Epeolus interruptus Robertson, 1900

Onuferko, Thomas M., 2018, A revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Epeolus Latreille for Nearctic species, north of Mexico (Hymenoptera, Apidae), ZooKeys 755, pp. 1-185 : 101-103

29. Epeolus interruptus Robertson, 1900 Figs 61, 62

Epeolus interruptus Robertson, 1900. Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 10: 55 (♀).

Diagnosis.

Unique to E. interruptus among North American species of Epeolus are each of the following morphological features: the metanotum has a blunt median process and T1 has a wide triangular discal patch with concave lateral sides. Epeolus interruptus most closely resembles E. tessieris in that the mesoscutum has short paramedian bands; the axilla does not attain the midlength of the mesoscutellum and like the mesoscutellum is ferruginous (although both are occasionally black in E. interruptus ); the mesopleuron commonly has sparser punctures ventrolaterally than in upper half, with the interspaces shining; and T1-T4 have medially-interrupted metasomal fasciae. However, in E. tessieris the metanotum is flat and T1 has a trapezoidal to nearly semicircular discal patch.

Redescription.

This species was recently redescribed ( Onuferko 2017).

Distribution.

Central and western Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains, to northern Mexico (Fig. 62).

Ecology.

See Onuferko (2017) for host and floral records. Floral associations are also indicated in Suppl. material 1, which includes a newly discovered association with Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners based on the label of one examined voucher specimen.

Discussion.

Detailed morphological and taxonomic remarks about this species are given in Onuferko (2017).

Material studied.

Type material. Primary: USA: Illinois: Carlinville (Macoupin County), C.A. Robertson (holotype ♀ [INHS, catalog number: 44384]).

DNA barcoded material with BIN-compliant sequences.

Available. BOLD:ACZ9058. Specimens examined and sequenced.-USA: Arizona: 3♀, 2♂ (PCYU); Utah: 1♂ (BBSL); Virginia: 1♀ (CTMI).

Non-barcoded material examined.

Canada: Manitoba: 6♀ (CNC); Ontario: 1♀ (CNC).

Mexico: Baja California: 1♂ (EMEC); San Vicente, 08.vii.1963, J.D. Birchim (2♀, CAS); Baja California Sur: vic.Est. Microondas “Ligüí” (48 km S Loreto), 07.ix.1977, R.R. Snelling (1♀, 1♂, LACM); Nuevo León: Cola de Caballo, 18.vi.1975, H.V. Weems, Jr. (1♂, FSCA).

USA: Arizona: 2♀, 4♂ (AMNH, PCYU); 4.7 mi SE Portal (Cochise County), 03.ix.1978, R.E. Coville (1♀, EMEC); California: Colton, 26-28.v.1917, E.P. Van Duzee (1♂, CAS); Colorado: Boulder, 20.vii.1908, S.A. Rohwer (1♂, CAS); Eldorado Springs, 08.vii.1962, U.N. Lanham (1♂, CUM); Roxborough State Park (39.4356°N; 105.0760°W), 12.vi.2000, A.L. Hicks and V. Scott (1♂, CUM); Idaho: 5 mi E Harvard, 21.vii.1971, R.M. Bohart (1♂, UCBME); Iowa: 1♀ (AMNH); Louisiana: 1♂ (USNM); Michigan: G. H. Gordon Biological Station (44.0470°N; 85.6670°W) (Lake County), 28.vi.2015, J. Gibbs (1♂, JBWM); Nebraska: 1♀ (AMNH); New Mexico: 2♂ (BBSL, FMNH); Texas: 3♀ (AMNH, CTMI); 30 mi N Uvalde (Uvalde County), 21.vi.1983, W.J. Pulawski (1♂, CAS); McAllen Botanical Gardens (McAllen), 1973, C.C. Porter (1♂, FSCA), 20.iii.1976, C.C. Porter (1♀, FSCA); Utah: 1♂ (BBSL).