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Agapostemon obliquus (Provancher, 1888)
Augochlora obliqua Provancher, 1888; Agapostemon cockerelli Crawford, 1901

Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Halictidae   Agapostemon
Subgenus: Agapostemon

Agapostemon obliquus, sweat bee
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 6
Agapostemon obliquus, sweat bee

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Agapostemon obliquus, sweat bee
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 6
Agapostemon obliquus, sweat bee
Agapostemon obliquus, sweat bee
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 6
Agapostemon obliquus, sweat bee

Agapostemon obliquus, face
Smithsonian, NMNH - Entomology · 1
Agapostemon obliquus, face
Agapostemon obliquus, side
Smithsonian, NMNH - Entomology · 1
Agapostemon obliquus, side

Agapostemon obliquus, top
Smithsonian, NMNH - Entomology · 1
Agapostemon obliquus, top
Agapostemon obliquus, face
Smithsonian Institution, Entomology Department · 1
Agapostemon obliquus, face

Agapostemon obliquus, top
Smithsonian Institution, Entomology Department · 1
Agapostemon obliquus, top
Agapostemon obliquus
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 1
Agapostemon obliquus

Agapostemon obliquus
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 1
Agapostemon obliquus
Agapostemon obliquus
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 1
Agapostemon obliquus

Agapostemon obliquus, male, S4-6, mtg1
© Kimberly Huntzinger, 2007 · 1
Agapostemon obliquus, male, S4-6, mtg1
Identification
Extracted from: Roberts, 1972. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin.

Agapostemon cockerelli Crawford 1901. Type $ , U.S. National Museum.
Agapostemon martini Cockerell 1927. Males only (misidentifieil).

I have examined the types of Agapostemon cockerelli Crawford and
Agapostemon jemoratus Crawford (1901) in Washington, D.C. and, con-
trary to the opinions of Sandhouse (1936) and Michener (1951), find them
specifically distinct. The males (paratypes) of Agapostemon martini Cock-
erell (1927) were misdetermined and belong in A. cockerelli. Nomia cillaba
Cameron (1902), listed by Michener {In Muesebeck, et al., 1951) as a possible synonym of Agapostemon cockerelli, does not belong in the genus
Agapostemon (cf. Excluded Species).

Distribution (Fig. 2). Agapostemon cockerelli occurs as far north as
Pat Creek, Park Co., Wyoming; as far south as Petlalcingo, Puebla, Mexico;
as far east as Tehuacan, Mexico; and as far west as Wickenburg, Maricopa
Co., Arizona. Most abundant at elevations of 4,500-7,500 ft. (1,372-2.286 m),
this species has been collected as high as 8,000 ft. (2,438 m) on Pine Top
Mountain, Culberson Co., Texas, and as low as 2,100 ft. (640 m) in Big
Bend National Park, Brewster Co., Texas. In Mexico it is apparently re-
stricted to the central plateau, where it has been collected as high as 7,300
ft. (2,225 m) 20 miles north of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, and as low as 1,850 ft.
(564 m) in Boquillas del Carmen, Coahuila. In the United States females
of A. cockerelli have been collected from March through October and males
from April through November. In Mexico females have been collected from
June through October and males from April through December.

Diagnosis. The male may be distinguished from males of many species
by its toothed and conspicuously inflated hind femora, the lack of an
apical stylus on its gonostylus, or by its nearly hyaline wings; from males
of A. radiatus by the basal ridge on its basitarsus; and from males of A.
femoratus by the much smaller basal ridge on its hind basitarsus (Figs.
162-163). The female may be distinguished from females of many species
by its metallic green metasomal terga, its coarsely punctate or rugose meso-
scutum without punctures of two distinct sizes, and its nearly hyaline
wings; and from females of A. femoratus by its largely punctate (rugose
only anteriorly and laterally) mesoscutum. The female cannot be mor-
phologically differentiated from females of A. radiatus' but may be dis-
tinguished by its southwestern distribution.

Description

male (Figs. 107-108, 162)

General color of head and mesosoma bright green to blue-green, meta-
soma with black and yellow bands. Head (Figs. 107-108): pubescence
white, becoming pale yellowish on vertex and sometimes on interocular
area; more dense than in A. radiatus. (1) Labrum as in A. texanus. (2-5)
Clypeus, interocular area, vertex and gena as in A. radiatus but with slightly
coarser and shallower sculpturing. (6-7) Malar area and mandible as in
A. radiatus. (8) Antenna as in A. radiatus but with underside of flagellum
pale amber to yellowish and with upper side of apical half of apical flagello-
mere pale amber to yellow. Mesosoma: pubescence white, commonly
becoming yellowish on mesonotum and metanotum. (9) Pronotum with
lateral angle and posterior lobe slightly more angular than in A. radiatus
and with sculpturing weaker than in A. radiatus. (10-15) Mesoscutum, mesoscutelhim, metanotum , mesepisternum, metept sternum and propodeum
as in A. radiatus but with sculpturing shallower and slightly finer. (16-17)
Wing and tegida as in A. radiatus but slightly paler. (18-19) Fore and
middle legs as in A. radiatus but with brown maculations reduced (may be
absent on fore leg). (20) Hind leg (Fig. 162) as in A. radiatus but with
trochanter yellow with femur and tibia more swollen and with small basal
ridge and apical groove on basitarsus. Metasoma: (21-22) Terga and
sterna as in A. radiatus but with dark brown or black areas reduced, and
with stronger metallic tints postero-laterally on terga 3-4. (23) Genitalia
indistinguishable from those of A. jemoratus.

female (Figs. 59-60)

General coloration of head, mesosoma and metasoma bright metallic
green to blue-green. Head (Figs. 59-60) : pubescence white, commonly
with faint yellow tints on vertex. (1) Labrum as in A. texanus. (2-4)
Clypeus, interocular area and vertex as in A. radiatus but with sculpturing
slightly shallower and slightly finer. (5) Gena as in A. radiatus but with
genal carinae usually slightly coarser. (6-7) Malar area and mandible as in
A. radiatus. (8) Antenna as in A. radiatus but often paler on underside of
flagellum and with yellowish amber at base and apex of scape. Meso-
soma: pubescence white, becoming slightly yellowish to fuliginous on
mesonotum and metanotum. (9) Pronotum as in A. radiatus but with
sculpturing slightly weaker. (10-13) Mesoscutum, mesoscutelhim, metano-
tum, mesepisternum as in A. radiatus but with sculpturing slightly coarser.
(14) Metepisternum as in A. radiatus but irregularly anastomosing carinae
with greater tendency to rugose condition. (15) Propodeum as in A. radiatus
but with slightly finer rugae on propodeal shield; dorsal surface with much
shallower sculpturing and more commonly rugose or with more frequently
anastomosing carinae. (16) Wing as in A. radiatus but slightly paler. (17)
Tegula as in A. radiatus £ but slightly paler. (18-20) Fore, middle and
hind legs as in A. radiatus but with pubescence paler; with yellow markings
on fore leg and middle leg; and usually with more extensive yellow mark-
ings anteriorly on fore tibia. Metasoma: (21) Terga as in A. radiatus
but bands of white tomentum on terga 2-4 slightly broader and more dense.
(22) Sterna as in A. radiatus but rarely with weak metallic tints on
sternum 4.


Names
Scientific source:

Supported by

Hosts · map
FamilyScientific name @ source (records)
Aizoaceae  Trianthema portulacastrum @ AMNH_BEE (1)
Asteraceae  Chrysothamnus sp @ BBSL (1)

Verbesina encelioides @ I_JSA (3)
Capparaceae  Wislizenia @ AMNH_BEE (1)
Fabaceae  Melilotus officinalis @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Oxytropis sericea @ BBSL (1)
Zygophyllaceae  Kallstroemia grandiflora @ BBSL (1)

Kallstroemia sp @ BBSL (1)

Larrea sp @ BBSL (5)
_  Asteraceae @ I_JSA (3)

Withheld @ BBSL (1)

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Updated: 2024-03-28 10:11:39 gmt
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