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Extracted from: Roberts, 1972. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin.
The name of this species refers to the country where it is found.
The male holotype and the three male paratypes are labeled, "14 mi.
S./El Arco Mine/L. Cal. VI-23-38//Michelbacher & Ross Collectors," The
allotype is labeled, "Mesquital/L. Cal. VII-28-38//Michelbacher & Ross
Collectors." All of these types are in the California Academy of Sciences,
San Francisco.
Distribution. In addition to the localities listed above I have seen
specimens from: Santa Maria Valley (3 6 , 11 Aug.), Magdalena Bay
(1 $ , 30 May), and 28 miles south of El Arco, Baja California, Mexico
(1 9,3 July); 25 miles south of Navajoa, Sonora, Mexico (1 9 , 13 Sept.);
17 miles south of Navajoa, Sonora, Mexico (1 $ , 18 Aug.).
Diagnosis. The male may be distinguished from all other North Amer-
ican species of Agapostemon by the comb of 14-20 large, evenly spaced sub-
marginal bristles on metasomal sternum 4. The female may be distinguished
from A. s plena 7 ens, A. texanus, A. angelic us, A. jemoratus, A. cocker elli and
A. aenigma by its black metasoma; from A. melliventris, A. peninsularis,
A. nasutus, A. leunculus and A. intermedins by the absence of yellow on its
clypeus; from A. erebus and A. atrocaer ideas by the bright metallic green
to blue-green of its head and mesosoma; and from A. tyleri by the lack of
a smooth shiny area (with scattered punctures) centrally on its supraclypeal
protuberance.
Description
male (Figs. 90-91, 156, 189, 204)
General coloration of head and mesosoma bright metallic green to blue-
green, metasoma banded with black and yellow. Head (Figs. 90-91):
pubescence white, becoming yellowish on interocular area and vertex. (1)
Labrum as in A. texanus but slightly more obtuse apically. (2) Clypeus
as in A. melliventris but with medial enlargement of yellow band not quite
as prominent. (3-7) Interocular area, vertex, gena, malar area and mandible
as in A. melliventris. (8) Antenna brown-black with scape and pedicel yellow below, flagellum pale amber below. Mesosoma: pubescence
white, becoming yellowish on mesonotum and metanotum. (9-12) Prono-
tum, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and metanotum as in A. melliventris.
(13) Mesepisternum more coarsely rugose than metanotum (especially
anteriorly). (14-15) Metepisternum and propodenm as in A. melliventris
but with finer sculpturing. (16) Wing as in A. melliventris but veins darker
brown. (17) Tegula as in A. melliventris but with metallic green tints
basally and with transparent areas very pale amber. (18-20) Fore, middle
and hind legs as in A. peninsularis but with brown-black streak on tibiae
posterior (Fig. 156). Metasoma: (21) Terga as in A. peninsularis but
with pubescence shorter and less dense. (22) Sterna 2-4 yellow with brown
submarginal band posteriorly, sterna 5-6 brown, sternum 1 with metallic
green tints basally; pubescence long and pale on brown areas; sternum 4
with low submarginal ridge posteriorly and row of 14-20 large, evenly spaced
bristles just distal to submarginal ridge. (23) Genitalia (Figs. 189, 204)
with medium-sized ventral lobe on gonocoxite fringed with hairs.
female (Figs. 63-64)
General coloration of head and mesosoma bright metallic green, meta-
soma black. Head (Figs. 63-64): as in A. melliventris but lower margin
of clypeus black instead of yellow and with pubescence becoming slightly
fuliginous at vertex. Mesosoma: pubescence white, becoming fuliginous
on mesonotum and metanotum. (9-15) Pronotum, mesoscutum, mesoscutel-
lum, metanotum, mesepisternum, metepisternum and propodenm as in A.
melliventris but with finer sculpturing. (16) Wing hyaline with veins
brown, radius much darker than other veins. (17) Tegula as in A. melli-
ventris. (18) Fore leg brown-black with faint metallic green on coxa and
with yellow to pale amber anteriorly and dorsally on tibia and apically on
femur. (19-20) Middle and hind legs brown to brown-black with hind
coxa metallic green dorsally and tinged with metallic green anteriorly.
Pubescence dark brown dorsally on tibiae. Metasoma: (21) Terga
brown-black to black. Pubescence white becoming brown-black around
pygidium; moderately long, becoming short and appressed dorsally; dense
tomentum on basal third of terga 2-5, sparse tomentum on anterior % of
tergum 1. (22) Sterna brown to brown-black with metallic green tints basally
on sternum 1; pubescence white and moderately long.
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