Augochloropsis (Glyptochlora), Moure

ENGEL, MICHAEL S., 2000, Classification Of The Bee Tribe Augochlorini (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (250), pp. 1-89 : 35

Subgenus Glyptochlora Moure , revised

status

Augochloropsis (Glyptochlora) Moure, 1958b: 188 . Type species: Megalopta ornata Smith, 1879 , original designation.

DIAGNOSIS: The species of Glyptochlora are the most distinctive among all Augochloropsis species. The coarse punctation of the body resembles to some degree that of the cleptoparasitic genus Temnosoma . The extremely short vertex, sharply carinate preoccipital ridge, and the strongly narrowed and lamellate anterior border of the mesoscutum separate Glyptochlora from all other Augochloropsis .

DESCRIPTION: As for the genus with the following additions: Female. Head and mesosoma coarsely punctured. Vertex short, barely one ocellar diameter in length. Preoccipital ridge strongly carinate and coming to a sharp angle. Mesoscutal anterior border narrowed; mesoscutal lip lamellate. Basal area of propodeum strongly striate. Male. Unknown.

REVISIONS: At present Glyptochlora contains three species, A. atropos (Smith) , A. ornata (Smith) , and A. refulgens (Smith) , which are identified by the key provided below. A fourth species, A. cyclis (Vachal) , has been referred to this subgenus by Moure and Hurd (1987). This last species is included here only provisionally until further work can be done on the subgenus. Glyptochlora might eventually be recognized at the generic level, should the male exhibit additional striking differences from Paraugochloropsis and Augochloropsis s.s.

DISTRIBUTION: All three species are known only from northwestern Brazil (Amazonas São Paulo de Olivença), while the uncertain species, A. cyclis , is from Peru. Unidentified material of Glyptochlora has recently been collected in French Guiana (R. W. Brooks personal commun.).