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Reprinted with permission from: Rightmyer, M.G. A Review of the Cleptoparasitic Bee Genus Triepeolus (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
TRIEPEOLUS BRITTAINI COCKERELL
(Figs. 23, 24)
Triepeolus brittaini Cockerell 1931: 279 [Holotype: Canadian National Collection No. 3358; male, Kings Co., Nova Scotia, Canada; 31 July 1930; Epilobium].
Triepeolus charlottensis Mitchell 1962: 462–463, Fig. 112 [Holotype: Canadian National Collection No. 15270; female, Charlotte Co., New Brunswick, Canada; 10 September 1956]. new synonymy
Description.—Length ca. 10 mm; ITW 1.9 mm. Integument black, with red on distal half of mandible; dorsum of mesosoma and metasoma with bands of pale yellow setae. Clypeus with faint midline, faint large punctures present (female) or lacking, covered with setae (male). Paramedian band absent (female) or diffuse, narrow (male). Axillar spine triangular, relatively small (almost reaching midpoint of scutellum in females, reaching midpoint in males); scutellum weakly bigibbous (female), or moderately bigibbous (male), somewhat extended posteriorly and sloping ventrally, rugose. Mesepisternum with sparse, long, erect, simple setae; dorsally with sparse, pale yellow, branched setae (female), or mostly covered with pale, branched setae (male); punctation fine and somewhat irregular, punctures separated by up to two puncture widths in some spots, these areas elevated, shining (punctures denser in male). T1 discal patch widely rectangular to ovate, T1 with LLB mostly lacking, especially basally; T2 with LLB absent, or reduced and forming 90 degree angle with ATB; banding relatively narrow on metasoma. Female: Pseudopygidial area small, triangular, with uniformly silver setae; S5 not downcurved. Mesosoma and metasoma venter lacking pale setae. Male: Pygidial plate keyhole shaped (not notched subapically), with distinct apical downturned plate and weak basal transverse ridge; S2–S3 with apical bands of white setae (very slightly surpassing apical margin on S3); S4–S5 with apical fringes of setae white or a mixture of white and brown.
Comments.—Triepeolus brittaini is extremely similar to T. subalpinus, but the latter species has the paramedian band present on the mesoscutum in both sexes, the metasomal banding is broader, and the mesepisternal punctation is denser. None of these characters are particularly strong, but I hesitate to synonymize the two with so few specimens available for examination. Triepeolus brittaini is currently known from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada, while T. subalpinus is known from Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, south to eastern California, Arizona, and Kansas.
Triepeolus brittaini is also similar to T. pectoralis in the erect, simple setae on mesepisternum and pale yellow banding on metasoma, but T. brittaini females can be recognized by the punctation of the mesepisternum, which is more closely spaced; the lack of the paramedian band on the mesoscutum; and the pseudopygidial area, which is uniformly silver. Potential characters to separate the males of these two species include the clypeal midline, which tends to be strong in T. pectoralis and weak in T. brittaini, and the leg coloration, which tends to be more orange in T. pectoralis.
Distribution.—CANADA: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia.
Floral Records.—Epilobium sp.
Seasonal Records.—31 July to 10 September.
Specimens examined.—2 female, 1 male (OTTAWA, RALEIGH).
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