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Reprinted with permission from: Daly, H. V. 1973. Bees of the genus Ceratina in America North of Mexico (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). University of California Publications in Entomology 74: 1-114. The Regents of the University of California. Published by the University of California Press.
Ceratina punctigena Cockerell, 1916
Female—Measurements and ratios: wing, 5.4 mm; hamuli, 6; eye, 128: 148: 148 :153; clypeus, 61 × 122:41:97; interocellar, 26:51:46:66, Ø 17.8; frontal carina, 66; malar area, 0 × 56; interalveolar, 38:33:51:59, Ø 20; antenna, 71:20:18:12:12:12, Ø 16; subpleural signum, 18 x 3.8 (holotype).
Structure: Head rounded in cephalic view; eyes parallel, narrowly rounded above, subtruncate at malar area; frontal carina simple, sulciform beneath median ocellus; supraclypeal, interalveolar, and alveolocellar areas gently convex; vertex and supraorbital area limited posteriorly by preoccipital carina; gena with blunt tooth (fig. 30g); median portion of hypostomal carina when viewed laterally higher posteriorly and terminating anteriorly in an acute tooth, when viewed ventrally angle between median and lateral portions subperpendicular. Basitibial plate acute, its elevated apex at basal 0.25 of tibial length. Metasoma widest at segment 4; gradulus of tergum 4 terminating laterally beyond and below spiracle at a distance of 3.3 spiracle lengths; tergum 6 with median central protuberance, producing subapical notch in profile; graduli of sterna 2—3 transverse, straight.
Sculpture and vestiture: Bead shiny between punctures, largely impunctate on mandible base, clypeal disc, lower supraclypeal area, lower paraocular area, subantennal area, alveolocellar area and laterally in a narrow band which extends posteriorly around eye; elsewhere with fine punctures more than a puncture width apart and largely simple setae, punctures closer in interalveolar and alveolorbital areas, laterally on supraorbital area, and postgena, setae longer in interalveolar area, vertex, postgena, labral disc and apically on mandible. Sides of pronotum moderately punctured less than a puncture width apart and often contiguous, impunctate area before pronotal pit; scutal disc shiny, virtually impunctate except sparsely along lines, fine punctures marginally and as close as a puncture width apart laterally and on axilla; scutellar disc nearly impunctate, 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 less than a puncture width apart laterally, becoming more widely spaced posteroventrally, setae narrowly plumose, becoming longer posteroventrally, hypoepimeral area impunctate in lower half; metapleuron finely punctured, less than a puncture width apart, impunctate area before metapleural pit; propodeal triangle of about 20 longitudinal carinulae, with some anastomosis and becoming indistinct 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 more than a puncture width apart, virtually impunctate on anterior surface; terga 2—5 with scattered fine punctures on pregradular area near gradulus, postgradular punctures of two types, fine and extremely minute (visible at 50x), both types several puncture widths apart, more widely spaced on discs of more anterior terga, each type of puncture with a short appressed simple seta, ground shiny, but subapically papillate, especially on tergum 5; tergum 6 finely and closely punctured less than a puncture width apart, ground papillate basally and rugulose apically; setae short, simple, except on central protuberance which bears long plumose setae. Sterna finely punctured, mere than a puncture width apart, setae simple, coarse, suberect, dense at apex of abdomen; setae of wax glands appressed.
Color: Body metallic blackish green (ISCC-NES 152) with minor bluish or yellowish-green reflections; metallic colors lacking on labrum, mandibles, mesoscutal disc, and wax glands. Ivory marks: amygdaliform on clypeus, extending almost full length; spots at bases of all tibiae, being largest on metatibia; pronotal lobes. Antennae fuscous, lighter beneath; legs proximally fuscous, femora and tibiae faintly metallic, tarsi apically testaceous; tegula and wing membrane testaceous, venation darker. Body setae pale flavescent.
Male.—Measurements and ratios: wing, 4.7 mm; hamuli, 5—6; eye, 108:120:100:95; clypeus, 60 x 90:30:80; interocellar, 22:40:22:50, Ø 15.0; frontal carina, 55; malar area, 0 × 35; interalveolar, 25:20:40:45, Ø 18; antenna, 45:15:20:10:10:13, Ø 17; subpleural signum, 15 × 4.0. (Mts. near Claremont, California; U.S.N.M.)
Structure: Head rounded in cephalic view; eyes 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 a low 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 rounded, apical anteroventral facet absent; width of metafemur at tooth 0.4 length, tooth rounded, obtuse 140’ angle, basal anteroventral facet broad, distinct, highly polished flat surface, ventral edge with medium, narrowly plumose setae (resembles fig. 10d). Metasoma widest at segment 3; gradulus of tergum 4 terminating laterally beyond and below spiracle at a distance of 2.0 spiracle lengths; tergum 6 without slight median subapical protuberance (resembles fig. 11p); dorsal view of apical plate width but slightly greater than length; sternum 6 with one median tooth (resembles fig. 13e). Genitalia presumed to be similar to figure 29e.
Sculpture and vestiture: Head shiny between punctures, largely impunctate on clypeal disc, lowest parocular area, subantennal area, most of convex portion of alveolocellar area and in narrow band behind eye; sparse fine punctures on mandible base; gena with medium punctures about a puncture width apart or less; elsewhere with fine to medium punctures often less than a puncture width apart and with largely simple setae; punctures closer in interalveolar area, sparser in ocellorbital area; sparse seine longer in interalveolar and postgenal areas, vertex, labral disc and posteriorly on mandible. Sides of pronotum finely and contiguously punctured, small impunctate area above pronotal pit extending to beneath dorsolateral angle; scutal disc shiny, impunctate except moderately along lines, fine punctures marginally and contiguous laterally and on axilla; scutellar disc moderately punctate, fine punctures becoming contiguous laterally and posteriorly; metanotum finely and almost contiguously punctured throughout; mesopleuron with coarse punctures less than a puncture width apart laterally, becoming more widely spaced posteroventrally, long plumose setae; hypoepimeral area impunctate in lower third; metapleuron finely punctured, usually less than a puncture width apart; small impunctate area before metapleural pit; propodeal triangle minutely rugulose, longitudinal carinulae distinct even laterally; angle of propodeum impunctate, almost polished, minutely coriaceous; sides finely punctured, becoming contiguous and smaller laterad, with erect, plumose seine. Metasomal tergum 1 finely punctured on dorsal surface two or more puncture widths apart, virtually impunctate on anterior surface; terga 2—6 with scattered fine punctures on pregradular area near gradulus, postgradular fine and uniformly less than a puncture width apart, each with a short appressed simple seta; ground shiny, but minutely roughened on terga 5—6; tergum 7 finely and punctured about a puncture width apart with shiny ground, apical plate above with long, spreading 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 metallic very dark greenish blue (ISCC-NBS 175); abdomen more bluish hut cuticle beneath metallic reflections dark fusco-rufous; metallic colors lacking on labrum and mandibles which are almost black. Ivory marks: irregular hat-shaped on clypeus, extending 0.6 length and full width; small irregular spot on labral disc; spots at bases of all tibiae, being largest on metatibia; pronotal lobes. Antennae almost black, lighter fuscous beneath; legs proximally very dark fuscous, femora and tibiae faintly metallic, tarsi apically testaceous; wing membrane slightly testaceous, venation and tegula dark testaceous. Body setae nearly white.
Male compared with illustrations of other specimens: metafemur and metatrochanter (fig. l0d), sternum 6 and apical plate (fig. 13e); genitalia not dissected but illustrated from another specimen (fig. 29e).
Ceratina punctigena is a common medium-sized bee in California and readily identified as the only Ceratina in North America in which the females exhibit a genal spine. The size of the spine increases allometrically from a distinct genal angulation in small specimens to a spinelike projection in large specimens (fig. 30g). Smaller bees resemble C. pacifica, but the latter usually lacks a clypeal mark where it is sympatric with C. punctigena. The males are separated from C. pacifica by the highly polished, anteriorly directed, flat facet on the metafemur. This is in contrast to the more ventrally directed, concave facet seem in C. pad flea. Measurements of samples are: female wing lengths ± 5.31 ± .037 mm, range 3.80-4.35 mm, ii = 140; male wing lengths, 4.96 ± .048 mm, range, 4.05— 6.40 mm, ii = 100. Specimens from northern and southern localities are structurally similar.
This species is characteristic of the Chaparral and its ecotones with California oakwoods and California steppe (figs. 6d, 27b). Judging from collection data it is often allotropic with its closest relative, C. pacifica. In a restricted area such as the Russell Tree Farm, 4 airline miles northeast of Orinda, California, C. punctigena forms dense nesting populations (about 300 nests in an area about 100 x 20 m in size) in dead, aged stems of Brassica sp. when other weedy plants are sufficiently abundant to provide pollen and nectar. In this assemblage, other I small carpenter bees, C. pacifica, C. tejonensis, and C. micheneri, are relatively rare which suggests an ecological displacement. It is also noteworthy that C. pacifica lacks a clypeal maculation in cismontane California where it is sympatric with C. punctigena.
The eggs are placed on the surface of the loaf slightly to the rear (fig. 31k). The nests are deep and may have up to 20 cells each. All nests thus far discovered have been covered in alien weedy plants.
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