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Ceratina melanoptera Cockerell, 1924
Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Apidae   Ceratina
Subgenus: Zadontomerus

Ceratina melanoptera, distributionmap
© Daly, 1973 · 1
Ceratina melanoptera, distributionmap

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Ceratina melanoptera, dorsalandventralegenitalia
© Daly, 1973 · 1
Ceratina melanoptera, dorsalandventralegenitalia
Ceratina melanoptera, female, mesopleura
© Daly, 1973 · 1
Ceratina melanoptera, female, mesopleura

Ceratina melanoptera, male, metafemoraandmetatrochanters
© Daly, 1973 · 1
Ceratina melanoptera, male, metafemoraandmetatrochanters
Ceratina melanoptera, male, metasomalsternaandapicalplates
© Daly, 1973 · 1
Ceratina melanoptera, male, metasomalsternaandapicalplates
Overview
Reprinted with permission from: Daly, Howell. 1973. Bees of the Genus Ceratina in America North of Mexico (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) University of California Publications in Entomology Volume 74:1-113. The Regents of the University of California. Published by the University of California Press.

Ceratina melanoptera Cockerell, 1924

Female.—Measurements and ratios: wing, 4.9 mm; hamuli, 5; eye, 127:127:130:125; clypeus, 65 x 105:35:92; interocellar, 22:45:32:55, diameter 12.5; frontal carina, 65; malar area, 0 x 55; interalveolar, 30:27:47:55, diameter 18; antenna, 52:15:15:10:9:10, diameter 16; subpleural signum, 17 x 2.5. (“Cotype”; “San Pedro Bay, Gulf Calif.,” believed to be Mexico, Sonora, Guaymas, 20 nil. WNW; Calif. Acad. Sci.)

Structure: Head rounded in cephalic view; eyes parallel, narrowly rounded above, subtruncate at malar area; frontal carina simple, shallowly sulciform beneath median ocellus; vertex and supraorbital area limited posteriorly by pronounced preoccipital carina; median portion of hypostomal carina when viewed laterally of low uniform height, gently terminating anteriorly without a tooth, when viewed ventrally angle between median and lateral portions about 110°. Basitibial plate spiniform, its elevated apex at basal 0.27 of tibial length. Metasoma widest at segment 4; terga 2—5 strongly constricted at distinct graduli, very slightly constricted subapically; gradulus of tergum 4 terminating laterally beyond and below spiracle at a distance of 2.2 spiracle lengths; tergum 6 unmodified; gradulus of sternum 2 arcuate, gradulus of sternum 3 slightly arcuate.

Sculpture and vestiture: Head shiny between punctures, largely impunctate on clypeal disc, lowest paraocular area, subantennal area, alveolocellar area and in narrow band behind eye; mandible base sparsely punctured; elsewhere with very fine punctures about a puncture width apart and with largely simple setae; punctures closer in interalveolar, alveolorbital, lower paraocular, ocellorbital, supraorbital, and postgenal areas; sparse setae longer in interalveolar area, labral disc and apically on mandible. Sides of pronotum finely punctured less than a puncture width apart, impunctate area before pronotal pit; scutal disc shiny, virtually impunctate except anteriorly between lines, fine punctures marginally and as close as a puncture width apart laterally and on axilla; scutellar disc with fine punctures becoming closer and less than a puncture width apart laterally and posteriorly; metanotum finely punctured throughout, less than a puncture width apart; mesopleuron with coarse punctures usually a puncture width apart or more, becoming more widely spaced posteroventrally, seta short, nearly simple, becoming longer posteroventrally; hypoepimeral area sparsely punctate in lower half; metapleuron finely punctured, about a puncture width apart; sparsely punctured before metapleural pit; propodeal triangle of about 20 irregular longitudinal carinulae, with some anastomosis and becoming indistinct and reticulate laterad; angle of propodeum impunctate, minutely coriaceous; sides finely punctured, becoming closer and smaller laterad, with long erect, narrowly plumose setae. Metasomal tergum 1 finely punctured on dorsal surface about a puncture width apart or more, virtually impunctate on anterior surface; terga 2—5 with scattered fine punctures on pregradular area near gradulus; postgradular punctures of two types, fine and very minute, each type many puncture widths apart on discs of more anterior terga, the fine punctures becoming denser to about a puncture width apart laterally and apically and each with a short appressed simple seta; ground shiny, but subapically minutely roughened on tergum 4; tergum 5 finely punctured and papillate, with larger subapical papillae; tergum 6 finely punctured about a puncture width apart, ground with papillae basally becoming rugulose laterally and apically; setae short, simple. Sterna finely punctured, about a puncture width apart; setae simple, fine, suberect, dense at apex of abdomen; setae of wax glands appressed.

Color: Body metallic medium olive green (ISCC-NBS 107), except mesopleuron and sterna which are blackish blue (No. 188); metallic colors lacking on labrum, mandibles, mesoscutal disc, and wax glands. Ivory marks: broad oval on clypeus, extending almost full length; stripe beginning at apex profemur and exending basal two-thirds of protibia; small spot at base mesotibia, larger spot at base metatibia; pronotal lobes. Antennae dark fuscous, lighter beneath; legs proximally fuscous, profemur and tibia faintly metallic, all tarsi apically testaceous; wing membrane fuliginous, darkest at marginal cell, venation and tegula dark testaceous. Body setae pale flavescent.

Male.—Measurements and ratios: wing, 4.2 mm; hamuli, 5; eye, 105:105:90:80; clypeus, 50 x 75:30:75; interocellar, 20:32:25:35, diameter 15; frontal carina, 55; malar area, 0 x 35; inter- alveolar, 27:15:35:40, diameter 15; antenna, 30:10:10:9:7:15, diameter 15; subpleural signum, 15 x 2.5 (holotype).

Structure: Head rounded in cephalic view; eyes strongly convergent below, narrowly rounded above, broadly rounded at malar area; frontal carina simple, distinct between alveolae, sulciform beneath median ocellus; vertex and supraorbital area limited posteriorly by preoccipital ridge with an elevated carina; median portion of hypostomal carina when viewed laterally slightly higher caudad, terminating anteriorly without a tooth, when viewed ventrally lateral portion arcuate. Ventral profile of metatrochanter subangulate, ventral edge carinate, width of metafemur at tooth 0.5 length, tooth pointed, obtusely 100° angled, basal ventral facet distinct, polished, without setae, ventral edge bare (resembles fig. l0h). Metasoma widest at segments 3—4; gradulus of tergum 4 terminating laterally beyond and below spiracle at a distance of 2.0 spiracle lengths; tergum 6 without median subapical protuberance (resembles fig. ha); dorsal view of apical plate width 2.0 times length, subtriangular, inconspicuous; sternum 6 with one median tooth slightly divided apically (resembles fig. 12e). Genitalia presumed to be similar to fig. 29h.

Sculpture and vestiture: Head polished between punctures, largely impunctate on clypeal disc, subantennal area, most of convex portion of alveolocellar area and in narrow band behind eye; sparse punctures on mandible base; gena with fine punctures more than a puncture width apart; elsewhere with medium punctures more than a puncture width apart and with short simple setae or none; punctures closer in interalveolar area, sparser in ocellorbital area; very sparse setae longer in interalveolar and postgenal areas, vertex, and posteriorly on mandible. Sides of pronotum finely punctured about a puncture width apart, impunctate area above pronotal pit extending to beneath dorsolateral angle; scutal disc polished, virtually impunctate except sparsely along lines, fine punctures marginally and contiguous laterally and on axilla; scutellar disc sparsely punctate, fine punctures becoming less than a puncture width apart laterally and posteriorly; metanotum finely punctured less than a puncture width apart throughout; mesopleuron with medium punctures irregularly 1—2 puncture widths apart laterally, becoming more widely spaced posteroventrally, short, nearly simple setae; hypoepimeral area largely impunctate; metapleuron finely punctured, irregularly 1—2 puncture widths apart; large impunctate area before metapleural pit; propodeal triangle minutely rugulose, longitudinal carinulae distinct even laterally; angle of propodeum impunctate, minutely coriaceous; sides finely punctured, becoming contiguous and smaller laterad, with short erect setae. Metasomal tergum 1 finely punctured on dorsal surface about a puncture width apart, virtually impunctate on anterior surface; terga 2—6 with scattered fine punctures on pregradular area near gradulus, postgradular punctures fine to medium and irregularly about a puncture width apart or more, each with a short appressed simple seta; ground polished on terga 1—4, but roughened and dull on terga 5—6; tergum 7 finely punctured about a puncture width apart with shiny ground, apical plate above with medium narrowly plumose hairs extending beyond plate. Sterna 1—5 medium punctured, about a puncture width apart; setae fine, suberect, narrowly plumose, longer subapically on each sternum.

Color: Head and thorax black with metallic yellowish green (ISCC-NBS 120) reflections; abdomen similar but cuticle beneath metallic reflections very dark fusco-rufous; metallic colors lacking on mandibles which are black. Ivory marks: very broad hat-shaped on clypeus, extending full length and width; subrectangular spot on labral disc; spots at apex profemur, basal stripe on protibia, spots at bases of other tibiae, being largest on metatibia; disc of tegulae; pronotal lobes. Antennae dark fuscous, lighter beneath; legs proximally very dark fuscous, femora and tibiae very faintly metallic, tarsi apically fuscous; wing membrane fuliginous, darkest at marginal cell; venation and tegula fuscous. Body setae pale flavescent.

Male compared with illustrations of other specimens: metafemur and metatrochanter (fig. l0h), sternum 6 and apical plate (fig. 12e); genitalia not dissected, but illustrated from another specimen (fig. 29h).

C. melanoptera enters the range of this study (fig. 18) as an element of the Apachian and Chihuahuan Biotic Provinces (Dice, 1943). Both sexes are characterized by sparse, deep mesopleural punctures separated by polished cuticle and by wings infuscated distally. Female wing lengths average 4.94 ± .214 mm., range 3.9 5—5.5 mm., n = 6; males are smaller but the wings are badly tattered in the specimens at hand.

The sixteen collection localities are almost equally divided among Arizona pine, Oak-juniper woodland, Grama—tobosa shrubsteppe and ecotones (44% of records) linking pairs of these types in the series listed. Records are also from creosote brush-bur sage and the ecotone between creosote bush-tarbush and Grama—tobosa shrubsteppe. Nothing is known of the biology.

Arizona. Cochise Co.: Apache, 5 ml. SE, 2 females VIII-11-58 (James, Linsdale). Pima Co.: Baboquivari Mtns., I female IV-19-37 (W. Benedict), 1 female VIII-?-24, 1 male VII-10-24 (O. C. Poling); Brown Cyn., 1 female swept Canada Thistle (M. L. Noller). Santa Catalina Mtns., Bear Cyn., mouth, 2 males III-29-64 on Encelia farinosa (F. G. Werner); milepoint 5 Hitchcock highway, 4200’, 1 female IV-30-55 (G. D. Butler), 1 female IV-21-56 (G. D. Butler), 1, male IV-9-55 on Dalea greggii (G. D. Butler), 1 female IV-17-55 on Dalea greggii (Butler, Werner), 1 female X-11-55 on yellow composite (G. D. Butler); Molino Basin, 1 female III-24-56 (A. D. Telford), 1 female VIII-15-54 (R. M. Bohart ; Mount Lemmon, 1 male V-30-53 (A. & H. Dietrich); Sabino Cyn., 1 female 2 males X-17-55 (G. D. Butler), 1 female VI-25-63 (Stange, Parker), 2 male IX-6-63 (V. L. Vesterby), 1 female 1 male IX-26-63 (V. L. Vesterby), 1 female X-17-55 (G. D. Butler). Santa Rita Mtns., 1 female VII-10-50, on Wedelia incarnate (R. H. Beamer), 2 females VII-10-52 (Beamer, et al.). Tucson (4500’), 1 female VIII-13-46 (H. A. Scullen). SANTA Cruz Co.: Nogales, 1 female VII-16-55 Salix taxifolia (Butler, Werner), 1 male IV.19-52 (G. D. Butler). Patagonia, 1 female V-21-55 on prickly poppy (G. D. Butler), 1 female VII-26-62 on Cassia leptocarpa (Werner, Bequaert, Noller). Pena Blanca, Lk., 1 female VII.12-62 on. Proboscidea parviflorus (P. D. Hued); Pena Blanca, 20 mi SE Ruby, 1 female V-27-61, on scrub composite (J. C. Bequaert). Santa Rita Mtns., Madera Cyn., 1 female IX-23-56 on Haplopappus and Eriogonum. (F. G. Werner), 1 female VII-26-55 (F. X. Williams). New, Mexico. HIDALOO Co.: Rodeo, Skeleton Cyn., 4200 feet, 1 female VIII-10-55 (B. R. Dreisbach). Texas. EL PASO Co.: El Paso, 1 male X-16-59 (C. F. Harbison).3


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