Identification Summary:
Large; similar in appearance to L. pilosum and L. highlandicum; thorax greenish gold; scutum pit density extremely high, most pits touching or nearly touching; T2 with a good deal of appressed hair on the sides and perhaps some along the base but not to the extent of L. pilosum; has a great deal of appressed hairs running widely across the base of T2; mesepisturnum with pits but these often a little hidden by the reticulated raised lines in the same area; supraclypeus often mounded and purplish; abdomen integument smoother and darker than L. pilosum; maybe near L. highlandicum.
Reprinted with permission from: Mitchell, T.B. 1960 Bees of the Eastern United States. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin No. 141.
FEMALE—Length 6 mm.; head and thorax brassy-green, abdomen brassy-green basally, more piceous apically; pubescence rather short and thin, yellowish-white, more copious on head and thorax, short and dense on abdomen; head very slightly broader than long, clypeus broadly convex, projecting slightly more than one- half below suborbital line; supraclypeal area quite strongly convex, broader than long, somewhat shorter than clypeus; eyes slightly convergent below; lateral ocelli slightly nearer eyes than to each other; cheeks subequal to eyes in width; face below ocelli somewhat shining between the deep, distinct, rather coarse and very close punctures, these being only slightly separated on vertex laterally; cheeks shining, punctures minute and obscure above, very sparsely and obscurely punctate below; hypostomal carinae subparallel, apical angle quite abrupt; lower half of face somewhat shining, punctures minute and obscure above, and well separated, supraclypeal area somewhat purplish, punctures rather widely scattered, about as on upper half of clypeus, the latter abruptly blackened over apical half, with coarse, scattered and deep punctures; scutum and scutellum somewhat shining between deep, distinct, close punctures, these separated by spaces hardly exceeding diameter of punctures even in center of disc, becoming considerably closer at extreme sides (much as in pilosus, fig. 99, but central punctures slightly separated); pleura somewhat shining, punctures rather deep and distinct, rather coarse above, becoming fine and obscure posteriorly; dorsal area of proponent irregularly but rather coarsely and completely rugoso-striate medially, becoming more regularly short striate laterally, lateral faces rather dull, finely roughened and obscurely punctate; wings whitish, veins and stigma pale yellow; tegulae brownish, outer rims becoming hyaline; legs piceous, becoming somewhat reddened apically; abdominal terga somewhat shining, punctures minute and obscure, irregularly scattered on basal tergum, quite close across base of 2 and 3, becoming somewhat more widely scattered apically, apical margins of the discs rather broadly and shallowly impressed, rims narrowly but quite distinctly yellowish-hyaline, terga 3-5 quite densely covered with pale tomentum, 2 with a similar covering toward sides.
MALE—Length 5 mm.; head and thorax bright metallic green, abdomen blackish, with strong bluish or purplish reflections; pubescence short, thin, entirely pale, somewhat longer and more dense on face; length and breadth of head subequal; clypeus convex, relatively broad, projecting nearly two-thirds below suborbital line; supraclypeal area sub- equal in length to clypeus; eyes convergent below; lateral ocelli slightly nearer eyes than to each other; antennae subequally distant from eyes and each other, basal segment of flagellum about as broad as long, 2nd and following segments slightly longer, but not nearly twice this length, brownish-ferruginous beneath, almost piceous above; mandibles and labrum dark; cheeks slightly narrower than eyes; face below ocelli rather dull, punctures deep, distinct, rather coarse and very close medially, becoming slightly separated at extreme sides, minute and well separated but not sparse on vertex; cheeks somewhat shining, minutely and very closely and obscurely punctate above, becoming obscurely striate posteriorly and below; hypostomal carinae parallel; lower half of face shining, punctures fine, deep and distinct, slightly separated, those on supraclypeal area somewhat more minute and sparse, those on clypeus minute and well separated along upper margin, becoming somewhat more coarse, deep and more irregularly scattered apically; scutum and scutellum shining, punctures deep, distinct and rather coarse, somewhat separated in median area of scutum, but close laterally and between notaulices and tegulae, scutellum rather closely punctate along midline, punctures irregularly scattered and rather sparse on each side; pleura somewhat shining, with close, irregular and rather obscure punctures, these becoming inevident below; dorsal area of propodeum completely and rather finely and irregularly striate medially, the striae becoming somewhat more coarse and regular laterally, hind margin quite sharp and distinct, lateral faces dull, finely subrugose; antennae hyaline, veins and stigma pale testaceous; tegulae testaceous-hyaline, with a piceous inner spot; legs largely piceous, only very slightly reddened apically; abdominal terga somewhat shining, punctures minute, rather close, evenly distributed over most of discs, even the rather narrowly impressed apical areas invaded to some degree by exceedingly minute punctures; apical margin of sternum 5 straight; median lobe of sternum 7 narrow and elongate, rounded apically (much as in nymphalis, fig. 101); gonostylus of armature similar to laevissimus (fig. 102), but retrorse lobe much elongate.
DISTRIBUTION—Minnesota to New Brunswick, south to Georgia; April to August.
FLOWER RECORDS—Antennaria, Anthemis, Barbarea, Brassica, Chrysanthemum, Fagopyrum, Fragaria, Melilotus, Rubus, Solidago and Trifolium.
The male of perpunctatus has not been recognized or described previously. There is a male from Las Cruces, New Mexico, labelled as this species, evidently in the handwriting of Miss Ellis, in the collection of the University of Colorado Museum. As it was not described, there must have been some element of uncertainty regarding its identity. To this writer, the male as described above seems to be the correct one. A series of 35 specimens is at hand, from Minnesota, Ontario, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Georgia, and thus the range approximates that of the female. In at least one instance, the two sexes were collected at the same time and place.
Retrieved from: Gibbs, J. 2010. Revision of the metallic species of Lasioglossum (Dialictus)in Canada (Hymenoptera, Halictidae, Halictini). Zootaxa; 2591, 244-249
Halictus perpunctatus Ellis, 1913: 210. ♀.
Holotype. ♀ USA, Colorado, Boulder, 20.iv., on Claytonia, (T.D.A. Cockerell), [CAS: 15617]. Examined.
Halictus brycinci Crawford, 1932: 70. ♀.
Holotype. ♀ USA, North Carolina, Bryson City, 14.iv.1923, (J.C. Crawford), [NMNH: 40304]. Examined.
Dialictus highlandicus Mitchell, 1960: 398. ♀. [new synonymy]
Holotype. ♀ USA, North Carolina, Highlands, 22.vii.1958 [NCSU]. Examined.
Dialictus junaluskensis Mitchell, 1960: 437. ♂. [new synonymy]
Holotype. ♂ USA, North Carolina, Lake Junaluska, 9.vi.1955, (H.V. Weems, Jr.), [FSCA]. Examined.
Taxonomy. Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) perpunctatum, p. 1116 (catalogue); Mitchell, 1960:
Dialictus perpunctatus ♀♂, p. 411, H. brysinci (lapsus calami), p. 411 (redescription, synonymy); Krombein,
1967: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) highlandicum, p. 464, L. (D.) junaluskense, p. 464, L. (D.) perpunctatum, p.
465 (catalogue); Hurd, 1979: Dialictus highlandicus, p. 1966, D. junaluskensis, p. 1967, D. perpunctatus, p.
1970 (catalogue); Moure & Hurd, 1987: Dialictus highlandicus, p. 104, D. junaluskensis, p. 109, D. perpunctatus,
p. 121 (catalogue).
Diagnosis. Females of L. perpunctatum can be recognised by the diagnostic combination of a wide head
(length/width ratio = 0.95–0.96), dense mesoscutal punctation (i
Males of L. perpunctatum can be recognised by their moderately elongate heads (length/width ratio =
1.00–1.03), moderately elongate flagellomeres (length/width ratio = 1.43–1.58), coarse mesoscutal punctures
that are moderately sparse on the central disc (i=1–2d), weak posterior angle of the tegula, distinct mesepisternal
punctures, longitudinal rugae on the metapostnotum reaching the posterior margin, and strong punctures
on the metasomal terga that are sparser on the apical impressed areas. They are similar to L. sheffieldi which
has a more elongate head (length/width ratio = 1.06–1.08).
Redescription. FEMALE. Length 5.25–6.25 mm; head length 1.37–1.58 mm; head width 1.44–1.66 mm;
forewing length 4.21–4.45 mm.
Colouration. Head and mesosoma pale green to bluish green. Clypeus with apical half blackish brown and
basal half, and supraclypeal area bronze. Antenna dark brown, flagellum with ventral surface reddish brown.
Tegula reddish brown. Wing membrane subhyaline, venation and pterostigma amber. Legs brown, medio- and
distitarsi reddish brown. Metasomal terga usually faintly metallic green, sterna brown, apical margins translucent
brownish yellow.
Pubescence. Dull white. Moderately dense. Head and mesosoma with moderately dense woolly hairs (1–
1.5 OD), longest on genal beard, metanotum and mesopleuron (2–2.5 OD). Lower paraocular area and gena
with subappressed tomentum, not obscuring surface. Propodeum with moderately dense plumose hairs on lateral
and posterior surfaces (2–2.5 OD). Metasomal terga with moderately sparse, fine setae. T1 acarinarial fan
complete. T2 basolaterally and T3–T5 entirely with dense tomentum largely obscuring surface. T2 apicolateral
and T3–T4 apical margins with weak fringes.
Surface sculpture. Face imbricate, punctation moderately strong. Clypeus with apical half polished, punctation
sparse (i=1–3d). Supraclypeal area with punctation sparse (i=1–2.5d). Lower paraocular area punctation
dense (i≤d). Antennocular area punctation moderately dense (i=1–1.5d). Upper paraocular area, frons and
ocellocular area punctate-reticulate. Gena faintly lineolate. Postgena polished. Mesoscutum weakly imbricate,
polished submedially, punctation contiguous between parapsidal lines (i
Structure. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.95–0.96). Eyes convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.16–
1.19). Clypeus 1/2–2/3 below suborbital tangent, apicolateral margins convergent. Antennal sockets close
(IAD/OAD < 0.5). Frontal line carinate, ending 2.5 OD below median ocellus. Gena narrower than eye. Tegula
ovoid, posterior margin with very small angled projection. Inner metatibial spur pectinate with 3–6 teeth.
Metapostnotum elongate (MMR ratio = 1.07–1.15), posterior margin rounded onto posterior surface. Propodeum
with oblique carina weak, lateral carina weak, not reaching dorsal margin.
MALE. Similar to female except for the usual secondary sexual characters and as follows. Length 5.25–
5.67 mm; head length 1.49–1.56 mm; head width 1.49–1.56 mm; forewing length 4.03–4.09 mm.
Colouration. Head and mesosoma more bluish. Metasomal terga brown.
Pubescence. Face below eye emargination with subappressed tomentum obscuring surface on lower
paraocular area, sparse elsewhere. Metasomal terga without appressed tomentum.
Surface sculpture. Integument more polished. Postgena imbricate. Mesoscutal punctation moderately
sparse between parapsidal lines (i=1–2d). Preëpisternum rugoso-reticulate. Hypoepimeral area polished,
punctate (i=d). Mesepisternum polished, punctation distinct (i≤d). Propodeum lateral and posterior surface
rugulose.
Structure. Head moderately elongate (length/width ratio = 1.00–1.03). Eyes convergent below (UOD/
LOD ratio = 1.39–1.41). Clypeus 2/3 below suborbital tangent, apicolateral margins convergent. Antennal
sockets distant (IAD/OAD > 1.0). Frontal line carinate, ending 2 OD below median ocellus. IOD subequal to
OOD. Pedicel shorter than F1. F2 length 1.7–1.8X F1. F2–F10 moderately elongate (length/width ratio =
1.43–1.58). Metapostnotum elongate (MMR ratio = 1.09–1.23), posterior margin weakly angled onto posterior
surface.
Terminalia. S7 with median lobe elongate, clavate, apex rounded (Fig. 176F). S8 with apicomedial margin
strongly convex (Fig. 176F). Genitalia as in Fig. 176D–E, G. Gonobase with ventral arms narrowly separate.
Gonostylus small. Retrorse lobe elongate, weakly attenuated apically.
Range. Nova Scotia west to Manitoba and Colorado, south to North Carolina (Fig. 177).
Additional material examined. CANADA: ALBERTA: 1♀ Writing-On-Stone, 14.vi.1984 (T. Spanton);
1♀ Writing-On-Stone, sand pit, 15.vi.1982 (D.B. McCorquodale); [PMAE]; MANITOBA: 1♀ YellowQuill
Mxd., Grass Prairie Preserve, near Treesbank, N49°40´51´´ W099°33´15´´, 20.vi.2005 (A.M. Patenaude); 1♀
YellowQuill Mxd., Grass Prairie Preserve, near Treesbank, N49°40´51´´ W099°33´16´´, 15.vi.2005 (A.M.
Patenaude); 1♀ YellowQuill Mxd., Grass Prairie Preserve, near Treesbank, N49°41´28´´ W099°34´29´´,
1.vi.2005 (A.M. Patenaude); 1♀ YellowQuill Mxd., Grass Prairie Preserve, near Treesbank, N49°41´28´´W099°34´29´´, 6.vi.2005 (A.M. Patenaude); 1♀1♂ YellowQuill Mxd., Grass Prairie Preserve, near Treesbank,
N49°41´28´´ W099°34´29´´, 20.vii.2005 (A.M. Patenaude); 1♀ YellowQuill Mxd., Grass Prairie Preserve,
near Treesbank, N49°41´28´´ W099°34´29´´, 11.ix.2005 (A.M. Patenaude); NOVA SCOTIA: 1♀ Kings
Co., Avonport, N45.1189 W064.2634, 3.vii.2002 (C. Sheffield); 7♀♀ Kings Co., Avonport, N45.1198
W064.273, 13.vi.2002 (C. Sheffield); ONTARIO: 1♂ Cornwall, 1.ix.1961 (G. Knerer); 1♀ Forks of Credit,
27.v.1969 (P. MacKay); SASKATCHEWAN: 1♀ N of Rocanville, Qu’Appelle R., N50.5084 W101.7516, 454
m, 2.vi.2007 (Goulet, Boudreault & Fernandez); [PCYU]; USA: COLORADO: 2♀♀ Larimer Co., N40.6833
W105.3975, 11–12.v.2004 (S.W. Droege); INDIANA: 1♀ Jasper Co., Nipsco, 1.vii.2003 (R.P. Jean); 1♀ Newton
Co., Conrad, 24.vi.2002 (R.P. Jean); [PCYU]; MINNESOTA: 1♀ Clay Co., 3 mi E, 2 mi S Felton, Felton
Prairie, N47°03´59.2´´ W096°26´00.1´´, 21.vii.2006 (R.L. Andres); NEW YORK: 1♀ Schuyler Co., Reisinger,
Watkins Gin, 13.v.2009 (J.R. Litman); 1♀ Tompkins Co., Cornell Orchards, Lansing, 6.v.2008 (S.C.
Cardinal); [CUIC]; NORTH CAROLINA: 4♀♀ Swain Co., N35.5917 W083.0602, 2.iv.2002 (H.W. Ikerd);
[PCYU]; WISCONSIN: 2♀♀ Dane Co., Westport Drumlin, 11.vii.1996 (R.A. Henderson); [IRCW].
Floral records. ANACARDIACEAE: Rhus, ASTERACEAE: Antennaria, Anthemis, Chrysanthemum,
Cirsium, Erigeron, Lasthenia californica, Rudbeckia, Solidago, Taraxacum Taraxacum, BRASSICACEAE:
Barbarea, Brassica, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Raphanus, EUPHORBIACEAE: Euphorbia, FABACEAE:
Melilotus, POLYGONACEAE: Fagopyrum, PORTULACACEAE: Claytonia rosea, ROSACEAE: Crataegus,
Fragaria virginiana, Malus, Potentilla canadensis, Rubus, SALICACEAE: Salix, SOLANACEAE:
Physalis.
Comments. Common. This species has been reported as far west as California. Several similar species
occur in the western United States and these records could be mistaken.
The holotype specimen of D. highlandicus has only obscure punctation on the mesepisternum. The visibility
of punctures on the mesepisternum forms a gradient from obscure to distinct in L. perpunctatum. In all
other respects the holotype of D. highlandicus matches a typical L. perpunctatum.
Extracted from Jason Gibbs. 2011. Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini.) Zootaxa.
Lasioglossum (Dialictus) perpunctatum (Ellis)
Halictus perpunctatus Ellis, 1913: 210. ♀.
Holotype. ♀ USA, Colorado, Boulder, 20.iv., on Claytonia, (T.D.A. Cockerell), [CAS: 15617]. Examined.
Halictus brycinci Crawford, 1932: 70. ♀.
Holotype. ♀ USA, North Carolina, Bryson City, 14.iv.1923, (J.C. Crawford), [NMNH: 40304]. Examined.
Dialictus highlandicus Mitchell, 1960: 398. ♀.
Holotype. ♀ USA, North Carolina, Highlands, 22.vii.1958 [NCSU]. Examined.
Dialictus junaluskensis Mitchell, 1960: 437. ♂.
Holotype. ♂ USA, North Carolina, Lake Junaluska, 9.vi.1955, (H.V. Weems, Jr.), [FSCA]. Examined.
Taxonomy. Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) perpunctatum, p. 1116 (catalogue); Mitchell, 1960: Dialictus
perpunctatus ♀♂, p. 411, H. brysinci (lapsus calami), p. 411 (redescription, key, synonymy); Krombein, 1967: Lasioglossum
(Dialictus) highlandicum, p. 464, L. (D.) junaluskense, p. 464, L. (D.) perpunctatum, p. 465 (catalogue); Hurd, 1979:
Dialictus highlandicus, p. 1966, D. junaluskensis, p. 1967, D. perpunctatus, p. 1970 (catalogue); Moure & Hurd, 1987:
Dialictus highlandicus, p. 104, D. junaluskensis, p. 109, D. perpunctatus, p. 121 (catalogue); Gibbs 2010b: Lasioglossum
(Dialictus) perpunctatum ♀♂, p. 244 (redescription, key, synonymy).
Diagnosis. Female L. perpunctatum can be recognised by the following diagnostic combination: head wide (length/
width ratio = 0.95–0.96); postgena polished; mesoscutal punctures dense throughout (i≤d) (Fig. 13A); mesepisternum
punctate; metapostnotal rugae reaching posterior margin; tegula ovoid with small posterior angle; metasomal terga
brown, sometimes with obscure greenish reflections; T1 acarinarial fan large, dorsal opening absent; and T3–T4 with
abundant tomentum. They are similar to L. miniatulum and L. sheffieldi. Female L. miniatulum have postgena lineolate
and less dense tomentum on T3. Female L. sheffieldi have head longer (length/width ratio = 1.00–1.01) and distinctly separated
punctures on median portion of mesoscutum.
Male L. perpunctatum can be recognised by the following combination: heads moderately elongate (length/width
ratio = 1.00–1.03); flagellomeres moderately elongate (length/width ratio = 1.43–1.58); mesoscutal punctures coarse, sparse between parapsidal lines (i=1–2d); tegula with small posterior; mesepisternum distinctly punctate; metapostnotum
with rugae reaching posterior margin; and metasomal terga with distinct punctures, sparser on apical impressed areas.
They are similar to L. sheffieldi which has a longer head (length/width ratio = 1.06–1.08).
Range. Nova Scotia west to Manitoba and Colorado, south to North Carolina. USA: CO, IN, ME, MN, NC, NJ, NY,
SD, WI. CANADA: AB, MB, NS, ON, PE, SK.
DNA Barcode. Available. Multiple sequences.
Comments. Common. See Gibbs (2010).
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