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Extracted from: LaBerge, W. E., 1961. A Revision of the Bees of the Genus Melissodes in North and Central America. Part III (Hymenoptera, Apidae). The University of Kansas Science Bulletin, Vol. 43. 1-107.
Among the foregoing species, M. composita is most closely related
to M. plumosa and M. metenua. Both sexes can be distinguished
by their relatively shiny galeae, coarsely punctate mesoscutum and
scutellum and highly shiny and glabrous apical areas of the terga.
The females are distinctive in that the first metasomal tergum has
the basal punctures crowded in the basal third or less and absent or
scattered apical to this and the second tergum with the interband
zone with only scattered punctures medially. The males are dis-
tinctive in that the metasomal terga 2 to 4 have the apical areas
glabrous and shiny, the antennae as in M. plumosa, but the third
segment lacks the dorsolateral depression, and coarse punctation on
the mesoscutum as described below.
Female. Measurements and ratios: N, 20; length, 9.5-11.0 mm.:;
width, 3.0-4.5 mm.; wing length, M = 3.438 0.118 mm.; hooks in
hamulus, M = 12.40 0.161; flagellar segment 1/segment 2, M =
1.94 0.025.
Male. Measurements and ratios: N, 17; length, 9-12 mm.;
width, 2.5-3.5 mm.; wing length, M = 3.27 0.116 mm.; hooks in
hamulus, M — 11.381 0.198; flagellar segment 2/segment 1, M =
9.05 0.148.
Structure and color: Integumental color as in M. lupina. Struc-
ture and sculpturing as in lupina except as follows: clypeus and
supraclypeal area with surfaces shiny, with extremely sparse sha-
greening if any; flattened areas of vertex posteromesad of com-
pound eyes with sparse, minute punctures separated by two to four
puncture widths, surface shiny to moderately so, dulled by distinctly
reticular shagreening; apical flagellar segment longer than broad;
maxillary palpal segments in ratio of about 4:3:3:1; galeae above
with surface shiny to moderately shiny, with reticular, delicate sha-
greening at least in apical half; mesoscutum with large coarse punc-
tures, in area mesad of parapsidal lines separated mostly by less
than half a puncture width and larger than scutellar or mesepister-
nal punctures, laterad of parapsidal lines slightly smaller and sep-
arated by less than half a puncture width, posteromedian area im-
punctate, surface somewhat dulled by delicate reticular shagreening,
especially anteriorly and laterally; scutellum with crowded punc-
tures and delicate shagreening; mesepisternum with lateral surface
punctures slightly smaller than largest mesoscutal punctures, sur-
face shiny, slightly or not at all shagreened; metasomal tergum 1
with basal three-fifths punctate but punctures crowded only in
basal fourth, elsewhere punctures separated mostly by two to four
puncture widths, apical area impunctate, surface dulled by reticulo-
transverse shagreening; tergum 2 with basal zone with punctures
separated by half a puncture width and surface dulled by reticular
shagreening, interband zone with scattered punctures of irregular
size, apical area impunctate, surface moderately shiny, with reticu-
lotransverse shagreening; tergum 3 similar to tergum 2 but inter-
band zone with distinct, round, regular punctures separated mostly
by less than one puncture width; pygidial plate U-shaped with
sides diverging towards base, sides subparallel in apical third
(when not worn).
Hair: Head white to pale ochraceous except dark brown on ver-
tex. Thorax pale ochraceous on lower lateral surfaces, ochraceous
to yellow elsewhere except scutellum dark brown medially and
mesoscutum with posteromedian dark brown patch which extends
forward to a transverse line usually at about middle of tegulae.
Metasomal tergum 1 ochraceous basally, glabrous apically; tergum
2 with pale ochraceous to white pubescence in basal zone connected
by pale pubescence to short, pale, strongly oblique, lateral, pubes-
cent fasciae which quite or almost reach apical margin of tergum
at extreme sides, apical area glabrous, interband zone with scat-
tered, minute, pale brown, simple, suberect to appressed hairs,
tergum 3 similar to tergum 2 but basal tomentum brown, apical
area narrow (equals half of distal pale band medially ), distal pale
band uninterrupted medially and interband zone with diffuse, pale,
appressed pubescence; tergum 4 similar to tergum 3 but distal pale
band apical and never interrupted medially; terga 5 and 6 medially
usually golden to pale brown and white at extreme sides; sterna
with golden hairs medially to white laterally. Legs with hairs
white except as follows: inner surfaces of tarsi yellow to orange;
outer surface of fore basitarsi brown.
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