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Andrena asteroides Mitchell, 1960
Andrena (Pterandrena) asteroides Mitchell, 1960

Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Andrenidae   Andrena
Subgenus: Callandrena_sensu_lato



Andrena asteroides, F, Face, MD, Charles Co
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Andrena asteroides, F, Face, MD, Charles Co

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Andrena asteroides, F, Side, MD, Charles Co
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Andrena asteroides, F, Side, MD, Charles Co
Andrena asteroides, U, Back, PG county, MD
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Andrena asteroides, U, Back, PG county, MD

Andrena asteroides, U, Face, PG county, MD
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Andrena asteroides, U, Face, PG county, MD
Andrena asteroides, U, Side, PG county, MD
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Andrena asteroides, U, Side, PG county, MD

Andrena asteroides, male, genital armature
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Andrena asteroides, male, genital armature
Andrena asteroides, male, sternal plates 7 and 8
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Andrena asteroides, male, sternal plates 7 and 8

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Reprinted with permission of the University of Nebraska State Museum from:
LaBerge, W. E. 1967. A revision of the bees of the genus Andrena of the Western Hemisphere. Part I. Callandrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 7: 1-316.


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This is a small to medium-sized bee closely related to A. listens Robertson. The female of asteroides can be distinguished from that of asteris by the short vertex, less complete propodeal corbicula, lack of rugulae on the face above the facial foveae, and slightly smaller size. The male of asteroides differs from that of asteris by the shorter vertex, the lack of yellow parocular maculae, the longer second and third flagellar segments, and the slightly smaller size.

FEMALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. N = 20; length, 10-11 mm; width, 3-4 mm; wing length, M = 3.62 0.114 mm; FL/FW, M = 1.03 0.008; FOVL/FOVW, M = 2.53 0.063.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. Black except as follows: flagellar segments 3-10 dark reddish-black below; tegulae translucent, dark red; wing membranes moderately infumate, brownish, veins black; terga hyaline apically, colorless or rufescent; sterna narrowly hyaline apically; tibial spurs yellow; tarsi rufescent.

STRUCTURE. Scape slightly longer than flagellar segments 1-3; flagellar segment 1 subequal in length to segments 2 plus 3 or slightly shorter, segment 2 subequal to 3 and shorter than segment 4. Eye three and one-half times as long as broad or slightly longer, inner margins converging strongly towards mandibles. Malar space, mandibles, and galeae as in simplex. Maxillary palpus short, just reaching tip of galea, segments in ratio of about 1.0:1.3:0.7:0.7:0.5:0.7. Labial palpus as in simplex but ratio about 1.9:1.0:0.7:0.8. Labral process as in simplex. Clypeus rather flat, not markedly flattened or depressed medially as in asteris, punctures small, round, separated by one to three puncture widths, surface dulled by regular, fine tessellation. Supraclypeal area and face above antennal fossae as in asteris but fine facial rugulae often not extending up between lateral ocellus and facial fovea and never above fovea. Genal area as in asteris. Vertex short, above lateral ocellus equals less than one ocellar diameter, tessellate with sparse, minute, obscure punctures. Facial fovea rather shallow, extending to lower margin of antennal fossa below, broad above and separated from lateral ocellus by about half an ocellar diameter.

Thoracic sculpturing as in simplex but propodeum with dorsal area usually with fine, irregular rugulae over entire surface. Middle basitarsus expanded, broader than hind basitarsus, with evenly rounded sides. Front wing usually with three submarginal cells, rarely with two in one or both wings, vein 1st m-cu meets second submarginal cell beyond middle of cell. Pterostigma as in simplex. Claws and tibial spurs normal.

Metasomal terga sculptured as in simplex but sparse punctures slightly more evident and surface slightly shinier. Pygidial plate rounded as in asteris. Sterna 2-5 shiny, with only coarse reticular shagreening, punctate as in asteris.

VESTITURE. Generally ochraceous or pale ochraceous with the exceptions as in asteris but metasomal tergum 1 with weak apical band usually almost complete and tibial scopal hairs usually washed with brown posteriorly. Propodeal corbicula incomplete anteriorly, with abundant, long, plumose, internal hairs; trochanteral flocculus complete, thick.

MALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. N = 8; length, 9-10 mm width, 2.5-3.0 mm; wing length, M = 3.26 0.217 mm; FL/FW M = 1.06 0.014; FS1/FS2, M = 1.27 0.087.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. As in female except as follows: clypeus yellow except narrow brown apical margin and dark maculae below and mesad of tentorial pits; wing veins dark red; tarsi and often tips of hind tibiae red to yellowish.

STRUCTURE. Antennae in repose reaching posterior margin o tegulae; scape subequal in length or slightly shorter than segment 3, slightly longer than segment 2, segment 3 equal to segment 4 in length. Eye about three times as long as broad or slightly longer, inner margins strongly converging towards mandibles. Malar space, mandibles, and galea as in female. Maxillary palpus as in female but segments in ratio of about 1.0:1.2:0.7:0.7:0.6:1.0. Labial palpus as in female but ratio about 1.9:1.0:1.0:1.9. Labral process as in female. Clypeus and supraclypeal area as in female but clypeus slightly shinier towards apex, tessellation finer. Genal area, vertex and face above antennal fossae as in female.

Sculpturing of thorax as in female except as follows: propodeum with dorsal area less coarsely rugulose. Wings, claws and tibial spurs; as in female. Terga 1-5 as in female terga 1-4. Tergum 7 with distinct median longitudinal glabrous area. Sterna 2-5 as in female but punctures sparser and coarser. Sternum 6 with apical margin strongly reflexed.

Genitalia and sterna 7 and 8 (Figs. 149-153) as in asteris but note following differences: short blunt penis valves; sternum 7 with apicolateral lobes short, median emargination shallow; sternum 8 with apical margin sinuous.

VESTITURE. Ochraceous to pale ochraceous; terga 1-5 with apical pale bands, that on tergum 1 weak and on terga 1 and 2 interrupted medially; terga 5 and 7 with brown hairs; sternal hairs not forming distinct subapical bands, inner surfaces tarsi pale yellow.

TYPE MATERIAL. The holotype (NCSU) female and allotype (NCSU) male were collected at the Cliffs State Park, North Carolina, October 14, 1955, on Aster and Haplopappus, respectively, by T. B. Mitchell.

DISTRIBUTION. This species is known from Alabama and Mississippi in the south to New Jersey in the east (Fig. 11). It has been collected from September 24th through November 10th, but chiefly in October. A total of 150 females, 11 males have been examined. The localities are listed below with asterisks marking those localities not reported in the original description of the species.

ALABAMA: *Kushla. GEORGIA: *Clayton. MARYLAND: *Bethesda; *Great Falls. MISSISSIPPI: Camp Shelby (near Hattiesburg); Hattiesburg. NEW JERSEY: *Hammonton; Lakehurst; *Manumuskin; *Moorestown. NORTH CAROLINA: * Black Mts.; *Church Island; Clayton; Cliffs State Park; Harnett Co.; Lakeview; Raleigh; Sampson Co.; Southern Pines; Tarboro; Umstead State Park; Wake Co.; Washington Co. PENNSYLVANIA: *Philadelphia. SOUTH CAROLINA: *Greenville, VIRGINIA: *Rosemont.

FLORAL RECORDS. A. asteroides seems to be an oligolege of plants of the genus Aster, although it has been collected visiting a few other Compositae. The records are too few at present to justify a meaningful statement on flower preferences. The flowers from which asteroides has been collected are listed below.

Aster sp., A. ericoides, A. dumosus, A. paniculatus, Chrysopsis sp., Haplopappus sp.




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 10-11 mm.; length of face slightly greater than distance between eyes above; eyes very slightly convergent below; foveae broad, filling (much as in asteris, fig. 26, but more nearly filling space between eyes and ocelli most of area between eyes and ocelli above) covered with pale yellowish tomentum; vertex narrow, lateral ocelli separated from its hind margin by about their own diameter; cheeks and eyes subequal in width; clypeus moderately convex, projecting about one-third below suborbital line, surface rather dull, with fine and rather sparse punctures, these becoming somewhat closer at extreme sides; face below ocelli striate, vertex smooth and impunctate but rather dull medially, becoming obscurely, finely punctate laterally; cheeks smooth and shining, with very fine, well separated punctures; malar space linear; process of labrum deeply emarginate medially; basal segment of flagellum about equal to segments 2 and 3 combined, median segments very slightly longer than broad; pubescence of entire head and thorax ochraceous, somewhat more yellowish above; scutum smooth but dull, punctures shallow and rather obscure, but definitely separated even anteriorly, becoming quite sparse in center posteriorly where the surface is somewhat more shining; scutellum somewhat shining, with rather sparse, shallow, evenly distributed punctures; pleura smooth but dull and densely tessellate, punctures very shallow and obscure; dorsal area of propodeum tessellate along margins, becoming finely rugose in center along base, propodeal corbicula well developed; trochanteral floccus well developed; legs dark, femora and other basal segments with yellow pubescence, that on tibiae and tarsi becoming more fuscous, hind tibial scopa densely plumose, yellowish anteriorly but becoming somewhat fuscous posteriorly; tegulae piceous; wings lightly infuscated, veins pale testaceous, stigma more nearly piceous, 2nd submarginal cell only slightly shorter than 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent near middle; abdominal terga smooth but dull, with fine and shallow, well separated punctures on the more basal terga, these becoming more minute and obscure on the more apical segments, invading, somewhat more finely, the impressed apical margins, these becoming narrowly yellowish-hyaline along rims, segments 2-4 with pale apical fasciae, somewhat interrupted on 2 and 3, apical fimbria fuscous.



MALE Length 9 mm.; face slightly longer than distance between eyes above; eyes very slightly convergent below; vertex narrow, lateral ocelli separated from its hind margin by about their own diameter; cheeks and eyes subequal in width; clypeus yellow except for two small dark spots and a narrow apical border, smooth and very finely and evenly punctured; face below ocelli dull, rather deeply and closely but finely punctate, vertex smooth but dull, impunctate medially, with a few scattered, minute punctures laterally, cheeks smooth, shining, minutely and obscurely punctate; malar space linear; process of labrum deeply emarginate; basal segment of flagellum very little exceeding segment 2 in length, median segments somewhat longer than broad; mandibles with a distinct inner subapical tooth, slightly overlapping at tips; pubescence of entire head and thorax yellowish-ochraceous, quite dense, especially around antennae, on cheeks below, on dorsum of thorax, propodeum and basal segments of legs; scutum and scutellum smooth but dull, punctures shallow and rather obscure, close in general, becoming rather sparse and more obscure posteriorly, those on scutellum fine and obscure; pleura dull and densely tessellate beneath the long pubescence; dorsal area of propodeum densely tessellate but rather smooth, except for a narrow basal fringe of short and fine striations; propodeal corbicula rather well developed; front legs and basal segments of mid and hind legs blackish, hind femora and mid and hind tarsi pale testaceous, pubescence of legs entirely pale ochraceous; wings subhyaline, veins pale testaceous, stigma more piceous; 2nd submarginal cell only slightly shorter than 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent near middle; abdominal terga smooth but rather dull, with deep, distinct but fine and well separated punctures, these becoming finer on the more apical segments, apical margins of segments only slightly depressed, invaded by fine punctures, becoming more or less hyaline along rims, segments 2-4 with thin, ochraceous, apical fasciae, more or less interrupted medially; sternum 7 with a shallow, subtriangular, median emargination and a rather conspicuous tuft on each side; sternum 8 with an abrupt division between the basal and more slender, apical portions, the latter parallel-sided, well covered with rather short setae, truncate apically; penis valves slightly expanded basally but hardly excavated, gonocoxites rather evenly and broadly expanded apically, considerably exceeding tips of penis valves, gonocoxal lobes only slightly produced.



TYPES - Holotype: Female, the Cliffs State Park, N. C. October 14, 1955 (T. B. Mitchell, on Aster). Allotype: Topotypical (on Haplopappus). Paratypes: NORTH CAROLINA: 3 M, 4 F, topotypical (on Haplopappus); 2 MM, topotypical (on Aster); 30 FF, topotypical, Oct. 21, 1955 (on Aster); 2 FF, Oct. 12, 1945 (on Haplopappus); 3 FF, Harnett Co., Oct. 27, 1955; 1 F, Raleigh, Oct. 14, 1935; 1 F, Raleigh, Nov. 10, 1942, 2 FF, Lakeview, Oct. 19, 1945; 1 F, Tarboro, Oct. 20, 1924; 4 FF, Umstead State Park, Wake Co., Oct. 23, 1954; 17 FF, Umstead State Park, Oct. 8, 1957; 1 F, Umstead State Park, Nov. 5, 1957; 2 FF, Wake Co., Oct. 11, 1957; 5 FF, Sampson Co., Nov. 4, 1957; 1 F, Clayton, Oct. 11, 1957; 13 FF, Washington Co., Oct. 10, 1957 (all Mitchell, on Aster); 1 M, 22 FF, Southern Pines, Oct. 15, 1957 (Mitchell, on Chrysopsis). MISSISSIPPI: 1 F, Hattiesburg, Oct. 6, 1944; 1 M, Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, Oct. 25, 1944 (both C. D. Michener). NEW JERSEY: 1 F, Lakehurst, Oct. 7, 1917 (J. Bequaert).



These paratypes are in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, the collection of C. D. Michener and in the author's collection.

Names
Scientific source:
References
Andrena (Pterandrena) asteroides Mitchell, 1960, North Carolina State Agricultural Experiment Station, Technical Bulletin of the 141, pp. 140-141.

Andrena (Pterandrena) asteris Michener, 1947, The American Midland Naturalist 38:445 (misdetermination).

Hosts · map
FamilyScientific name @ source (records)
Asteraceae  Symphyotrichum lanceolatum @ UCRC_ENT (1)

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