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Extracted from: Roberts, 1972. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin.
Agapostemon leunculus Vachal 1903. Lectotype 2, Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle,
Paris.
Agapostemon vulpicolor Crawford 1906 (new synonymy). Type 2, U.S. National Museum.
Agapostemon nasutus var. ater Friese 1916 (new synonymy). Type 5, whereabouts unknown.
From the 30 syntypes of Agapostemon leunculus in the Paris Museum,
I have designated a female as lectoholotype. I have seen the type of A.
vulpicolor but not that of A. nasutus ater. As noted by Michener (1954),
A. nasutus ater is not conspecific with A. nasutus. I have seen a female
"Typus" (not a type, but identified by Friese) of A. nasutus ater from the
U.S. National Museum labeled, "Costa Rica,/San Jose/1903." Friese did
not describe the male, probably because he was expecting to find something
with the "hog-nosed" aspect of A. nasutus. The only difference between
A. leunculus and A. nasutus ater is the coloration of the pubescence and
integument of the head and the dorsal surface of the thorax. I have not
found any differences among the males that can be correlated with the varia-
tion among females. Because I have seen females intermediate in coloration
(see discussion of variation) I am considering the difference between A.
leunculus and A. nasutus ater as local variation.
Distribution. Agapostemon leunculus is found in Mexico exclusive of
the central plateau, as far north along the eastern coast as ten miles south-
west of Pharr, Texas (1 2 collected by C. D. Michener) and as far north along the western coast as Rosario, Sinaloa. It has been collected in the
mountainous regions of southern Mexico but has not been taken on the
Yucatan Peninsula. It has also been collected in the mountains of El
Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador (Fig. 5).
Although information on altitudinal distribution is scant, this species has
not been found at low altitudes (less than 1,000 m) in the hot tropics. It has
been collected from 32 m (105 ft.) at Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico, up to 7,100
ft. (2,164 m) near Nochixtlan, Oaxaca, Mexico; from 3,300 ft. (1,006 m) at
Santiago de Puriscal, Costa Rica, up to 9,000 ft. (2,743 m) on Volcan Irazu,
Costa Rica; 7,800 ft. (2,377 m) at Popayan, Colombia, and 2,800 m (9,184
ft.) at Calacali, Ecuador. A. leunculus has been collected in February and
October in Ecuador; February in Colombia; every month but January,
March, June and November in Central America; every month but January
and November in Mexico; and on March 31 near Pharr, Texas. Undoubtedly
this bee is more widely distributed altitudinally and seasonally than is in-
dicated by these records. I have seen fewer than 300 specimens, and this
sample is probably biased because bee collectors seldom work as high as
3,000 m and because most of the specimens were collected by North Ameri-
cans, who seldom have an opportunity to collect from October through May.
Diagnosis. The male may be differentiated from males of many other
species by its slender, untoothed hind femora and rounded lateral pronotal
angle; from A. nasutus by its normal clypeal region; from A. rhopalocera
by its normal antennae; from A. peninsidaris and A. mexicanns by its lack
of enlarged subapical hairs on metasomal sternum 4; and from A. melli-
ventris by the black on the basal portion of its metasomal tergum 1. The
female may be distinguished from other species with black metasoma and
green or coppery head and mesosoma by the prominent carina extending
postero-ventrally from the rounded lateral angle of its pronotum.
Variation. The coloration of the head and dorsal mesosomal region, as
well as the pubescence thereon, is quite variable in females of this species.
Most of the females are metallic green on the head and thorax. Some of the
females from Costa Rica (Volcan Irazu, San Jose, Cartago and San Mateo)
have reddish or coppery integument on the head and the dorsal mesosomal
area. The pubescence on these areas is orange. Although nowhere else so
extreme, I have seen females from Mexico (e.g., Orizaba, Vera Cruz;
Ajijic, Jalisco; Tehuacan, Puebla; and near Oaxaca, Oaxaca) with orange
pubescence and with coppery tints on the head and the dorsal mesosomal
area. In still other areas (e.g., near Ciudad del Maiz and San Luis Potosi)
the integument is green but the pubescence orange. In those regions where
the orange of the pubescence and the coppery color is most pronounced, the
yellow band on the clypeus of females is often reduced or absent. As these
regions are relatively cool and wet, it is not surprising that the females are
more darkly pigmented. The pigmentation of the males is correlated with
that of the females. Those males with enlarged black or brown markings
are found with the darker females. As in the females, intergrades may be
found between the lightest and darkest males. It is the presnce of color
intergrades and the lack of structural differences that lead me to synonymize
A. leunciilus and A. nasutus ater. Some of the females from Costa Rica,
Colombia and Ecuador have fuliginous pubescence on the head and dorsal
mesosomal regions, but sympatric intermediates exist for this condition also.
The tegulae of those females with orange or fuliginous pubescence are
often dark brown to black, unlike the more common yellow and trans-
parent tegulae of females from warmer, drier areas.
Description
male (Figs. 83-84, 143, 193, 211)
General coloration of head and mesosoma metallic green, metasoma with
black and yellow bands. Head (Figs. 83-84): (1) Labrum as in A. texamis
but more acute apically. (2) Clypeus with small scattered punctures on
yellow portion, larger and deeper scattered punctures on green portion;
scattered yellowish hairs directed ventrally. (3) Interocular area with punc-
tures above antennal sockets contiguous, deep and nearly rugose; coarsely
and shallowly punctate at level of antennal sockets becoming coarsely,
shallowly and irregularly rugose below; supraclypeal protuberance with
coarse, contiguous punctures; pubescence pale amber. (4) Vertex with
fine, contiguous punctures becoming coarse posteriorly; pubescence pale
amber. (5) Gena with sparse, shallow carinae extending postero-dorsally
from antero-ventral margin; pubescence dense, white, longest posteriorly.
(6-7) Malar area and mandible as in A. texantts. (8) Antenna dark brown
to black above except basal y 2 of scape; yellow to amber below, basal ! / 2 of
scape usually yellow. Mesosoma: pubescence moderately long, evenly
distributed (except pronotum), and whitish to amber. (9) Pronotutn with
weak carina running postero-ventrally from lateral angle; condition of lateral
angle and posterior lobe intermediate between A. nasutus and A. texanus.
Pubescence above and between lateral angle and posterior lobe similar to
that of mesoscutum; short, white, appressed, inconspicuous pubescence on
postero-ventral surface. (10) Mesoscutum with punctation as in A. nasutus
but slightly finer and with rugosity restricted to antero-lateral portions.
(11) Mesoscutellum with punctures slightly deeper and larger than those
of mesoscutum. (12) Metanotum coarsely punctate medially to shallowly
rugose laterally. (13) Mesepisternum with punctation as in A. nasutus.
(14) Metepisternum with predominately horizontal, irregularly anas-
tomosing rugae not as regular as in A. nasutus. (15) Propodeum coarsely
punctate antero-laterally becoming moderately rugose postero-laterally and very coarsely rugose dorsally; propodeal carina weak, evenly rounded dor-
sally, sometimes obscured by coarse rugae; propodeal shield very coarsely
and irregularly rugose. (16) Wing transparent, not darkened apically, radius
scarcely darker than other veins. (17) Tegula as in A. nasutus but trans-
parent brown proximally and with less yellow. (18) Fore leg yellow, often
with postero-dorsal black streak on any or all segments but tarsus; pubes-
cence as in A. nasutus but yellow to amber on tibia and tarsus. (19) Middle
leg yellow with coxa brown to black, postero-dorsal brown streak on
proximal l / 2 of tibia, and commonly with brown streak on part or entire
length of postero-dorsal surface; pubescence like that of fore leg but shorter
on coxa, trochanter and femur. (20) Hind leg (Fig. 143) coxa metallic green
and usually with some yellow on ventral surface; trochanter predominately
yellow, brownish dorsally to wholly brown or black; femur with brown
dorsally and posteriorly at apex; proximal l / 2 of tibia with brown streak on
dorsal x / 2 sometimes extending to apex; tarsus yellow to brown; pubescence
as in A. nasutus but slightly shorter and darker. Metasoma: (21) Terga
shiny; 2-6 with yellow on basal l / 2 , apical 2 / 3 black; tergum 1 black with
yellow band on antero-dorsal surface; tergum 7 yellow basally, pygidial
region brown to black; pubescence sparse, simple, moderately long, and
white on vertical portion of tergum 1; terga 2-4 with short simple hairs,
white on yellow bands and black on dark bands; terga 5-7 with moderately
long, stiff, simple, black hairs. (22) Sterna 2-5 yellow with brown bands
subapically; sternum 1 green basally, apical l / 2 yellow with amber medial
stripe; pubescence white, short and simple. (23) Genitalia (Figs. 193, 211)
very simple; penis valves broad and without conspicuous prominences;
gonostylus elongate with short curved apical stylus and long medial plate of
moderate width; ventral lobes notched as in A. nasutus but smaller and with
smaller notches.
female (Figs. 45-46, 135)
General coloration of head and mesosoma dark metallic green to blue-
green, metasoma shiny black with narrow, inconspicuous basal bands of
white tomentum. Head (Figs. 45-46): (1-4) Labrum, clypeus, interocular
area and vertex as in A. nasutus but with slightly coarser sculpturing and
with pubescence white to yellow or fuliginous. (5) Gena with deep, coarse,
parallel carinae running postero-dorsally from antero-ventral margin ir-
regularly anastomosing on some specimens; pubescence white (never yellow)
and shorter than in A. nasutus. (6) Malar area ferruginous, very short.
(7) Mandible as in A. nasutus. (8) Antenna black above, dark brown be-
low, undersides of first two flagellomeres often lighter than others. Meso-
soma: metallic green, never with yellow spot on posterior lobe of prono-
tum, as in A. nasutus. (9) Pronotum (Fig. 135) as in A. nasutus but with
prominent carina running postero-ventrally from lateral angle. (10-12)
Me so scut um, mesoscuteUum and metanotum with punctation as in A.
nasutus but slightly finer and without shiny lateral area on mesoscuteUum;
pubescence more dense than in A. nasutus and white to orange or fuliginous.
(13) Mesepisternum very coarsely rugose anteriorly to moderately rugose
posteriorly; white to yellowish pubescence. (14) Metepisternum with
moderately coarse horizontal carinae anteriorly, becoming rugose pos-
teriorly; pubescence creamy. (15) Propodeum coarsely rugose dorsally and
postero-laterally, becoming finely rugose antero-laterally; propodeal carina
prominent, strongly curved dorsally and laterally; propodeal shield with
irregularly anastomosing carinulae extending laterally from mid-line. (16)
Wing as in B . (17) Tegula as in £ but may also be brown to black. (18)
Fore leg dark brown, usually with some yellow on antero-apical portion of
femur and antero-basal portion of tibia; pubescence yellowish brown ven-
trally, brown to black dorsally. (19-20) Middle and hind legs dark brown,
with pubescence brown ventrally and black dorsally. Metasoma: (21)
Terga black, shinier than in A. nasutus. Narrow basal bands of white
tomentum on terga 2-5; long, pale hairs scattered on vertical portion of
tergum 1 and lateral margins of terga 2-5; long black hairs on apical half
of terga 4-5. (22) Sterna black with long pale hairs on exposed areas.
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