Reprinted with permission of the University of Nebraska State Museum from:
LaBerge, W. E. 1967. A revision of the bees of the genus Andrena of the Western Hemisphere. Part I. Callandrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 7: 1-316.
Andrena aerifera is closely related to vulpoides, from which it can be distinguished in both sexes by the distinct apical fasciae on terga 2 to 4, the basal areas of these terga having short erect to suberect hairs. The female of aerifera differs from that of vulpoides in having apicodorsal hairs on tergum 1, pale basitarsi and pale scopal hairs. The male of aerifera differs from that of vulpoides in usually having small parocular pale maculae and in the slightly higher vertex.
MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. — N=1; length, about 14 mm; width, about 3.5 mm; wing length, about 4.47 mm; EL/1W, 1.05; FOVL/FOVW, 2.57.
INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. — Black except as follows: mandible with tip rufescent; flagellar segments 2-10 dark brown below; tegula translucent dark reddish-brown; wing membranes moderately infumate, especially apically, veins dark reddish-brown; terga 1-5 narrowly hyaline apically, yellow; sterna 2-5 extremely narrowly hyaline apically, yellow; distitarsi orange; hind basitarsi orange; hind tibiae rufescent; tibial spurs yellow.
STRUCTURE. — Antennal scape length equals first two and one-third flagellar segments; flagellar segment 1 equal in length to succeeding two and one-half segments; segment 2 slightly shorter than 3 which is slightly shorter than segment 4; segments 4-7 about quadrate, 8-10 longer than broad. Eye four times as long as broad or slightly longer, inner margins parallel. Malar space, mandible and galea as in discreta. Maxillary palpus as in discreta but segmental ratio about 1.3:1.0:1.0:1.1:0.7:1.0. Labial palpus as in discreta but segmental ratio about 2.3:1.0:0.8:1.0. Labial process as in vulpoides. Clypeus as in vulpoides but shinier subapically and more punctate medially. Supraclypeal and genal areas as in vulpoides. Vertex above lateral ocellus equals about one ocellar diameter, sculptured as in discreta but minute rugulae attaining vertex from between ocelli and foveae and a few above foveae. Face above antennal fossae as in discreta. Facial fovea shallow, large, extending down to below level of lower margins antennal fossae but not reaching level of posterior margin of clypeus, separated from lateral ocellus by half an ocellar diameter or less.
Thoracic structure and sculpturing as in discreta except as follows: middle basitarsus slightly broader medially than hind basitarsus, with evenly curved sides; pterostigma narrower than from inner margin prestigma to wing margin. Tergum 1 with apical area impunctate, shagreened; subapically with band of minute crowded punctures; basally opaque, tessellate. Terga 2-4 with basal area punctures minute, shallow, obscure, surface dulled by fine dense tessellation. Pygidial plate broadly rounded apically, internally punctate but without distinctly raised internal triangular area. Sterna 3-5 with narrow apical areas and mediobasal areas impunctate, apicobasal area with minute round punctures separated mostly by two puncture widths, surface dulled by coarse reticular shagreening. Sternum 6 with apical margin rounded, without subapical tubercle.
VESTITURE. — Generally fox-red except as follows: lower parts of head and thorax paler; sterna 2-5 with basal area hairs dark brown, subapical fimbriae pale; corbicula with internal hairs brown; leg hairs brown except as follows: distitarsi ochraceous, outer surface hind basitarsi ochraceous, inner surface hind basitarsi golden, inner surface fore and middle basitarsi rufescent, posterior scopal hairs pale brownish-ochraceous. Tergum 1 with subapical band of long decumbent to suberect hairs, bare basally. Terga 2-4 with distinct apical fasciae of decumbent pubescence; basal areas with relatively short, suberect to erect hairs. Sterna 3-5 with weak subapical fimbriae. Distribution and type of pollen collecting hairs as in vulpoides.
MALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. — N = 4; length, about 11 mm; width, 2.5-3.0 mm; wing length, M= 4.00 ± 0.152 mm; FL/FW, M = 1.13 ± 0.015; FS1/FS2, M = 2.17 ± 0.038.
INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. — Black except as follows: mandible with apical third rufescent; clypeus cream-colored except apical margin and minute spots below and mesad of tentorial pits; parocular areas usually with small cream-colored maculae (absent in allotype although integument of this area is paler than normal); flagellar segments 3-11 dark reddish-brown below; tegulae testaceous to translucent red; wing membranes moderately infumate, especially apically, yellowish-brown, veins dark reddish-brown; terga 1-5 and sterna 2-5 narrowly hyaline apically, yellow; distitarsi and basitarsi yellow to orange; hind tibiae rufescent basally to orange in apical third and along posterior margin; middle tibiae orange at tips.
STRUCTURE. — Antennae barely surpassing tegulae in repose; scape length equals first two and one-half flagellar segments; flagellar segment 1 slightly longer than segments 2 plus 3; segment 2 subequal to 3 which is distinctly shorter than 4; segments 4-11 longer than broad. Eye slightly longer than three and three-fourths width, inner margins converging extremely slightly towards mandibles. Malar space, mandible and galea as in discreta. Maxillary palpus as in discreta but segmental ratio about 1.0:0.9:0.7:0.7:0.5:0.7. Labial palpus as in discreta but segmental ratio about 2.4:1.0:0.7:0.8. Labral process as in female. Clypeus as in female but punctures smaller, sparser, median area punctate. Supraclypeal and genal areas as in discreta. Vertex above lateral ocellus equal to about one ocellar diameter, sculptured as in discreta. Face above antennal fossae as in female but rugulae coarser.
Thoracic sculpturing and structure as in discreta except as follows: punctures everywhere shallower and less distinct; pterostigma narrow as in female. Terga 1-5 sculptured as in female terga 1-4 but basal area punctures slightly more distinct. Pseudopygidial area not evident. Sterna 3-5 with narrow apical areas impunctate, basal areas with small sparse punctures except crowded subapically Sternum 6 flat with V-shaped apical emargination.
Genitalia and sterna 7 and 8 (Figs. 326-330) similar to those of discreta but note the following: dorsal lobes gonocoxites slender; penis valves with apices less slender; sternum 7 long medially, with deep V-shaped emargination; sternum 8 with neck region long, slender, tip not expanded.
VESTITURE:: Generally fox-red except as follows: lower parts of head and thorax paler, ochraceous; sternal and leg hairs ochraceous; inner surfaces basitarsi golden. Terga 1-5 with apical fasciae of decumbent pubescence; terga 2-5 with basal areas with relatively short, erect to suberect hairs. Sterna 3-5 without distinct subapical fimbriae.
TYPE MATERIAL. — The holotype (SECK) female from Manzamitla, Jalisco, Mexico, was collected October 1950, by A. A. Akorn. The allotype (USNM) male from the Distrito Federal, Mexico, was collected by L. Conradt. Four male paratypes (MSU; INHS) from Mexico are as follows: MICHOACAN; Morelia. 1 male, September 23, 1957, R. and K. Dreisbach. Tuxpan. 1 male, September 19, 1957, H. A. Scullen. VERACRUZ: Jalapa. 2 males, September 28-October 3, 1961, R. and K. Dreisbach.
REMARKS. — The female holotype was not collected with any one of the males assigned to this species. It is possible that a mistake in the association of sexes has been made. However, the evidence from the structure of the two sexes described above seems to make such an error unlikely.
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