Heriades crucifera Cockerell, 1897

(Figs. 2 O, 12–13)

Heriades crucifera Cockerell, 1897 . The New Mexico bees of the genus Heriades and a new Halictus:137. Contributions from the New Mexico Biological Station, Vol. XII.

Type locality: Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 18. (Cockerell).

Holotype: USNM No. 1546

Diagnosis. Bees with projection on malar area, especially large and strong in female (Fig. 13C); OPR large (3.4 times OD); head, mesosoma and metasoma with large punctures; T3 with medium-sized punctures (0.7 DOP of scutum), strongly coarse and dense (Fig. 13B, D). Male: posterior margin of S1 rounded, with posterior small emargination (Fig. 2 Ob) and low ventral angle in one third of distance from apex to base or less (Fig. 2 Oa); posterior margin of S5 with two rectangular lobes, subtriangular medially, two rounded tufts with capitate hairs directed medially, and simple short hairs directed towards sides (Fig. 13E); S6 with right-angled posterior margin, with two subapical tufts with several simple, short, thin hair, directed downward (Fig. 13F), similar to H. leavitti and H. texana, but differ from first by angle in malar area, and from second in less hairs overall, particularly on basal area of clypeus, and bigger space between tufts of capitate hairs on S5. Female: large body size, mandibles long, pointy and outer surface with rounded carina from base to dorsal margin (Fig. 13C).

Additional material examined: MEXICO: Chihuahua, Casas Grandes, 2079 m, 30.11278 -108.30235, 18/ IX/2013, E. Esquivel (ECOAB 1♀) . Madera, 2027 m, 29.06429 -108.03692, 22/IX/2013, E. Esquivel (ECOAB 1♀) , 1858 m, 27.4425 -108.0108333, 06/IX/1969, T. A. Sears et al. (BBSL 1♀) .

Distribution. This species is mainly distributed in the United States, but a few specimens were found in northern Mexico, in areas that correspond to the northern limit of tropical elements and areas with desert and grasslands, in the Sierra Madre Occidental biogeographic province (Morrone et al. 2022) (Fig. 12). Altitudinal range: 1546 to 2079 m.

Comments. Males with S5 and S6 similar to H. micropthalma Michener, 1954, H. texana, H. leavitti, H. cristina sp. nov., H. vulcanica sp. nov., but can be recognize by other external characteristics presented in the diagnosis. In Michener (1938), Fig. 20 of S6 belongs to H. variolosa (Cresson, 1872) and not H. crucifera . Males are slightly similar to H. micheneri but can be recognized by large ocelli and process on S1, in posterior view with one rounded cusp.