Lasioglossum (Dialictus) nymphale (Smith)

Gibbs, Jason, 2011, Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini), Zootaxa 3073, pp. 1-216 : 150-154

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) nymphale (Smith)

( Figures 164–168 )

Halictus nymphalis Smith, 1853: 68 . Ƥ.

Holotype. Ƥ USA, Florida (East), St. John’s Bluff; [ BMNH].

Taxonomy. Cockerell, 1905: Halictus nymphalis , p. 352 (tax. notes); Michener, 1951: Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) nymphale , p. 1115 (catalogue); Mitchell, 1960: Dialictus nymphalis Ƥ3, p. 409 (redescription); Krombein, 1967: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) nymphale , p. 465 (catalogue); Moure and Hurd, 1987: Dialictus nymphalis , p. 116 (catalogue).

Diagnosis. Female L. nymphale can be recognised by the following diagnostic combination: clypeus amber apically ( Fig. 164 B); mesoscutum not obscured by tomentum, punctures moderately dense (i=1–1.5d) ( Fig. 165 ); tegula ovoid; and metasoma orange-yellow ( Fig. 164 A). They are similar to L. pictum and L. arantium , which both have apical half of clypeus blackish brown. Female L. vierecki have mesoscutum obscured by dense yellowish tomentum ( Fig. 29 B).

Male L. nymphale can be recognised by the combination of clypeus amber apically ( Fig. 166 B), mesoscutal punctation moderately dense (i=1–1.5d) ( Fig. 167 ), mesepisternal punctures deep and distinct, metasomal terga reddish ( Fig. 166 A), apical impressed areas with narrow impunctate posterior portion.

Redescription. FEMALE. Length 3.93–4.78 mm; head length 1.26–1.32 mm; head width 1.25–1.34 mm; forewing length 2.84–2.96 mm.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma pale green. Labrum, mandible, and apical half of clypeus amber to yellow. Antenna dark brown, flagellum with ventral surface orange-yellow. Tegula pale brownish amber to yellow. Wing membrane subhyaline, venation and pterostigma pale brownish yellow. Legs brown, except tibial bases and apices, and tarsi brownish yellow. Metasoma terga orange-yellow, sometimes brown basally; terga and sterna with apical margins translucent yellow.

Pubescence. Dull white. Moderately dense. 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 with subappressed tomentum, partially obscuring surface. Metepisternum obscured by tomentum. Propodeum with moderately dense plumose hairs on lateral and posterior surfaces (2–2.5 OD). Metasomal terga with moderately dense, fine hairs.

T1 acarinarial fan sparse, without dorsal opening (obscure on pale background). T1 dorsolaterally, T2 basolaterally and T3–T4 entirely with moderately dense tomentum obscuring surface. T2 apicolateral and T3–T4 apical margins with sparse apical fringes.

Surface sculpture. Face imbricate, punctation moderately strong. Clypeus with apical half polished, punctation moderately dense (i=1–1.5d). Supraclypeal area with punctation dense (i≤d). Lower paraocular area and antennocular area punctation dense (i≤d). Upper paraocular area, frons and ocellocular area punctate-reticulate. Gena and postgena lineolate. Mesoscutum weakly imbricate, polished submedially, punctation moderately dense between parapsidal lines (i=1– 1.5d), contiguous laterad of parapsidal line and punctate-reticulate on anterolateral portion. Mesoscutellum imbricate, submedial punctation sparse (i=1–2d). Axilla punctate. Metanotum imbricate. Preëpisternum rugulose. Hypoepimeral area imbricate-punctate. Mesepisternum rugulose-punctate (i≤d), more polished below. Metepisternum with dorsal half rugoso-carinulate, ventral half imbricate. Metapostnotum with anastomosing rugae nearly reaching posterior margin. Propodeum with dorsolateral slope ruguloso-imbricate, lateral surface imbricate, posterior surface tessellate. Metasomal terga polished except apical impressed areas weakly coriarious, punctation fine throughout, close on basal halves (i=1– 1.5d), sparser marginal zone (i=1–2d).

Structure. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.98–1.01). Eyes convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.31–1.35). Clypeus 1/2 below suborbital tangent, apicolateral margins strongly convergent. Antennal sockets close (IAD/OAD <0.5). Frontal line carinate, ending 2–2.5 OD below median ocellus. Gena narrower than eye. Inner metatibial spur pectinate with 3–4 branches. Metapostnotum truncate (MMR ratio = 1.38–1.39), posterior margin weakly angled onto posterior surface. Propodeum with oblique carina obscure, lateral carina weak, not reaching dorsal margin.

MALE. Similar to female except for the usual secondary sexual characters and as follows. Length 3.81–4.30 mm; head length 1.27–1.31 mm; head width 1.27–1.32 mm; forewing length 2.84 mm.

Colouration. Labrum, mandible, and apical half of clypeus amber to yellow. Flagellum with ventral surface reddish brown. Tegula reddish brown. Pterostigma reddish brown. Legs brown, except tibial bases and apices, and tarsi brownish yellow. Metasoma reddish brown, darker basally, apical margins orange to brownish yellow.

Pubescence. Lower paraocular area with subappressed tomentum obscuring surface. T2–T3 laterally and T4 basally with sparse tomentum.

Surface sculpture. Surface more polished. Mesepisternal punctation deep and distinct (i≤d). Propodeum with dorsolateral slope rugulose, obscurely punctate, lateral and posterior surfaces polished, punctate. Metasomal terga with punctation deep and distinct across disc (i≤d), apical impressed areas impunctate except narrowly punctate basally

Structure. Head round (length/width ratio = 0.99–1.00). Eyes strongly convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.48– 1.59). Clypeus with apicolateral margins weakly convergent. Antennal sockets distant (IAD/OAD <1.0). Frontal line carinate, ending 2 OD below median ocellus. Pedicel subequal to F1. F2 length 1.5X F1. F2–F10 moderately short (length/ width ratio = 1.33–1.50). Metapostnotum moderately truncate (MMR ratio = 1.25–1.38), posterior margin narrowly rounded onto posterior surface.

Terminalia . S7 with median lobe clavate, apex rounded ( Fig. 168 ). S8 with apicomedial margin strongly convex ( Fig. 168 ). Genital capsule as in Fig. 168 . Gonobase with ventral arms widely separated. Volsella roughly ovoid. Gonostylus small. Retrorse lobe elongate, attenuated apically.

Range. Virginia south to Florida, west to Mississippi ( Fig. 169 ). USA: AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, VA.

Additional material examined. USA: ALABAMA: 1Ƥ Baldwin Co., Bon Secour N.W. Ref., T9S R2E Sec. 25 S, 12.x.1991 (G.C. Eickwort); 3ƤƤ233 Baldwin Co., Ft. Morgan S.P., T9S R1E Sec. 1,2, 15.x.1991 (G.C. Eickwort); FLORIDA: 4ƤƤ Highlands Co., Archbold Biol. Stn., 1–8.vi.1987 (D.B. Wahl); 4ƤƤ 13 Highlands Co., Archbold Biol. Stn., 9–16.vi.1987 (D.B. Wahl); 8ƤƤ Levy Co., 5 km SW Archer, 1.v–13.vii.1987; [ BRC Hym Team); [ CNC]; 1Ƥ Duval Co., Little Talbot Island S.P., 1.v.1974 (G.C. Eickwort); 1Ƥ Franklin Co., coast, 10 mi. S. of Panacea, 7.iv.1964 (G.C. Eickwort); 13 Welaka, 18–20.iv.1955 (H.E. & M.A. Evans); [ CUIC]; 3ƤƤ Highlands Co., N27.5461 W081.507, 3.vi.2007 (S.W. Droege); 5ƤƤ 13 Martin Co., N27.0886 W081.1518, 4.vi.2007 (S.W. Droege); 1Ƥ Pasco Co., Dade City, 5.v.1993 (L. Packer); 3ƤƤ Polk Co., N27.8164 W081.5974, 3.vi.2007 (S.W. Droege); [ PCYU]; 1Ƥ Inverness (C. Robertson); [ UCMC]; GEORGIA: 13 Forsyth, 5–10.vi.1971 (F.T. Naumann); [ CNC]; 18ƤƤ Liberty Co., St. Catherines Isl., 22–27.vi.1995 (A. Sharkov); [ PCYU]; MISSISSPPI: 3ƤƤ Jackson Co., N30.3675 W088.7194, 4–5.vi.2005 (S.W. Droege); [ PCYU]; NORTH CAROLINA: 1Ƥ Highlands, 1.vii.1957 (W.R.M. Mason); [ CNC]; 1Ƥ Bladen Co., 3 mi. S Ammon, 4.v.1963 (G.A. Matuza); [ CUIC]; 4ƤƤ Dare Co., N36.0306 W075.6764, 13.vii.2006 (S.W. Droege); [ PCYU]; SOUTH CAROLINA: 1Ƥ Aiken, 31.v.1957 (W.J. Brown); 1Ƥ Aiken, 24.viii.1957 (W.J. Brown); [ CNC]; Ƥ Chesterfield Co., N34.5036 W080.22485, 18–19.v.2006 (S.W. Droege); VIRGINIA: 1Ƥ Page Co., Shenandoah N.P., 8.vii.1987 (J.T. Huber); [ CNC]; 1Ƥ Virginia Beach, N36.9167 W076.05, 16–17.vi.2007 (W. Steiner); [ PCYU].

Floral records. ASTERACEAE : Bidens , Erigeron , Helenium , Pityopsis graminifolia var. tracyi , Solidago , Stokesia ; BRASSICACEAE : Lepidium virginicum , Warea carteri ; CACTACEAE : Opuntia austrina ; ERICACEAE : Vaccinium arboretum ; EUPHORBIACEAE : Croton cascarilla ; FABACEAE : Amorpha , “Cracca”, Dalea , Galactia pinetorum , Melilotus ; FAGACEAE : Castanea ; LAMIACEAE : Monarda , PORTULACACEAE : Portulaca oleracea ; RHAMNA- CEAE: Ceanothus ; ROSACEAE : Pyracantha , Rubus .

DNA Barcode. Available. Multiple sequences.

Comments. Common. Lasioglossum nymphale evidently has a preference for sandy areas.

Figures

FIGURE 29. Mesoscutum (A) not obscured by tomentum, (B) obscured by tomentum (L. vierecki). (From Gibbs 2010 b).

FIGURE 164. Lasioglossum nymphale (Smith) female, (A) lateral habitus, (B) face. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 165. Lasioglossum nymphale (Smith) female, dorsal view of mesosoma.

FIGURE 166. Lasioglossum nymphale (Smith) male, (A) lateral habitus, (B) face. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 167. Lasioglossum nymphale (Smith) male, dorsal view of mesosoma.

FIGURE 168. Lasioglossum nymphale (Smith) male terminalia, (A) ventral view, (B) dorsal view. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 169. Distribution map of Lasioglossum nymphale (circles).