Caenohalictus cyanopygus Rojas & Toro

Gonzalez-Vaquero, Rocio Ana & Roig-Alsina, Arturo, 2013, Revision of the species of the bee genus Caenohalictus (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) occurring in Argentinean Patagonia, Zootaxa 3670 (4), pp. 493-515 : 504-505

Caenohalictus cyanopygus Rojas & Toro

(Figs. 9, 17–19, 25–26, 33, 59)

Caenohalictus cyanopygus Rojas & Toro 2000: 182 –183. Holotype: male. Chile, Valparaíso, Cuesta de Pucalán. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Santiago.

Diagnosis. This striking species can be separated by two unique features: the long, crenulate male antenna, with F2 longer than F1 and pedicel together, and the hind tibial spur of the female, which has very short teeth ( Fig. 33 ). The creamy-yellow markings of the male are limited to the apical band of the clypeus, labrum, front of the tibia I and anterior surface of the flagellum. This species has broad black apical bands on the terga of the male, compound eyes with dark brown hairs, vertex and mesoscutum with dark scattered hairs, head and mesosoma shiny green, and metapostnotum usually blue. Male genital capsule (Figs. 17–19): igp covered by several short, specialized setae, slender dorsal process with an acute apex, reaching the penis valve; penis valve with an outer basal tooth; ogp with 3–4 long setae, finely plumose apically, that overlap those of the opposite gonostylus, plate with an acute inner apical angle dorsally; mgl strongly concave; vp slightly displaced towards the sides; va slightly compressed, with its apical half tapering.

Variation. A few females have coppery highlights on the mesoscutum, but the rest displayed a common pattern: head and mesoscutum green, the rest of the mesosoma blue and metasoma blue or bluish-green.

Comments. Although Rojas and Toro (2000) reported a genital capsule similar to the one described herein, their figure 60 does not match their description mainly in the shape of the mgl and the length of the setae of the ogp. The following plants are visited by C. cyanopygus : Anacardiaceae : Schinus patagonicus ; Asteraceae : Baccharis obovata , B. rhetinodes , Carduus thoermeri , Chrysanthemum sp., Hypochaeris radicata , Solidago chilensis , Taraxacum officinale ; Berberidaceae : Berberis darwinii ; Boraginaceae : Phacelia secunda , Phacelia sp.; Buddlejaceae : Buddleja globosa ; Elaeocarpaceae : Aristotelia chilensis ; Escalloniaceae : Escallonia alpina , E. virgata ; Fabaceae : Cytisus scoparius , Lathyreus magellanicus , Medicago lupulina , Trifolium repens ; Geraniaceae : Geranium sp.; Grossulariaceae : Ribes magellanicum ; Oxalidaceae : Oxalis sp.; Proteaceae : Lomatia hirsuta ; Rhamnaceae : Discaria articulata , D. chacaye ; Rosaceae : Malus sp.; Thymelaeaceae : Ovidia andina ; Verbenaceae : Diostea juncea .

Distribution in Argentinean Patagonia: Humid to perhumid regions of southwestern Neuquén, western Río Negro and northwestern Chubut. Also found in Chile: from Valparaíso to Aysén.

Examined material. ARGENTINA : Neuquén: 4M, Lago Moquehue, 28–I–2012, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 1M, Junín de los Andes, 7–III–1955 ( MLPA). 2M, Lanín: Pucará, I–1953, Schajovskoi ( MACN). 1F, Lanín: Pucará, XII–1953, Schajovskoi ( MACN). 1M, Lanín: Pucará, 25–I–1973, Schajovskoi ( MACN). 4F, Lanín: Pucará, XI–1951, Schajovskoi ( MLPA). 2F, Lanín: Pucará, XI/ XII–1952, Schajovskoi ( MLPA). 3F, Lanín: Pucará, 15–XI–1955, Schajovskoi ( MLPA). 3M, Lanín: Pucará, I–1973, Fritz ( MLPA). 1M, Lanín: Pucará, 22–I–1957, A. Ogloblin ( MLPA). 1M, Lanín: Boquete del Lago Lolog, 25–IV–1964 ( MACN). 2M 1F, Lanín: Lago Queñi, 19–II– 2007, L. Compagnucci ( MACN). 8F, Lanín: Lago Queñi, 10/ 12–XII–1999, Montaldo, Devoto & Gleiser ( FAUBA). 2F, Lanín: Hua Hum, 18–XII–2010, Compagnucci & González Vaquero ( MACN). 1F, Lanín: Margen N Lago Lácar, 18–XII–2010, Compagnucci & González Vaquero ( MACN). 6F, Lanín: Lago Tromen 996m, 13–I– 2003, G. Debandi ( FAUBA). 2F, Lanín: Cabecera E Lago Tromen, 10/ 14–XII–1998, Roitman, Montaldo & Devoto ( MACN). 3F, Lanín: Cabecera SE Lago Tromen, 12–XII–2003, Medán, Devoto & Torreta ( FAUBA). 2M, Camino Lagos Lolog-Curruhué, 7–II–2012, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 1F, Cabecera E Lago Lolog, 6–II–2012, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 1M, San Martín de los Andes, IV–1964 ( MACN). 1M, San Martín de los Andes, 30– III–1964, M. Gentili ( MACN). 1M, San Martín de los Andes, 7–I–1941, M. Bridarolli ( MLPA). 1M, San Martín de los Andes, 25–III–1954 ( MLPA). 1F, 8k N San Martín de los Andes 1000m, 16/ 22–XI–1997, C. & M. Vardy ( BMNH). 3F, Chapelco 1000m, 28–XII–1951, Schajovskoi ( MLPA). 2F, Nahuel Huapi: Puerto Arrayán, 20–XII– 2010, Compagnucci & González Vaquero ( MACN). 3F, Nahuel Huapi: Villa Traful, 9/ 10–XII–2001, Medán, Montaldo & Devoto ( FAUBA). 2F, Nahuel Huapi: Villa Traful, 17–XII–2002, Devoto & Torretta ( FAUBA). 3F, Nahuel Huapi: Villa Traful, 17–I–2003, M. Devoto ( FAUBA). 1F, Nahuel Huapi: Quetrihué, 25–X–1999, D. Vázquez ( MACN). 1F, Nahuel Huapi: Villa La Angostura, 10–I–2007, P. Turienzo ( MACN). 7M 1F, Nahuel Huapi: Isla Victoria, I–1943, F. Monrós ( MLPA). 3F, Nahuel Huapi: Isla Victoria, 1943 ( MLPA). 1F, Nahuel Huapi: Isla Victoria, 15–II–1949, W. Wittmen ( MLPA). Río Negro: 5M 2F, Nahuel Huapi ( MACN). 10M 1F, Nahuel Huapi: Valle del Challhuaco, 24/I–2/ II–2011, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 1M, Nahuel Huapi: Cerro Catedral 1359m, 26–I–2011, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 1M, Nahuel Huapi: Pampa Linda, 31–I–2011, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 1M, Nahuel Huapi: Lago Los Moscos, 28–I–2011, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 1F, Nahuel Huapi: Lago Mascardi, 21–X–1999, D. Vázquez ( MACN). 1M, Bariloche Ñireco, III–1953, A. Ogloblin ( MLPA). Chubut: 3M, INTA Trevelin, 25–I–2006 / 14–II–2006, A–I. Gravel ( MACN). 1M, INTA Trevelin, 25–I–2006 / 14–II–2006, A–I. Gravel (IADIZA). 24M 117F, INTA Trevelin, 24–X–2005 / 16–II–2006, A– I. Gravel/M.E. Hollmann ( PCYU). 1M 2F, INTA Trevelin, 22–XI–2006 / 3–II–2007, A–I. Gravel ( MACN). 20M 58F, INTA Trevelin, 2–XI–2006 / 17–II–2007, A–I. Gravel/MIK. Gravel ( PCYU). 4M, INTA Trevelin, 1–II–2006, M.E. Hollmann ( MACN). 3M 16F, INTA Trevelin, 31–X–2005 / 14–II–2006, M.E. Hollmann ( PCYU). 2M 1F, INTA Trevelin, 7/ 19–I–2007, R. González Vaquero ( MACN). 15M 3F, Lago Puelo: Near Intendencia 205m, 31/ XII–6/ I–1998, Malaise trap, C. & M. Vardy ( MACN). 59M 2F, Lago Puelo: Near Intendencia 205m, 31/XII–6/ I– 1998, Malaise trap, C. & M. Vardy ( BMNH). 6M 6F, Lago Puelo: Near Intendencia 205m, 31/XII–6/ I–1998, yellow pan trap, C. & M. Vardy ( BMNH). 1F, Los Alerces: Lago Futalaufquen Forest track 500m, 14–XII–1997, C. & M. Vardy ( MACN). 1F, Los Alerces: Lago Futalaufquen 520m, 13/ 18–XII–1997, Malaise trap, C. & M. Vardy ( BMNH). 1F, Los Alerces: Villa Futalaufquen 520m, 13/ 18–XII–1997, C. & M. Vardy ( BMNH). 1F, Los Alerces: Río Desaguadero 2k NE Villa Futalaufquen 520m, 18–XII–1997, yellow pan trap, C. & M. Vardy ( BMNH). 3M, Los Alerces: Puerto Limonao, II–1959 ( MLPA).

CHILE: Los Lagos: 1M, Chiloé Islotes de Puñihuil, 5–II–2001, C. Domínguez (IADIZA).

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 38. Hind tibial spur of the female. 32, C. opaciceps. 33, C. cyanopygus. 34, C. flammeus n. sp. 35, C. iodurus. 36, C. turquesa. 37, C. thamyris. 38, C. autumnalis. Scale 50 µm.