Lasioglossum (Dialictus) ferrerii ( Baker, 1906 )

Gibbs, Jason, 2018, Bees of the genus Lasioglossum (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) from Greater Puerto Rico, West Indies, European Journal of Taxonomy 400, pp. 1-57 : 27-30

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) ferrerii ( Baker, 1906)

Figs 15–17

Chloralictus Ferrerii Baker, 1906: 263 (syntypes, ♀♀, deposited at AMNH and NMNH, examined). Halictus proangularis Ellis, 1914b: 155 (holotype, ♀, deposited at NMNH; synonymy by George C. Eickwort (in litt., 21 Feb. 1980 to P. Alayo; see Genaro 2007; Genaro & Franz 2008); examined images available at http://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/ento/).

Halictus proangularis – Michener 1936: 287 (taxonomy, male description). — Wolcott 1948: 866 (checklist).

Lasioglossum ferrerii – Alayo 1973: 199; 1976: 19 (catalogue).

Dialictus ? ferrerii – Raw 1985: 2 (biology).

Dialictus ferrerii – Moure & Hurd 1987: 100 (catalogue). — Moure 2007: 849.

Dialictus ferreri – Eickwort 1988: 236 (distribution, biology, incorrect subsequent spelling; see ICZN (1999) article 33.4).

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) ferrerii – Genaro 2004: 176 (distribution). — Genaro & Franz 2008: 6 (distribution).

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) ferreri – Genaro 2007: 249 (distribution, incorrect subsequent spelling).

Dialictus proangularis – Engel 2000: 89 (phylogeny, outgroup). — Moure 2007: 853 (catalogue).

Diagnosis

Both sexes of L. ferrerii are easily recognized by the combination of head relatively long (length/width ratio= 0.99–1.01), mesoscutal punctures dense, except medially, mesepisternum rugose, metapostnotum short, with complete carinulae, and metasoma metallic green-blue. The large size, head shape and metallic metasoma make L. ferrerii very distinctive. Lasioglossum mestrei is superficially similar, but has short carinulae on the metapostnotum and lacks the rugose sculpturing on the mesepisternum.

Etymology

Baker (1906) named this species after Eduardo Ferrer.

Material examined

CUBA: 3 ♀♀, syntypes, “Santa Clara”, [no locality], Baker leg. ( AMNH). – Artemisa: 1 ♂, Ariguanabo, 24 Nov. 1960 ( SEMC). – Ciego Del Avila: 2 ♂♂, Baragua, 13 Oct. 1928, L.C. Scaramuzzo leg. ( NMNH). – Cienfuegos: 1 ♂, Cayamas, Baker leg. ( AMNH) . – Havana: 2 ♀♀, Havana, Baker leg. ( CUIC) . – Pinar del Rio: 1 ♂, 12.5 km S of Pinar del Rio, 12–23 Sep. 1913 ( AMNH) .

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Humacao: 1 ♀, Playa de Humacao , 11 May 1985, G.C. Eickwort leg. ( CUIC). – La Altagracia: 18 ♀♀, 1 ♂, Nisibon , beach under coconuts, flight trap, 4–7 May 1978, G.B. Fairchild leg. ( LACM). – La Vega: 1 ♀, Jarabacoa , 17 Jul. 1986, G.C. Eickwort leg. ( CUIC). – Puerto Plata: 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Plata Galeta , 20 Jul. 1986, G.C. Eickwort leg. ( CUIC) ; 2 ♂♂, same collection data as preceding, 23 Jul. 1986 (CUIC); 5 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂, same collection data as preceding, 24 Jul. 1986 (CUIC).

HAITI: Ouest: 5 ♂♂, Etang Saumâtre, 30 Nov. 1929, J.G. Myers leg. ( NMHUK).

JAMAICA: Portland: 2 ♀♀, Port Antonio, E of N shore, 1 Mar. 1907, G.B. Longstaff leg. ( NHMUK) . – St. Catherine : 1 ♀, Hellshire Bay, 18 Feb. 1973, A. Raw leg. ( CUIC) ; 1 ♀, Worthy Park, 2.2. mi. N on Camperdown Road, Malaise trap, 12 May 1969, R. E. Woodruff leg. (FSCA); 1 ♀, same collection data as preceding, 18–25 Feb. 1970 (FSCA).

PUERTO RICO: Aguadilla: 1 ♀, Ramey Base , 4 Jan. 1948, P.R. Survey ( NMNH); 2 ♀♀, [no locality], Jan. 1899, A. Busck leg. ( NMNH). – Arecibo: 2 ♀♀, [no locality], flowers in field, 19 Dec. 1933, Anderson and Mills leg. ( NMNH). – Bayamón: ♀, holotype of Halictus proangularis, Jan. 1899 , A. Busck leg. ( NMNH 23177 ) . – Guánica: 1 ♂, [no locality], 1 Dec. 1981 ( FSCA). – Guayanilla: 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Costa Sur, 8 Jun. 2007, J.A. Genaro leg. ( JAGC). – Lajas: 2 ♀♀, Laguna Cartagena, 20 Jan. 1954, J. Maldonado Capriles leg. ( JAGC); 2 ♀♀, same locality as preceding, Mar. 2008, N. Franz leg. ( JAGC). – Loíza: 7 ♀♀ , Islote de Juan Pérez, 28 Jun. 1986, J.A. Torres leg. ( LACM). – Luquillo: 8 ♀♀, 1 ♂, Balneiro de Luquillo, 9 May 1985, G.C. Eickwort leg. ( CUIC); 2 ♀♀, same collection data as preceding, 10 May 1985 ( CUIC); 1 ♀, same collection data as preceding, 14 May 1985 ( CUIC). – Manatí: 2 ♀♀, [no locality], 27–29 Jun. 1915, s. coll. ( AMNH). – Mayagüez: 1 ♀, [no locality], Jan. 1899, A. Busck leg. ( NMNH); 1 ♀, [no locality], 15 Nov. 1981, R.A. Olivieri leg. ( UPRM). – San Juan: 1 ♀, G.C. Eickwort homotype of H. proangularis , Rio Piedras, 24 Apr. 1926 ( SEMC); 1 ♂, Rio Piedras , 23 May 1926, s. coll. ( SEMC). – Santa Isabel: 1 ♀, Gomez, 17°59.705′ N, 66°25.063′ W, 13 Mar. 2013, S. Prado leg. (NCSU); 2 ♀♀, Portolain, 17°58.632′ N, 66°23.096′ W, 23 Apr. 2013, S. Prado leg. (NCSU: CCDB-22788 A07); 2 ♀♀, SW River, 17°59.496′ N, 66°26.582′ W, 26 Apr. 2013, S. Prado leg. ( NCSU: CCDB-22788 A08, CCDB-22788 A09). – Toa Baja: 1 ♀, 1 Aug. 1985, J. Torres leg. ( LACM); 1 ♂, 2 Aug. 1985, J. Torres leg. ( LACM). – Yauco: 1 ♀, A7 Church site, 18°01.830′ N, 66°53.042′ W, elevated bee bowl, 23 May–20 Jun. 2014, S.G. Prado leg. (NCSU).

Distribution

Lasioglossum ferrerii is recorded here from Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico ( Fig. 17 ). Eickwort (1988) records the “ ferreri [sic] sp. group” as being present on the same four islands. Genaro (2007) and Genaro & Franz (2008) also list the species from these same four regions. Moure (2007) did not recognize the synonymy with Halictus proangularis and only lists the country of the type locality for each name in their distributions.

Biology

Eickwort (1988) illustrated a nest of L. ferrerii from a “grassy upper beach area of Luquillo Beach, Puerto Rico.” The nest consisted of a simple vertical burrow dividing into three main branches and reaching a maximum depth of about 24 cm (based on the scale provided). Six cells were illustrated, each oriented horizontally and attached to the main burrow by a short lateral tunnel or with this lateroid filled in with soil. Three multi-female nests were excavated; all occupants were inseminated, reproductive females. The number of nest-mates was few in all cases (less than 5). Eickwort (1988) concluded on this basis that L. ferrerii forms communal nests. The ancestral behavioural state for L. ( Dialictus ) is believed to be eusocial nesting ( Gibbs et al. 2012b).

DNA barcodes

Three individuals were used for DNA barcoding. In each case, Wolbachia (Rickettsiales) was amplified instead of the bee. Smith et al. (2012) documented that standard barcode primers are not well suited for amplifying halictid bees.

Figures

Fig. 15. Lasioglossum ferrerii (Baker, 1906), ♀. A. Face. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsal habitus. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 16. Lasioglossum ferrerii (Baker, 1906), ♂. A. Face. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsal habitus. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 17. Distribution mapfor Lasioglossum ferrerii (Baker, 1906) in Puerto Rico.