Megachile (Callomegachile) lerma ( Cameron )

Kumari, Priyanka & Kumar, Neelima R., 2014, Studies on Megachile Latreille subgenus Callomegachile Michener (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from Chandigarh and Haryana plains, India, Zootaxa 3814 (4), pp. 591-599 : 594-595

Megachile (Callomegachile) lerma ( Cameron)

FEMALE ( Figs. 18–22 ). Diagnosis. Pubescence of paraocular area, tergum 6 is black; rest of face with dark greyish; dorsal surface of legs and scopal bristles white; basal tergum and fasceae of terga 2 and 3 fulvous red.

Head: Clypeus strongly convex at base, apical margin notched medially, uniformly and closely punctate; supraclypeal area strongly convex and densely punctate; paraocular area sloping laterally below level of antennae, carina distinct, densely sculptured; subocellar area feebly convex; mandibles short apically broad, dentate margin equal to inner margin, 4 -dentate.

Mesosoma: Scutum evenly convex, striate which become transverse medially and oblique laterally, median and parapsidal lines distinct and linear; pronotal lobe incarinate, transverse ridges low and obscure triangular, apex rounded, strongly convex in profile; first recurrent vein slightly far from base than second which is close to apex of second submarginal cell, wing reddish brown basally, fuscous apically, veins brown; tegulae closely and minutely punctate. Megachile lerma differs from Megachile umbripennis Smith , besides other minor differences, markedly by the color of the wings which is much more strongly infuscated in M. umbripennis , the light whitish part restricted to the area of the basal cells, the apical part being dark grey with a very strong violet lustre (S. Risch, pers. comm.).

Metasoma: Basal terga concavity margin subcarinate, narrowly shining along upper margin; graduli of terga 2–5 linear and complete; basal width of tergum 6 slightly greater than median length, slightly concave in profile; basal sternum slightly elevated; sternum 6 slightly transversely convex, closely punctate and well covered with scopal bristles.

MALE ( Figs. 23–28 ). Clypeus convex, bare medially, apical margin, punctures coarse and close becoming fine and very close apically; mandibles tridentate, lower margin without any processes; fore coxae with distinct short spine; 7th tergum much wider than median length; sterna 3 & 4 with subcarinate and complete graduli slightly thickened subapically and gently sloping to the hyaline rim, surface with coarse and close punctures, depressed rim fasciate.

Floral associations: Fabaceae ( Cajanus cajan (L.), Tephrosia hamiltonii J.), Lythraceae ( Lagerstroemia indica L.)

Recorded from Panchkula, Chandigarh.

Specimens examined: 1♂, Chandigarh, 11 Jul., 2012, 2 ♂, Panchkula, 13 Aug. 2012, 2♀, Chandigarh, 2 Aug. 2013, 3♀, Chandigarh, 17 Aug. 2013.

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 22. Megachile lerma female: 18. habitus, dorsal view; 19. head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 20. wing; 21. metasoma, dorsal view; 22. sterna, ventral view.

FIGURES 23 – 28. Megachile lerma male: 23. habitus, dorsal view; 24. head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 25. wing; 26. metasoma, dorsal view; 27. sterna, ventral view; 28. genitalia.