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Superfamily APOIDEA
Family OXAEIDAE

This small family of moderately large-sized bees occurs only in the Western Hemisphere.
Although as a group the Oxaeidae are primarily centered in the tropics, a few species are
present in the warm temperate areas of both North and South America. Some of the species
commence flight activity about sunrise and at least the males of one species, Protoxaea gloriosa
(Fox), cluster in large aggregations on selected plants where they spend the night.

The known intrafloral relationships of these bees suggest a rather narrow dependence upon
relatively few sources of pollen. These include only certain genera within the plant families
Leguminosae, Solanaceae, and Zygophyllaceae. However, the males and females seek nectar
from a comparatively wide variety of plants since the flowers of some of the preferred pollen
sources produce little or no nectar and large quantities of nectar are required to meet the
bioenergetic needs of these fast-flying bees.

Revision: Kurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 1-75, 68 figs., 3 pis., 2 maps, 2
tables (included genera and spp., behavior, intrafloral ecology, summary of biological
literature).

Taxonomy: Friese, 1898. K. K. Naturhist. Hofmus., Ann. 13: 59-86 (tax. characters, tax.
position). —Schrottky, 1913. Soc. Cient. Argentina, An. 75: 114-115, 180-286 (tax. position).
— Michener, 1944. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Bui. 82: 246 (tax. characters, tax. status).
—Moure, 1946. Bol. Agr. 4: 12-13 (tax. characters). —Moure, 1950. Dusenia 1: 303-306 (tax.
characters, tax. status). — Rozen, 1964. N. Y. Ent. Soc, Jour. 72: 223-230, 7 figs. (tax.
characters, tax. status). —Rozen, 1965. Amer. mus. Novitates 2224: 1-18 (immature stages,
tax. status). —Michener, 1965. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Bui. 130: 10 (tax. status). —Graf,
1966. Ciencia e Cultura 18: 137-138 (tax. characters, tax. status). —Linsley and Cazier,
1972. Amer. Mus. Novitates 2509: 1-25, 4 tables (tax. status). —Roberts, 1973. Kans. Ent.
Soc, Jour. 46: 437-446 (tax. status).

Biology: Linsley and Cazier, 1972. Amer. Mus. Novitates 2509: 1-25, 4 tables (behavior).
— Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 5-16, 2 tables (flower preferences,
territoriality of males, sleeping aggregations of males, nest sites, nest architecture, female
aggressiveness at nest site, parasites, immature stages).

Morphology: Popov, 1941. Acad. Sci. USSR, Compt. Rend. 30: 82-85, 4 figs, (male genitalia).
— popov, 1945. Zool. Zhur. 24: 329-336, 3 figs, (male genitalia). —Rozen, 1951. Kans. Ent.
Soc, Jour. 24: 142-150, 17 figs, (male genitalia).

Genus PROTOXAEA Cockerell and Porter

Protoxaea Cockerell and Porter, 1899. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) 4: 410.
Type-species: Megacilissa gloriosa Fox. Monotypic and orig. desig.

This genus is composed of three species, two of which (P. australis Hurd and Linsley and P.
micheneri Hurd and Linsley) occur in Mexico below the elevation of Mexico City and well to the
south of P. gloriosa (Fox) which ranges over much of northern Mexico and adjacent
southwestern United States.

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Revision: Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 23-40, figs. 2-4, 17-40, map 1,
plates 1-2 (included spp. with summary of biological literature).

Biology: Linsley and Michener, 1962. Kans. Ent. Soc, Jour. 35: 385-389 (habits).

Protoxaea gloriosa (Fox)
Tex. west to Ariz.; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango,

Nuevo leon, Sinaloa, Sonora and TamauUpas). Parasite: Triepeolus sp. Pollen: Narrowly
polylectic, obtains pollen chiefly from the flowers of Acacia angustissima, Cassia
bauhinioides, C. leptocarpa, C. wislizenii, Desmanthus cooleyi, Kallstroemia
grandiflora, Larrea tridentata, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyanum, Solamim
elaeagnifolium, S. rostratum, but visits some of these and a wide variety of other
flowers for nectar including Aloysia gratissima, A. wrightii, Asclepias snbverticillata,
Baccharis glutinosa, Baileya multiradiata, Caesalpinia jamesii, Casuarina, Cevallia
sinuata, Conyza coulteri, Croton pottsii, Dalea scoparia, Gaillardia pulchella,
Gossypium, Guardiola tulocarpa, Helianthus annuus, Hoffvianseggia glauca,
Koeherlinia spinosa, Lepidium lasiocarpum, L. monianum, Lygodesmia juncea,
Medicago saliva, Melilotus alba, Menodora scabra, Mentzelia, Mimosa, Parkinsonia
aculeata, Psilostrophe tagetina. Salvia azurea, Solidago occidentalis, Spkaeralcea,
Tamarix gallica, T. ramosissima, Verbesina encelioides.

Megacilissa gloriosa Fox, 1893. Psyche 6: 421. ♀.

Oxaea Tristis Gribodo, 1894. Soc. Ent. Ital., Bol. 26: 278. ♂.

Protoxaea gloriosa pallida Cockered, 1934. Canad. Ent. 66: 153. ♀, ♂.

Taxonomy: Rozen, 1964. N. Y. Ent. Soc, Jour. 72: 223-230, 7 figs, (larva and taxonomic
significance, parasite). —Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 29-38, figs. 2,
3, 25-36, map 1, plates 1-3 (redescription, synonymy, geogr. and floral records).

Biology: Linsley and Michener, 1962. Kans. Ent. Soc, Jour. 35: 385-389 (habits). — Cazier and
Linsley, 1963. Canad. Ent. 95: 547-556, 2 figs, (male territorial behavior). —Linsley and
Cazier, 1963. Pan-Pacific Ent. 39: 1-18, 6 figs., 2 tables (floral relationships, diurnal
activity). —Linsley and Cazier, 1972. Amer. Mus. Novitates 2509: 1-25, 4 tables (adult
behavior). —Cazier and Linsley, 1974. Amer. Mus. Novitates 2546: 1-20, figs. 1-6, tables 1-2
(foraging behavior). —Hurd and Linsley, 1975. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 193: 27 (floral
relationships, territorial behavior). —Cazier and Linsley, 1975. Pan-Pacific Ent. 51:
248-253, 6 figs., 2 tables (visitation to flowers of Kallstroemia grandiflora after two years
drought). —Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 14-16 (adult behavioral
characteristics).

Genus MESOXAEA Hurd and Linsley

Mesoxaea Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 41.
Type-species: Oxaea nigerrima Friese. Orig. desig.

As presently understood this genus contains seven species which occupy much of the Mexican
mainland to the northeast, south, and west of the Mexican Plateau although one species inhabits
the Valley of Mexico.

Mesoxaea arizonica (Cockerell)
South. Ariz.; Mexico (Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora). Pollen: Collects
pollen of Kallstroemia grandiflora, but also visits other flowers for nectar including
Acacia angustissima, Buddleja sessiliflora, Tephrosia leiocarpa, Tumera diffusa.
Protoxaea nigerrima arizonica Cockerell, 1936. Amer. Mus. Novitates 831: 6. ♀.

Taxonomy: Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 61-64, figs. 61-64, map 3,
table 2 (redescription, geogr. records and floral preferences).

Mesoxaea rufescens Hurd and Linsley
South. Ariz.; Mexico (Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora). Pollen:
Collects pollen from the flowers of Mimosa polyantha, Sola7ium, but visits other
flowers for nectar including Acacia angustissima, Buddleja sessiliflora, Croton
culiacanensis, Kallstroemia grandiflora, Tumera diffusa, Vei-besina encelioides.
Mesoxaea rufescens Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 47, figs. 45-48,
map 2, table 2. ♂, ♀.

Mesoxaea texana (Friese)
La., Tex.; Mexico (Nuevo Leon). Ecology: Nests in large aggregations in areas
of sparse vegetation. Pollen: Collects pollen from flowers oi Solanum rostratum, but

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visits other flowers for nectar including Aloysia gratissima, Croton, Eupatorium
serotinuni, Gossypium, Monarda punctata. Polygonum, Sesamum indicum. Verbena
halei, Vemonia texana.
Oxaea texana Friese, 1898. K. K. Naturhist. Hofmus., Ann. 13: 85. ♂.

Taxonomy: Cockerell, 1910. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) 6: 275. 6,9. —Kurd and Linsley,
1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 54-58, figs. 53-56, map 2, table 2 (redescription, geogr.
and floral records).

Biology: Birkmann, 1932. Giddings News, 2 September 1932: 9, p. 7, columns 6 and 7 (habits).
—Cockerell, 1933. Amer. Nat. 67: 286-288 (nest site, habits). — Hurd and Linsley, 1976.
Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 57-58 (summary of literature).

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Updated: 2009-07-21 04:07:20

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