Osiris pallidus Smith, 1854

ROZEN, JEROME G., 2000, Pupal Descriptions of Some Cleptoparasitic Bees (Apidae), with a Preliminary Generic Key to Pupae of Cleptoparasitic Bees (Apoidea), American Museum Novitates 3289, pp. 1-1 : 1-

Osiris pallidus Smith ?

Figures 7–10

In the recent past (e.g., Hurd, 1979), Osiris was generally placed in the exclusively parasitic Nomadinae with a large array of other genera. More recently Roig­Alsina ( 1989) suggested that the genus and its close relatives did not belong to the Nomadinae, and Roig­Alsina and Michener ( 1993) subsequently placed it in the Apinae with several other parasitic tribes that had been included in the Nomadinae sensu lato. Sharply pointed tubercles on the pupal head are characteristic of the Nomadinae; their absence in Osiris , therefore, seems to support the removal of the genus from the Nomadinae. However, there are no pupal features that align the genus with other bee taxa to the extent pupal bees are now known.

DIAGNOSIS: Among all of the cleptoparasitic Apidae , pupal Osiris can be recognized by the densely spiculated apical patch on each of the larger tergal tubercles (figs. 7, 9, 10). The erect, acutely pointed, paired mesoscutellar tubercles (figs. 7, 8) and the absence of mesoscutal tubercles are also helpful in distinguishing these pupae.

HEAD: Integument apparently nonspiculate, without either setae or sharply pointed tubercles, but with low, sometimes almost undetectable row of rounded verrucae above level of antennal sockets along inner orbit and another, even fainter series on vertex above and behind upper orbit. Apex of clypeus without rounded, downward­projecting swelling on each side of labrum as in Ammobatini; labrum about as long as wide, its apex a simple curve in frontal view; pupal ocelli strongly defined; each lateral ocellus with small, rounded tubercle immediately mesad; distal flagellomeres expanded on out­ er (lower) side. Mandibles strongly swollen posteriorly near apex.

MESOSOMA: Integument finely, inconspicuously spiculate in some areas; setae absent. Lateral angles of pronotum strongly produced, well elevated above lateral lobes, bearing low verrucae; posterior lobes of pronotum strongly produced. Mesepisternum without tubercles; mesoscutum without distinct paired tubercles but with paramedian row of verrucae on each side, anterior ones of which are larger than posterior ones; axillae unmodified, not elevated; mesoscutellum with pair of elevated, acutely pointed, paramedian tubercles; metanotum not produced. Tegula slightly produced, without tubercle(s), but apparently with low, poorly defined verrucae; wings with low, tuberclelike swelling about ⅓ way to apex. Coxae without tubercles; trochanters with apicoventral, angled expansion; femora somewhat expanded basoventrally; tibiae apically expanded into outer, angled, tuberclelike swelling, extreme apex of which often becomes pigmented; hind tibia also with basal verrucae on outer surface, without sharply pointed tubercles; tarsi without tubercles.

METASOMA: Integument finely, inconspicuously spiculate in some areas except apices of most tergal tubercles each with dense, conspicuously spiculate patch; setae absent. T1 with only one or two small subapical tubercles; T2–4 (female) with subapical row of rounded tubercles; T5 with tubercles small, indistinct; T6 without tubercles. Sterna without apical tubercles. Apex of metasoma produced into broadly rounded projection as seen from above (fig. 10), not as terminal spine. Spiracles evident.

MATERIAL STUDIED: 4 female pupae, Fazenda Santa Carlota, São Paulo, Brasil, preserved V­25­89 (E. Camillo, C. A. Garófalo) .

Figs. 11–13. Pupa of Mesoplia (Mesoplia) rufipes . 11. Entire body, lateral view. 12. Labrum and mandibles, frontal view, enlarged. 13. Right side of body, frontal view.

Fig. 14. Pupal thorax of Mesoplia (Eumelissa) species?, dorsal view.

Scales (= 1.0 mm) refer to figs. 7, 8 and to 11, 13, and 14, respectively.

The determination of this species as Osiris pallidus was based on body size, shape of pygidial plate and hind basitarus, and most aspects of color pattern of a developing pharate female that was nearing eclosion. However, integumental texture was difficult to evaluate, and the metasoma became quite dark apically, a feature not recorded by Shanks ( 1986) or found on females in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History. Hence the specific identity of these specimens is questionable.

Figures

Figs. 7–10. Pupa of Osiris pallidus? 7. Entire body, lateral view, with tergal tubercle with spiculate apex enlarged. 8. Anterior part of body, right side, dorsal view. 9, 10. Apex of metasoma enlarged, lateral and dorsal views, respectively.