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Andrena lepidii Ribble, 1968
Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Andrenidae   Andrena
Subgenus: Micrandrena


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Overview
Reprinted with permission from the University of Nebraska State Museum from: Ribble, D. W. 1968. Revisions of two subgenera of Andrena, Micrandrena Ashmead and Derandrena new subgenus (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 8: 1-124.

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This species is not likely to be confused with any other Micrandrena, but is probably closest to micheneri from Texas. Andrena lepidii is a rather brownish bee with metallic reflections. The mesoscutum lacks shagreening in the center. The apical fasciae are distinct on all terga; basad of the fasciae, the terga have a narrow brown, integumental band. The male antennae are dull and of moderate length. The clypeus and parocular are yellow and on the anterior tibial spur the apical serrate portion is very short. The female has a wide hind tibia with scopal hairs of moderate length, and the facial foveae are narrow.

FEMALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. — Length, 6.1 mm; width of mesothorax, 1.6 mm; wing length from tegula, 4.0 mm; facial length/width, 1.00; foveal length/width, 3.66.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. — Dark brown to brown except: head and dorsum of mesosoma with distinct blue-green reflections, dorsum of thorax with some distinct purplish reflections; flagellum orange below; wing veins amber; tegula amber; terga and sterna with broad amber apices; terga with brown band basad of apical fasciae; tarsi, apex of middle and hind tibia yellow; color otherwise as in piperi.

STRUCTURE. — Sculpturing in general much finer over entire body than in piperi. Head otherwise as in piperi except: ultimate flagellar segment one and one-half times as long as broad; eye about three and one-half times as long as broad in anterior view; inner eye margins nearly parallel below; maxillary palpus with segments in ration of about 1.7:1.7:1.2:1.2:1.0:1.3; labial palpus with segments in ratio of about 2.2:1.0:1.0:1.5; labrum about two and one-third times as wide as long; labral process one-third times as wide as long; labral process one-third as wide as and half as long as entire labrum; clypeus shiny, reticular shagreening weak, shagreening absent in center; genal area as wide as eye; surface between ocelli about as rough and shiny as surface above facial fovea; facial fovea barely reaching upper eye margin, narrow, less than half as wide as eye.

Mesosoma as in piperi except: mesoscutum very shiny, punctures distinct, shagreening absent except along margins, parapsidal lines indistinct; metanotum with indistinct punctures, rather coarsely sculptured; enclosure of propodeum with shagreening turning into fine rugae basally; posterior and dorsolateral areas of propodeum not raised above enclosure, shagreened like enclosure but less granular; mesepisternum with reticular shagreening; tarsal claws with small tooth on inner margin; posterior hind tibial spur distinctly longer than anterior spur.

Metasoma as in piperi.

VESTITURE. — Hairs as in piperi except: hairs on dorsum of thorax further apart, with longer branches; terga 2-4 hairs (except for apical fasciae) short, weakly plumose, further apart (very far apart on tergum 2), abdomen without dusty appearance; apical fasciae very distinct, interrupted on tergum 1, partly interrupted on tergum 2, complete on 3 and 4; tibial scopal hairs moderate in length.

MALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. — Length, 5.1 mm; width of mesothorax, 1.3 mm; wing length from tegula, 4.0 mm; facial length/width, 1.00; flagellar segment 1/segment 2, 1.75.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. — Dark brown to brown except: head and mesosoma with blue-green reflection, dorsum of thorax with some golden reflections; clypeus and parocular areas yellow; flagellum orange-brown below; terga with brown band basad of apical fasciae; color otherwise as in piperi.

STRUCTURE. — Sculpturing in general much finer over entire body than in piperi. Head otherwise as in piperi except: scape reaching to within one and one-half ocellar distances of medium ocellus, nearly as long as segments 1-3; segment 1 one and one-half times as long as 2; segment 2 slightly tapered, subequal to 3 in length; ultimate segment one and one-half times as long as broad; eye three times as long as broad in anterior view; maxillary palpus with segments in ratio of about 1.0:1.3:1.3:1.0:1.0:1.3; labial palpus with segments in ratio of about 1.7:1.0:1.2:1.2, segment 1 bent at right angle; labrum one and one-half times as wide as long; clypeus very shiny, without shagreening.

Mesosoma as in lepidii female except serrate part of anterior tibial spur short; hind tibia unmodified.

Metasoma as in piperi.

Sternum 7 distinctly emarginate at apex, producing two large rounded lobes, each lobe bearing several long branched setae (fig. 19). Sternum 8 (fig. 20) much like piperi except basal plate different in outline. Gonocoxite bent downward; apex expanded in lateral view, dorsolateral part with many branched setae; dorsal lobes bent laterad and ventrad. Penis valve bent downward, apex narrowly rounded in lateral view, medially moderately expanded (figs. 16-18).

VESTITURE. — Hairs as in piperi except apical fasciae distinct, interrupted on terga 1 and 2, partly interrupted on 3 and 4.

VARIATION. — Fresh specimens have blue-black abdominal reflections, brown bands on the terga and neatly arranged tergal hairs, while older specimens (such as the holotype and allotype) may be less distinct in these characters. The apex of the male seventh sternum may vary considerably from figure 19.

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Updated: 2024-03-29 12:03:01 gmt
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