Protandrena cockerelli Dunning 1897

Gibbs, Jason, Ascher, John S., Rightmyer, Molly G. & Isaacs, Rufus, 2017, The bees of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), with notes on distribution, taxonomy, pollination, and natural history, Zootaxa 4352 (1), pp. 1-160 : 36

Protandrena cockerelli Dunning 1897

( Fig. 8B )

County records: Berrien, Ionia, Newaygo.

Notes. A small number of males and a single female of this species have been recently collected, notably all from Asclepias verticillata L ( Asclepiadaceae ). Mitchell (1960) recorded this species from Michigan as Psaenythia (Protandrena) mexicanorum (type locality: [Ciudad] Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico], with cockerelli (type locality: Topeka, Kansas) as a synonym. Timberlake (1955) treated P. cockerelli , as a subspecies of mexicanorum . A female from Newaygo County identified by Mitchell (MSUC) has facial and pronotal maculations consistent with P. mexicanorum , but Hurd (1979) recorded the Michigan record as Protandrena cockerelli instead. Based on the geographic distribution of Protandrena species ( Timberlake 1976), it is unlikely that P. mexicanorum sensu stricto would occur in Michigan, as the closest currently accepted P. mexicanorum record is from West Texas ( Timberlake 1976). Thus, we attribute Hurd’s (1979) records of mexicanorum from North Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado to outdated identifications or taxonomic concepts ( Chandler 1962). To further add to confusion about the true distribution of these bees, Timberlake (1976) recorded P. cockerelli from New Jersey, but this record seems implausible and likely involves mislabeled or misinterpreted material from much further west in North America (perhaps from New Mexico).

Material examined. Berrien Co.: Southwest Michigan Research and Education Center, 42.084 -86.3535, 14 Jul. 2016, Asclepias verticillata (1 ♂ MSUC: RI); Ionia Co. : Clarksville Research Center, 42.8708 -85.2544, 11 Aug. 2015, Asclepias verticillata L., L. Rowe (1 ♂ MSUC: RI); Clarksville Research Center, 42.8708 -85.2544, 3 Aug. 2016, Asclepias verticillata L., L. Rowe (1 ♂ MSUC: RI); Clarksville Research Center, 42.8708 -85.2544, 8 Aug. 2016, Asclepias verticillata L., L. Rowe (1 ♀ MSUC: RI); Newaygo Co.: (no locality), 13 May 1956, R. & K. Dreisbach (1 ♀ MSUC).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Protandrena from Michigan. A) Oblique habitus of male Protandrena bancrofti Dunning. B) Face of female Protandrena cockerelli Dunning from Michigan.