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Perdita asteris Cockerell, 1896
Perdita verpertilio Cockerell, 1896; Perdita crassiceps Cockerell, 1896; Perdita vagans Cockerell, 1896; Perdita mellina Cockerell, 1900

Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Andrenidae   Perdita
Subgenus: Hexaperdita



Perdita asteris, female, back
© Copyright source/photographer · 9
Perdita asteris, female, back

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Perdita asteris, female, back
© Copyright source/photographer · 9
Perdita asteris, female, back
Perdita asteris, female, face
© Copyright source/photographer · 9
Perdita asteris, female, face

Perdita asteris, female, side
© Copyright source/photographer · 9
Perdita asteris, female, side
Perdita asteris, face
Smithsonian Institution, Entomology Department · 9
Perdita asteris, face

Perdita asteris, side
Smithsonian Institution, Entomology Department · 9
Perdita asteris, side
Perdita asteris, top
Smithsonian Institution, Entomology Department · 9
Perdita asteris, top

Perdita asteris, wing
Smithsonian Institution, Entomology Department · 9
Perdita asteris, wing

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Identification
Extracted from: Timberlake P.H., (1958). A Revisional Study of The Bees of the Genus Perdita F. Smith, with Special Reference to the Fauna of the Pacific Coast (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) Part III. University of Caifornia Press Berkeley and Los Angeles 1958, Volume 14, No. 5, pp. 303-410, plates 4-15.

Since my report on asteris at least three series of this species have come to hand that include both sexes. Most of the males have a fuscous abdomen and run to xanthismae (couplet 42) in my key; one or two specimens have the abdomen more or less ferruginous but will still run to xanthismae (couplet 45). It does not seem possible to distinguish these males from xanthismae so that it is likely or at least possible that xanthismae and asteris will prove to be races of one species.

Extracted from: Timberlake P.H., (1958). A Revisional Study of The Bees of the Genus Perdita F. Smith, with Special Reference to the Fauna of the Pacific Coast (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) Part III. University of Caifornia Press Berkeley and Los Angeles 1958, Volume 14, No. 5, pp. 303-410, plates 4-15.

Perdita mellina Cockerell

A series of 3 males, 1 female from Stockdale, Wilson County, Texas, July 16, 1954 (University of Kansas Mexican Expedition) sheds some light on the status of mellina, but more material is still needed. The female was received with the abdomen missing, but two loose abdomens were found which match it. It runs in my key to platyura (couplet 9), but differs in having much ferruginous color on the head and thorax as well as abdomen, the lateral face marks extending very acutely above the antennae and subantennal marks present. Mellina is apparently distinct from cambarella or platyura, but the possibility remains that it may intergrade with asteris or xanthismae.

Female.—Face above antennae, upper part of cheeks and occiput, mesoscutum, major part of mesosternum and pleura dark green; supraclypeal area, most of undersurface of head, pro-thorax, scutellum, metanotum, propodeum, anterior border and median part of mesosternum, and metapleura ferruginous. Mandibles except red tips, labrum, clypeus, large lateral marks, subantennal marks, and anterior border of supraclypeal area creamy white; narrow anterior border of clypeus and its sutures ferruginous, the usual pair of dots faint; lateral marks very high and attenuate, intruding between foveae and eyes nearly to summit of foveae. Broad posterior border of disk of pronotum and the tubercles creamy white. Abdomen ferruginous. Legs ferruginous, the front and middle femora dusky, the anterior side of front tibiae pale yellow, the front and middle tarsi whitish (the hind legs missing). Scape and pedicel of antenna clear pale yellow, the flagellum pale brown above and more yellowish beneath, with a transverse dusky mark above on joints 2 to 6. Tegulae white at base and testaceous hyaline on outer border. Wings milky hyaline, the nervures pallid, the subcosta and margins of stigma pale yellow.

Head as broad as long, the clypeus large and rather prominent. Mandibles stout, with the moderately incurved tips short and blunt. Facial foveae close to margin of eyes, rather wide and reaching from upper level of antennal sockets about two thirds of distance to level of the anterior ocellus. Pygidial plate broad and broadly truncate at apex. Proboscis broken, but probably as in male somewhat exceeding the proboscidial fossa. Frons tessellate, but shining, and with minute, rather sparse punctures. Mesonotum strongly tessellate, moderately dull, and with fine punctures which become a little sparser and mostly well separated on middle of the scutum. Pubescence white, rather thin, short, and mosslike, the hairs of mesonotum erect and becoming very short on posterior part of scutum. Length, about 5 mm.; anterior wing, 3.2 mm.

Names
Scientific source:
Hosts · map
FamilyScientific name @ source (records)
Asteraceae  Baileya pleniradiata @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Dieteria canescens @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Heterotheca subaxillaris @ UCRC_ENT (22)

Heterotheca villosa @ BBSL (1)

Heterotheca @ AMNH_BEE (46)
Cleomaceae  Cleomella longipes @ UCRC_ENT (1)
_  Withheld @ BBSL (125); BBSL__ZION (4)

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Updated: 2024-10-11 00:31:05 gmt
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