Lasioglossum (Dialictus) ruidosense (Cockerell)

Gibbs, Jason, 2010, Revision of the metallic species of Lasioglossum (Dialictus) in Canada (Hymenoptera, Halictidae, Halictini) 2591, Zootaxa 2591 (1), pp. 1-382 : 279-282

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) ruidosense (Cockerell)

( Figures 195A–D , 196A–G )

Halictus ruidosensis Cockerell, 1897c: 142 . ♀ ♂.

Holotype. ♀ USA, New Mexico, Ruidoso Creek , 3.vii., (Wooton); [ NMNH: 3652]. Examined.

Halictus (Chloralictus) insulsus Sandhouse, 1924: 29 . ♂. [new synonymy]

Holotype. ♂ USA, New Mexico, Beulah, 18.viii., (W. Porter); [ NMNH: 26428]. Examined.

Taxonomy. Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) insulsum , p. 1114, L. (C.) ruidosense , p. 1117(catalogue); Hurd, 1979: Dialictus insulsus , p. 1967, D. ruidosensis , p. 1971 (catalogue); Moure & Hurd, 1987: Dialictus insulus , p. 109, D. ruidosensis , p. 128 (catalogue).

Diagnosis. Most similar to L. versans . See the diagnosis for that species.

Redescription. FEMALE. Length 5.80–6.16 mm; head length 1.39–1.56 mm; head width 1.37–1.54 mm; forewing length 4.21–4.27 mm.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma very faintly golden green to bluish green, nearly brown on parts of face and propodeum. Clypeus with apical half blackish brown, basal half, and supraclypeal area bronze. Antenna dark brown, flagellum with ventral surface brown to reddish brown. Tegula dark reddish brown. Wing membrane subhyaline, venation and pterostigma reddish brown. Legs dark brown, medio- and distitarsi reddish brown. Metasoma dark brown, terga and sterna with apical margins reddish to translucent brownish yellow.

Pubescence. Dull white. Sparse. Head and mesosoma with moderately dense woolly hairs (1–1.5 OD), longest on genal beard, metanotum and mesopleuron (2–2.5 OD). Lower paraocular area and gena without subappressed tomentum. Propodeum with moderately dense plumose hairs on lateral and posterior surfaces (1.5–2 OD). Metasomal terga with sparse, fine setae. T1 acarinarial fan absent, declivitous surface with sparse, erect hairs (1.5 OD). T2–T4 with dense tomentum basolaterally. T2 apicolateral and T3–T4 apical margins with very sparse fringes.

Surface sculpture. Face imbricate, punctation fine. Clypeus with apical half polished, punctation moderately sparse (i=1–2d), Supraclypeal area with punctation sparse (i=1–3d). Lower paraocular and antennocular areas with punctation moderately sparse, shallow (i=1–2d). Upper paraocular area, frons and ocellocular area reticulate-punctate. Gena lineolate. Postgena imbricate. Mesoscutum tessellate-imbricate, punctation fine and shallow, moderately dense between parapsidal lines (i=1–1.5d), dense laterad of parapsidal lines (i≤d), contiguous on anterolateral portions. Mesoscutellum polished, weakly imbricate, submedial punctation moderately dense (i=1–2d). Axilla punctate. Metanotum ruguloso-imbricate. Preëpisternum weakly rugulose. Hypoepimeral area ruguloso-imbricate. Mesepisternum granular-imbricate, obscurely punctate. Metepisternum dorsal third rugoso-striate, ventral portion imbricate. Metapostnotum weakly striate, not extending much more than halfway to posterior margin, posterior half weakly imbricate. Propodeum with dorsolateral slope weakly imbricate, lateral surface imbricate-tessellate, posterior surface tessellate. Metasomal terga polished except apical impressed zones weakly coriarious, punctation on basal halves distinct (i=1.5–2d), sparse on apical halves (i=1–4d).

Structure. Head moderately elongate (length/width ratio = 1.00–1.04). Eyes convergent below (UOD/ LOD ratio = 1.18–1.27). Clypeus 2/3 below suborbital tangent, apicolateral margins strongly convergent. Antennal sockets close (IAD/OAD <0.5). Frontal line carinate, ending 2.5 OD below median ocellus. Gena narrower than eye. Inner metatibial spur pectinate with 4 teeth. Metapostnotum moderately elongate (MMR ratio = 1.18–1.21), posterior margin rounded onto posterior surface. Propodeum with oblique carina virtually absent, lateral carina weak, reaching less than halfway to dorsal margin.

MALE. Similar to female except for the usual secondary sexual characters and as follows. Length 5.31– 5.43 mm; head length 1.42–1.51 mm; head width 1.37–1.43 mm; forewing length 3.60–3.84 mm.

Colouration. Antenna dark brown, flagellum with ventral surface brownish red to brownish yellow. Legs brown, medio- and distitarsi brownish red. Metasoma terga and sterna with apical margins brownish red.

Pubescence. Face below eye emargination with moderately sparse tomentum not obscuring surface. Lower paraocular area with moderately dense tomentum obscuring surface.

Surface sculpture. Mesepisternum punctation shallow but more distinct than female. Metapostnotum posterior half polished. Metasomal terga apical impressed areas impunctate.

Structure. Head moderately elongate (length/width ratio = 1.02–1.06). Eyes strongly convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.54–1.58). Clypeus with apicolateral margins subparallel. Antennal sockets close (IAD/ OAD> 1.1). Frontal line carinate, ending 2 OD below median ocellus. Pedicel shorter than, or subequal to, F1. F2 length 1.7–1.8X F1. F2–F10 moderately elongate (length/width ratio = 1.31–1.71). Metapostnotum moderately elongate (MMR ratio = 1.17–1.41), posterior margin rounded onto posterior surface.

Terminalia . S7 with median lobe wide acuminate, apex truncate ( Fig. 196G ). S8 with apicomedial margin convex ( Fig. 196G ). Genitalia as in Fig. 196E–F . Gonobase with ventral arms very widely separated. Gonostylus moderately large, setae very long directed medially. Retrorse lobe short, narrow, strongly attenuated apically, apical setae moderately elongate. Penis valve with strong inner crest.

Range. Alberta, British Columbia south to New Mexico, possibly north to Alaska ( Fig. 194 ).

Additional material examined. CANADA: ALBERTA: 1♀ 4 km E Coaldale, Hwy 3, N49.74542 W112.53325, 863 m, 12.vi.2007 (Gibbs & Sheffield) ; BRITISH COLUMBIA: 1♀ Okanagan-Similkameen Reg. Dist., Oliver, Sawmill Lk. , N49.2072 W119.614, 740 m, 29.vii.2008 (L. R. Best) ; SASKATCHEWAN: 3♀ Grassland N.P., N49.0711 W106.52935, 830 m, 4.vi.2007 (Goulet, Boudreault & Fernandez); [ PCYU] ; YUKON TERRITORY: 2♀ Alaska Hwy , km 1706, N60°59ʹ W138°34ʹ, 8.vi.1976 ( ROM Fld. Pty.); [ ROM] ; USA: ARIZONA: 5♀ Cochise Co., Flys Pk. Trail , 2.vi.1999 (L. Packer) ; 6♀ Graham Co., Mt. Graham, Shannon , 1.vi.1999 (L. Packer) ; COLORADO: 40♀ Jackson Co., N40.6017 W106.0726, 11–12.v.2004 (S.W. Droege) ; 4♀ Larimer Co., N40.6833 W105.3975, 11–12.v.2004 (S.W. Droege) ; 1♀ Park Co., N38.99338 W105.43515, 2595 m, 30.vii.2007 (Gibbs & Sheffield) ; MONTANA: 1♀ Gallatin Co., Hwy 287, N44.80377 W111.17462, 2030 m, 23.vi.2007 (Gibbs & Sheffield) ; NEW MEXICO: 2♀ Lincoln Co., N of Ruidoso , N33.45009 W105.68438, 2130 m, 10.viii.2007 (Gibbs & Sheffield); [ PCYU] ; 2♀ Lincoln Co., Ruidoso , 4.vii.1961 (G.C. Eickwort); [ ROM] ; 1♀ Otero Co., Cloudcroft , 8500 ft., 31.vii.1972 (G.C. Eickwort); [ CUIC] ; NEVADA: 1♀ Clark Co., 1 mi SW Mummy Spr. , 11S N4016746 E620965, 15.vii.2005 (S. Higbee) ; UTAH: 1♀ Kane Co., Lick Wash , 12S N4135503 E395058, 27.v.2003 (B. Hansen); [ PCYU] .

Floral records. ANACARDIACEAE : Rhus , APIACEAE : Heracleum maximum , ASTERACEAE : Carduus , Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus , Crepis acuminata , Machaeranthera canescens , Senecio serra , Solidago canadensis , Taraxacum , BRASSICACEAE : Erysimum , Nasturtium microphyllum , Sisymbrium , FABACEAE : Medicago sativa , Oxytropis , GERANIACEAE : Geranium , HYDRANGEACEAE : Jamesia americana , Phacelia , LAMIACEAE : Salvia , LINACEAE : Linum lewisii , POLEMONIACEAE : Polemonium , RANUN- CULACEAE: Clematis ligusticifolia , RHAMNACEAE : Ceanothus fendleri , SCROPHULARIACEAE : Castilleja integra , Mimulus luteus , Penstemon rostriflorus , Scrophularia, UNKNOWN : “ Geum trifidum ”.

Biology. Evans, 1970: (predators).

Comments. Common. DNA barcode data from specimens collected throughout out its range suggest that L. ruidosense may in fact be a complex of multiple closely related species and at least three of these possible species occur in Western Canada (J. Gibbs, unpublished data). Individuals in this putative species-complex occur at high elevations in the southwestern USA. Morphological examination does not support the recognition of multiple Canadian species. Evidence from additional sources (genetic, behavioural, etc.) or more detailed morphological study is needed to determine which dataset is misleading. Sequence data from an Alberta specimen closely match those of specimens collected near the type locality. As such, even if this is cryptic species complex, the true L. ruidosense presumably still occurs in Canada.

Figures

FIGURE 194. Distribution of Lasioglossum reasbeckae (dark grey) and L. ruidosense (light grey).

FIGURE 195. Lasioglossum ruidosense (Cockerell). Female (A) lateral habitus; (B) dorsal habitus; (C) face; (D) metapostnotum, T1. Scale bars, A–C = 1 mm.

FIGURE 196. Lasioglossum ruidosense (Cockerell). Male (A) lateral habitus; (B) dorsal habitus; (C) face; (D) metapostnotum; (E) ventral view of genital capsule; (F) dorsal view of genital capsule; (G) S7, S8. Scale bars, A–C = 1 mm, G = 0.5 mm.