Sphecodini, Schenck

Gonçalves, Rodrigo Barbosa, 2021, A revised genus-level classification for the Neotropical groups of the cleptoparasitic bee tribe Sphecodini Schenck (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Halictinae), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (e 20200094) 65 (1), pp. 1-10 : 2

Key to the Genera of the Sphecodini of the Western Hemisphere (modified from Michener, 2007)

1. Inner orbits of eyes strongly converging below; head little wider than long; clypeus about twice as broad as long; carina across pronotum, between dorsolateral angles, continuous; surface of S2 conspicuously convex in profile, its base strongly depressed, suggesting strong constriction between S1 and S2; body tomentum yellowish, usually dense and covering terga ... ....................................................................... Ptilocleptis Michener

—. Inner orbits of eyes usually not strongly converging; head distinctly wider than long, as seen in frontal view; clypeus three or more times as wide as long, rarely only twice as broad as long; carina between dorsolateral pronotal angles incomplete; surface of S2 usually not strongly convex in profile, apparent constriction between S1 and S2 being weak; body tomentum, when present, whitish, not dense nor covering terga ............. 2

2. Free part of marginal cell at least three times as long as part subtended by submarginal cells; T1 slightly longer than broad; T5 with apical margin bare, like that of preceding terga .... ................................................. Microsphecodes Eickwort & Stage

—. Free part of marginal cell at most twice as long as part subtended by submarginal cells; T1 usually broader than long; T5 with margin hairier than that of preceding terga … .......................... 3

3. Preoccipital ridge not carinate; anterior margin of mesoscutum in profile gently convex, not sharply differentiated from dorsal surface; head and thorax finely punctate; mandibles elongate; free part of marginal cell about twice as long as part subtended by submarginal cells … ............................. Nesosphecodes Engel

—. Preoccipital ridge carinate; anterior margin of mesoscutum abruptly declivous, well differentiated from dorsal surface; head and thorax usually coarsely pitted, except in small species (less than 6 mm); mandibles not elongate; free part or marginal cell less than twice as long as part subtended by submarginal cells ..............................................................................................................… 4

4. Female scape not reaching median ocellus ( Fig. 1A ). Male flagellum short, shorter than mesosoma length ( Fig. 1B ); male T7 pygidial plate broad ( Fig. 1C ) … ... Melissocleptis gen. nov.

—. Female with scape reaching median ocellus ( Fig. 1D ). Male flagellum long, as long as mesosoma length ( Fig. 1E ); male T7 pygidial plate narrow ( Fig. 1F ) ... ..................................................... 5

5. Female mandible bidentate or simple; with or without thick, short spinelike setae on posterior margin of hind tibia; hind tibial plate rudimentary (defined at least along posterior margin) or absent. Male second hind tarsal segment broader at the base than the third; genital capsule variable (North and Central America) … ........................................ Sphecodes Latreille

—. Females always with the following combination: mandible simple; usually without tibial spinelike setae, or these setae as long as the plumose ones; hind tibial plate absent (not defined on posterior margin).Male second hind tarsal segment as narrow at the base as the third; gonocoxite not striate, gonapophyses narrow (South and Central America) … .......................................... .......................................... Austrosphecodes Michener , stat. nov.

Figures

Figure 1 Melissocleptis gen.nov.andAustrosphecodes. A)Melissocleptis capriciosus, female head, colored bars indicating the scape and frons length,B)M.capriciosus male head, F1–3 colored; C) M.capriciosa male metasoma, pygidial plate indicated in blue; D) Austrosphecodes brasiliensis, female head, colored bars indicating the scape and frons length, E) A.brasiliensis male head, F1–3 colored; F) A. brasiliensis male metasoma, pygidial plate indicated in blue. All images under the same scale.