Xeromelecta californica (Cresson), 1986

ROZEN, JEROME G. & ÖZBEK, HIKMET, 2003, Oocytes, Eggs, and Ovarioles of Some Long-Tongued Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), American Museum Novitates 3393, pp. 1-36 : 28

Xeromelecta californica (Cresson)

The egg of this species was previously described by Torchio and Trostle (1986).

MATURE OOCYTE (figs. 62–65): Length 1.70–2.95 mm; maximum diameter 0.35– 0.48 mm; egg index 0.59 (small). Shape as described for Melecta albifrons albovaria ; micropyle at anterior pole (fig. 62), not on a pronounced projection, apparently similar to that of egg of Melecta species described above, with area around it consisting of elongate converging polygons (fig. 62), borders of which are defined by grooves. Chorion (figs. 64, 65) similar to that of Melecta albifrons albovaria except polygons of midbody scarcely visible, and slight differences in ultrastructure of truncated projections.

MATERIAL STUDIED: Two females, Nebraska: Keith Co., Cedar Point Biological Station, VII­8–1987 (J.G. Rozen) near site of Anthophora occidentalis ; same except VII­ 19–1988, from cells of A. occidentalis .

REMARKS: The egg deposition habits of this species are discussed under Melecta species , above.

One of the females collected in 1988 contained no mature oocytes, no doubt because it had recently emerged from the pupa. All ovarioles were in an equal state of development, with the comparable oocytes in ovariole series equal in size. Among the three females with mature oocytes, there was a surprising range in the egg index from 0.40 to 0.73.