellum, with punctures more dense than on scutellum. Scutellum width twice its length (1.00 mm: 0.49 mm); with impunctate line along midsection, not reaching posterior margin; punctures less dense than in scutum; posterior area of scutellum with abundant pubes-

  cence, not dense, long hairs. Metanotum as a vertical continuation of scutel- lum, with smooth and shiny integument in midst and covered with whitish pubescence. Propodeum slightly projected with respect to metanotum and as a vertical continuation of metanotum; propodeal triangle with smooth and shiny integument, anterior margin with a band of large pits that is wider on lateral areas; post-lateral surfaces abundantly punctured and with long pubescence; on lateral area punctures are smaller and pubescence short; area around propodeal pit with smooth, shiny integument. Pre-episternal omaulus with a well-de#ned carina, not reaching upper part of this margin; area anterior to omaulus with smooth integument and small punctures, not dense, ventral area impunctate; mesepisternum with abundant pubescence and punctures coarser as in scutum; area below tegula slightly raised. Tegula dark-brown, smooth and shiny, pu- bescence and punctures restricted to anterior end, margin of tegula with well de#ned carina, wider on anterolateral margin. Wings: forewing length: 4.50 mm, width: 1.46 mm; hind wing length 3.50 mm, width 0.90 mm; wings translucent, not obscured, with a blue and purple iridescence and surface clothed with abundant very short dark hairs. Legs: distal posterior margin of fore and mid tibia with a spine-like pro- jection; mid tibial spur brown and longer than half length of mid basitarsus; hind tibial spurs black, strong and serrated, inner spur slightly larger than outer one; hind tibia length, 1.26 mm, width, 0.40 mm; basitarsus, 0.72 mm; legs with whitish pubescence and black integument, but distitarsi dark reddish brown, including claws. Fore and mid femora with smooth and shiny integ- ument; hind femur more punctate; hind tibia integument shiny with small, di$use punctures; posterior margin with large whitish pubescence, larger on anterior margin, rest of surface with pubescence not dense; hind basitarsus and tarsomeres with brown pubescence on inner surface. Metasoma: T1-T4 with small short pubescence, punctures slightly smaller than on scutum and more sparse; integument shiny between punctures; T1 with anterior concavity with integument smooth; T1-T5 distal margins with bands of whitish hair, T6 with apical yellowish pubescent band; T4 in part, T5 and T6 with simple abundant whitish pubescence; S2-S6 with dense puncta- tion; S2-S5 with hyaline band of brown integument on margin apically; S1 with medial elevation; S2-S5 with scopa of whitish hairs; S6 with an apical band of dense yellowish pubescence. Allotype male (RA 135): Color in general black with whitish pubescence; body length: 5.70 mm; forewing length 4.00 mm, width 1.50 mm. Head: width 2.00 mm, length 1.88 mm, almost rounded; mandible brown-reddish (Fig. 11), darker on pollex and basal half; with two teeth, apical one larger; outer ridge prominent, not reaching acetabulum; acetabular carina

  clearly elevated, mainly near base; trimma with shiny integument continued up to inner tooth; outer ridge along mandible continuing to smooth and shiny area on apical tooth; acetabular area narrow, de#ned by distinct punctures; external interspace between condyle and acetabulum ample, with whitish pubescence, becoming narrow toward apical tooth, and on distal half continuing as narrow groove between outer ridge and acetabular ridge; margin between condyle and acetabulum on external interspace with narrow groove. Malar area very narrow. Labrum distinctly narrowed distally, impunctate apicolaterally. Clypeus 0.97 mm wide, 0.58 mm long (Fig. 12); in lateral view slightly produced and rounded; medial area of ventral margin with submedial shiny projections de#ning notch; lower lateral angle of clypeus rounded, laterally with impunctate band of shiny integument; clypeal surface with dense whitish pubescence; paraocular, interan- tennal and frontal areas similarly covered with large pubescence; punctures in ventral portion of clypeus, smaller than on rest of clypeus, punctures larger on discal area than on interantennal and frontal areas; anterior tentorial pit elon- gated, interantennal area less projected than on clypeus, with small projection at beginning of frontal line. Inner paraocular margin with carina running from mandibular acetabulum three quarters of length of inner ocular margin, continu- ing in series of punctures to dorsal margin of eye. Antennal alveolus at ocular midlength; interantennal distance (0.38 mm) almost twice antennal-ocular dis- tance (0.22 mm); vertex strongly elevated above dorsal ocular margin, pubescence sparse; anterior ocellus at level of dorsal margin of eye, lateral ocelli above this level; ocellocular distance slightly less than posterior interocellar distance; dis- tance between medial and lateral ocelli less than diameter of medial ocellus (0.17 mm: 0.13 mm); distance between lateral ocelli and upper margin of vertex greater than ocellocular distance (0.41 mm: 0.27 mm); scape and pedicel with integ- ument black, "agellum dark-brown; F1 slightly shorter than F2; F2 and F3 simi- lar in length; scape slightly wider than "agellum, slightly longer than interanten- nal distance (0.42 mm: 0.38 mm); genal area with abundant, sparse pubescence not obscuring integument; genal width distinctly narrower than ocular width (0.48 mm: 0.61 mm); ocular length 1.43 mm; hypostomal carina strong. Mesosoma: Pronotal anterior margin with carina delimited by preapical groove, this carina more elevated on mid dorsal margin, anterior third with elevated band, glabrous; abundant whitish pubescence on posterior dorsal area and pronotal lobe. Scutum at anterior tegular edge wider than long (1.48 mm: 1.12 mm); with sparse pubescence, pubescence at anterior edge erect, abundant but not dense, lateral and posterior margins with narrow line of pubescence; integument with punctures dense. Scutellum somewhat raised above level of axilla; scutellum wider than long (1.04 mm: 0.45 mm), with punctures similar to scutum, but more widely spaced medially; on posterior margin and on axilla with punctures smaller and dense; pos- terior margin of scutellum and axilla with abundant large hairs, pubescence not dense. Metanotum forming vertical continuation of scutellum, with shiny integ-

  ument medially. Propodeum forming vertical continuation of metanotum; propo- deal triangle with integument smooth and shiny, dorsal margin with well de#ned line of grooves; lateral surface with dense long pubescence; posterior depression of propodeal pit with integument smooth and shiny. Mesepisternum with omaulus carinate, carina not attaining pronotal lobe; mesepisternum and metepisternum with abundant pubescence; punctation similar to that on scutum, punctures #ner toward posterior area of mesepisternum and on lateral areas of propodeum. Tegula black, smooth and shining, with some punctures and whitish pubescence restricted to anterior end; with narrow ledge on lateral and posterior margin. Wings: Forewing length, 4.00 mm; width, 1.50 mm; wings translucent with green and magenta iridescence; venation very dark, almost black, wing surface clothed with abundant dark hairs. Legs: Integument dark-brown, pubescence whitish; distal posterior mar- gins of fore and mid tibiae with short spine-like projections; mid tibial spur brown, half as long as length of basitarsus; hind tibial spurs strong, serrate, inner spur longer than outer one; basitarsus and tarsomeres with brown pu- bescence on inner surfaces; fore, mid and hind apical tarsomeres, distitarsi and claws dark-brown. Metasoma: Terga with shiny integument; punctures slightly smaller than on scutum; distance between punctures approximately equal to their diameters; terga with short pubescence emerging from punctation, distal margins of T1-T4 with bands of pale hair, rest of terga with sparse pubescence; T5 and T6 with simple abundant hairs, not hiding integument; T6 with 4 tooth-like projections (Fig. 13), middle ones longer than lateral ones and wider than long; space between mid- dle teeth wider than their lengths; lateral teeth wider than long; distance between middle teeth shorter than between middle and lateral teeth; S1 elevated medially and covered with whitish pubescence in middle; S2-S4 with reddish-brown integ- ument, S2-S3 with apical bands of whitish pubescence and strong subapical sul- ci, posterior margins of S2-S3 hyaline; S4 with more pronounced sulcus marking a strong posterior depression, followed by a projected margin; medial area of S4 strongly elevated, entire S4 punctate to posterior margin; S5-S7 brown and mem- branous; S7, S8 as in Figs. 14,15; genitalia as in Fig. 16.  Holotype female: MEXICO, Morelos, 2.5 Km W, Ajuchitán, 11/04/1996, 959 m, 18º28`.065, 98º59`.546, M. E. Guardado ex moist soil (RA154). Al- lotype male: MEXICO, Morelos, 2.5 Km N, 4 Km W, Huautla, Estación CEAMISH, 9/07/1996, B. Rodríguez, ex moist soil (RA135). Paratypes: MEXICO, Morelos, 2.5 Km W, Ajuchitán, 950 m 18º28`.065, 98º59`.546, 17/01/1996, B. Rodríguez (RA167) (1 ƃ); 14/02/1996, A. Rodríguez, ex moist soil (RA153)(1 ƃ); 16/02/1996, B. Rodríquez (RA 157, RA160, RA165) (3 Ƃ); 16/02/1996, A. Rodríguez, ex moist soil (RA166); 15/02/1996, A. Rodrí-

  guez ex moist soil (RA162) (1ƃ); 14/03/1996, F. A Noguera s/41RA (RA161) (1 ƃ); 17/03/1996, R. Ayala, s/68RA (RA163, RA164, RA168) (3 ƃ); 12/04/1996, B. Rodríguez (RA158); 11/05/1996, B. Rodríguez ex moist soil (RA133) (1 ƃ). Oaxaca, Cuyoyepeji, 2 mi N, 3/03/1972, F. Parker, D. Miller (1 ƃ); San Sebastian Frontera, 4.3 km ESE, 1910m, 7/05/1997 (2 Ƃ). Puebla, Zapotitlán de las Sali- nas, 18º15`00``, 97º32`50``, 22/02/1997, C. Vergara, ex Prosopis laevigata, Lote 8,08,115 (RA128) (1 Ƃ); 18º57`51``, 97º31`32``, 24/02/1997, C. Vergara & M. Cuautle, Lote 8,08,V (RA159); Acatepec, 4 km NE, 2020 m, 8/05/1997, Salvia, T. Gr iswold (2 ƃ 1 Ƃ); same except no "oral record (1 ƃ); Tehuacán, 2 mi SE, 1/03/1972, F. Parker, D. Miller (1 Ƃ). !e holotype and allotype are deposited at the National Collection at Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Paratypes at the Snow Entomogical Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas; USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah and the Entomological Collection, Universi- dad de las Américas Puebla, Cholula, Puebla, Mexico.  !e name mandibularis refers to the distinctive mandibular morphology of this species, which easily separates this species from remaining species.  Ashmeadiella mandibularis n. sp. and A. opuntiae (Cockerell) can be easily separated in the key of Michener (1939) by modifying couplet 8, in which A. mandibularis n. sp. can be separated by the shape of the mandible, which is short and broad, with the outer ridge developed and protuberant, ending basally much closer to anterior basal angle of mandible, contrary to A. opuntiae in which the mandible is long and apically narrow, with outer ridge carina low and not basally protuberant, ending basally closer to posterior basal angle of mandible. Ashmeadiella mandibularis is apparently endemic to the arid region, with xeric vegetation, between Zapotitlán de las Salinas, Puebla and the con- tinuation of this region to the Sierra de Huautla in the state of Morelos, a re- gion with arid vegetation that gradually becomes a tropical dry forest. Females in the small series at hand vary in size from 6.2 mm to 7.5 mm long. No data is available on "oral records, except for the specimen obtained on "owers of Prosopis laevigata. We suspect they are important pollinators of cacti and Pro- sopis. Some specimens were collected on salty wet soil on the banks of a stream.



We are extremely grateful to the institutions mentioned above for pro- viding access to the material described herein. We thank Dr. Robert Brooks for

 

his comments and recommendations that made possible the accomplishment of this work, and anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions that improved this manuscript. We thank the Fondo de Cooperación Inter- nacional en Ciencia y Tecnología entre México y la Unión Europea (FONCI- CYT) 94293 and; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT), Investigación Cientí#ca Básica, 83441 and 2635PN grants and the Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO) for funding the grant “H278-Apoidea (Hymenoptera) from the Valley of Zapoti- tlán de las Salinas, Puebla”.

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Ascher, J. & J. Pickering. 2012. Discover Life’s bee species guide and world checklist (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). Available on line at: http://www.discoverlife. org/mp/20q?guide=Apoidea_species &"ags=HAS [Accessed: 28/02/2013].

Ayala, R.; T. L. Griswold & D. Yanega. 1996. Apoidea (Hymenoptera), p. 423-464. In: Llorente-Bousquets, J.; A. N. García-Aldrete & E. González-Soriano (eds.). Biodi- versidad, Taxonomía y Biogeografía de artrópodos de México. Hacia una síntesis de su conocimiento. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Biología. Ayala R. 1989. Abejas silvestres de Chamela, Jalisco. Folia Entomológica Mexicana 77: 395-493. Enríquez, E.; C. L. Yurrita-Ubiols; R. Ayala; A. Marroquín & T. Griswold. 2012. Diver- sidad de abejas silvestres (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) de Guatemala, p. 281-299. In: Cano E.B. & J. C. Schuster (Eds.). Biodiversidad de Guatemala. Volumen 2. Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala, Centroamérica. 328 p.

Michener, C. D. 1939. A revision of the genus Ashmeadiella. American Midland Nat- uralist 22: 1-84.

Michener, C. D. 2007. !e bees of the world. Johns Hopkins University Press. USA, 972 p. Michener, C. D. & A. Fraser. 1978. A comparative anatomical study of mandibular structure in bees. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 51: 463-482. Michener, C. D.; R. J. McGinley & B. N. Danforth. 1994. !e Bee Genera of North and Central America (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Smithsonian Institution Press. Wash- ington, D.C., 209 p. Vergara, C. H. & R. Ayala. 2002. Diversity, Phenology and Biogeography of the Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Zapotitlán de las Salinas, Puebla, Mexico. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75: 16-30.

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