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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 (misidentified).
I have examined the types of Agapostemon cockerelli Crawford and
Agapostemon jemoratus Crawford (1901) in Washington, D.C. and, contrary to the opinions of Sandhouse (1936) and Michener (1951), find them specifically distinct. The males (paratypes) of Agapostemon martini Cockerell (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 restricted 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 mesoscutum 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 morphologically differentiated from females of A. radiatus' but may be distinguished 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 flagellomere 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, mesoscutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum, metepisternum and propodeum as in A. radiatus but with sculpturing shallower and slightly finer. (16-17) Wing and tegula 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. Mesosoma: 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, mesoscutellum, metanotum, 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 markings 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.
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