Ammobates carinatus Morawitz

ROZEN, JEROME G. & ÖZBEK, HIKMET, 2003, Oocytes, Eggs, and Ovarioles of Some Long-Tongued Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), American Museum Novitates 3393, pp. 1-36 : 14

Ammobates carinatus Morawitz

The mature oocyte of this species was illustrated and briefly described by Alexander and Rozen (1987). It is redescribed here to add additional details from SEM examination, using the female dissected for the previous study.

MATURE OOCYTE (figs. 21–24): Length 1.2 mm; maximum diameter behind operculum 0.28 mm (N = 1); egg index 0.47 mm (dwarf) (as reported by Alexander and Rozen, 1987). Opercular area large compared with rest of oocyte, its surface curved and bearing variable number of projecting tubercles near anterior margin; some of these tubercles flattened, others slightly capitate (fig. 23); sides of opercular area possibly representing flange of most other ammobatines; behind operculum, oocyte approximately symmetrical around its nearly straight long axis, tapering to round posterior end, its dorsal surface with numerous transverse folds (fig. 21); micropyle consisting of a number of small, closely grouped pores apparently on a low mound close to the anterior edge of operculum (fig. 24). Chorion of operculum conspicuously amber tinted in ethanol, with faint polygonal pattern in some areas under SEM examination; chorion of remainder of oocyte clear, smooth, colorless.

MATERIAL STUDIED: One female, Morocco: 10 km S Skirhate nr. Rabat, IV­29–1968 (J.G. Rozen, E. Suissa) .

REMARKS: See Remarks under Pasites maculatus , below.