Xylocopa mexicanorum, Cockerell, 1912

Mérida-Rivas, Jorge A., Hinojosa-Díaz, Ismael A., Ayala-Barajas, Ricardo, Pozo, Carmen & Vandame, Rémy, 2022, Revision of carpenter bees of the subgenus Neoxylocopa Michener (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from Mexico and Mesoamerica, Zootaxa 5158 (1), pp. 1-67 : 26

The mexicanorum species group

Diagnosis. Female and male of majority of species less than 25 mm in length. Female: Frontal area of head without elevated ridges or prominences adjacent to ocelli (as in figs. 34 and 43); Clypeus: lateral areas no protuberant, discal area unpunctate rest of clypeus densely punctate. Area below middle ocellus with a well-defined anterior frontal groove without punctures that initiates with a diameter equal to the width of the ocelli, diminishing to end in a middle elevation between the antennal sockets; ocelli located below the tangent of the eyes; lateral ocelli with pits on the posterolateral region. Malar area equal than or similar to minimum diameter of F1; Mandibles without a notch at the level of the middle tooth ( Fig. 37 ). Area between parapsidal line and discal area of mesoscutum with sparse or scattered punctures. Terga with bigger punctures compared to frontalis group (around one fifth the diameter of middle ocellus), pubescence dense. Posterior tibiae: apex of basitibial plate with two asymmetrical dentiform apical processes, anterior dentiform apical process sharp and posterior dentiform apical process rounded. Scutellum angled ( Fig. 38 ). Male: integument in general as in frontalis group, with black posterior bands on half the terga; labrum with a small subtriangular area unpunctate on the medial region; rest of the labrum with scattered punctures; clypeus, with scattered punctures on middle region of inferior submargin; lateral ocelli below upper margin of eyes; internal distal extreme of hind tibiae with a prominent subapical projection, without a noticeable anterior rounded lobe ( Fig. 42 ), with blunt margin; internal surface of hind tibiae with abundant pubescence.

Keys for species in the mexicanorum group as recognized in this study

- Genal area densely punctate; pubescence reddish-brown on head, mesosoma and T1 ( Figs. 43–46 ); integument black, wings yellow with copper iridescence, vertex with scattered punctures; distance between punctures more of four times their diameter, similar in size as those on clypeus ( Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama)..................................... X. ocellaris

- Genal area with sparse punctation ( Fig. 33 ); pubescence and integument black; wings dark-brown with strong blue-green iridescence distal extreme papillate with greenish blue iridescence ( Fig. 36 ); vertex with punctures slightly smaller than those on clypeus (Central and Southern Mexico)........................................................ X. mexicanorum

*Males of X. ocellaris were not examined

Figures

FIGURES 33–38. Female of X. (N.) mexicanorum. 33. Genal area; 34. Frontal view; 35. Lateral habitus; 36. Dorsal habitus; 37. Mandible left; 38. Scutellum.

FIGURES 39–42. Male of X. (N.) mexicanorum. 39. Frontal view; 40. Lateral habitus; 41. Dorsal habitus; 42. Hind tibia.

FIGURES 43–46. Female of X. (N.) ocellaris. 43. Frontal view; 44. Genal area and mesosoma lateral view; 45. Dorsal habitus; 46. Metasoma.