Revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus <i>Cleptommation</i> (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Abstract

Abstract. The cleptoparasitic bee genus Cleptommation Engel, Brooks, & Yanega, new status (Halictinae: Augochlorini), is revised. In addition to the type species, Cleptommation minutum (Friese), new combination, the following new species are recognized: C. bulivyense Engel, new species, C. tupaqi Engel, new species, and C. chibchani Engel, new species. A lectotype is designated for C. minutum and a key to the species is provided. INTRODUCTIONWhile cleptoparasitic species number into the many hundreds in the bee tribe Halictini (particularly in the widespread genus Sphecodes Latreille), they are relatively uncommon in the New World tribe Augochlorini. Only three lineages consist of cleptoparasitic species among the augochlorines, these being Temnosoma Smith (with about seven species: Engel, in prep.), Noctoraptor Engel et al. (with six species), and Cleptommation Engel et al. (hitherto monotypic) (Engel et al., 1997;Engel, 2000Engel, , 2011a HinojosaDíaz & Engel, 2003;Santos & Silveira, 2009;Gonzalez et al., 2010). Presently, efforts are underway to complete revisions of the cleptoparasitic Augochlorini, of which this paper is the first contribution. Herein I focus on those species classified in Cleptommation (Figs. 1, 2) for which it is now recognized that there are at least four distinct taxa. The group was originally established as a subgenus of Megommation Moure, following the precedent of Eickwort (1969) of recognizing this genus in an expanded sense. However, the subgenera of Megommation are are significantly different from each other, and lumping these clades together serves little classificatory purpose. Accordingly, I follow Silveira et al. (2002) who split the constituent subgenera of Megommation, raising Megaloptina Eickwort and Stilbochlora Engel et al. to generic rank (these authors chose not to recognize Cleptommation). Cleptommation is retained as distinct from Megalopti- Journal of Melittology 2No. 22 na, to whom it is closely related (Engel, 2000), until such time as a revision of the latter genus is completed. The classification of the Megaloptidia-group genera (as originally recognized by Engel, 2000) is summarized in Table 1. What was previously considered to belong to a single species of Cleptommation is now recognized to be multiple taxa based on the study of more extensive material, albeit still uncommon. The type species, Cleptommation minutum (Friese), is more finely characterized and three new species are established. Unfortunately the hosts and biology of species of Cleptommation remain entirely unknown, although it has been suspected that they victimize species of Megaloptina. It is hoped that by drawing the diversity of this small genus to the attention of melittologists their biology may eventually be elucidated. MATERIAL AND METHODSThis work is based on material in the Snow Entomological Collection, Division of Entomology, University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Lawrence, Kansas, USA (SEMC); USDA Bee Biology and Systematics Lab, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA (EMUS)...

Three new species of the bee genus <i>Caenaugochlora</i> from Central America and Colombia (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

“…For the descriptions, morphological terminology follows that of Eickwort (1969), Engel (2000, 2001, 2009b), and Michener (2007, while the format is adapted from that used elsewhere in Caenaugochlora (e.g., Engel, 1995aEngel, , 2009aEngel, , 2014, as well as more broadly among augochlorine bees (e.g., Engel, 1995bEngel, , 1997bEngel, , 2003Engel, , 2010aEngel, , 2010bEngel, , 2013aEngel, , 2013bEngel & Brooks, 2002;Engel et al, 1997Engel et al, , 2014Brooks & Engel, 1998, 1999Oliveira et al, 2012). Measurements were taken with an ocular micrometer on an Olympus SZX-12 stereomicroscope.…”

A new genus of augochlorine bees from northern Venezuela (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

“…No. 87 Silveira et al, 2002;Engel, 2013;Gonçalves, 2016). Although not advised, an alternative system could subsume each of these small groups as subgenera within Megaloptidia.…”

“…Traditionally, this group has included the genera Megaloptidia Cockerell, Megommation Moure, Ariphanarthra Moure, Micrommation Moure, Megaloptina Eickwort, Stilbochlora Engel et al, and Cleptommation Engel et al (Eickwort, 1969;Engel, 2000). The last three of these were originally established as subgenera within an expanded Megommation (e.g., Eickwort, 1969;Engel et al, 1997;Engel, 2000;Michener, 2007), but owing to their rather dissimilar morphologies and biologies (Silveira et al, 2002;Engel, 2013) and the fact that Megommation s.l. as so defined was not monophyletic (Gonçalves, 2016) these have since been recognized as individual genera (e.g.,…”

Revision of the bee genus <i>Chlerogella</i> (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Part IV: A new species from southwestern Colombia

“…34 Brooks, 1999b;Oliveira et al, 2012), Xenochlora Engel et al , Megaloptidia Cockerell , Megaloptilla Moure & Hurd (Engel & Brooks, 1999a), Chlerogas Vachal (Brooks & Engel, 1999;Engel et al, 2006;Engel & Gonzalez, 2009;Engel, 2009aEngel, , 2010a, Ischnomelissa Engel (Engel, 1997(Engel, , 2013aEngel & Brooks, 2002), Micrommation Moure (Smith-Pardo & Engel, 2004), Augochlorella Sandhouse (Coelho, 2004), Thectochlora Moure (Gonçalves & Melo, 2006), Rhynchochlora Engel (Engel, 2007), Chlerogella Michener (Engel, 2009bEngel & Rasmussen, 2013), Halictillus Moure (Gonçalves, 2010a), Ceratalictus Moure (Coelho & Gonçalves, 2010), Megommation Moure (Gonçalves & Santos, 2010), Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Gonçalves & Melo, 2012), and Cleptommation Engel et al (Engel, 2013b). In addition, several regional revisions have been completed for Neocorynura Schrottky (Smith-Pardo, 2005a, 2005b, 2010Smith-Pardo & Gonzalez, 2009;Engel & Smith-Pardo, 2012), Pseudaugochlora Michener (Almeida, 2008), Megalopta Smith (Santos & Silveira, 2009;Gonzalez et al, 2010), Caenaugochlora Michener , and Augochlora Smith (Dalmazzo & Roig-Alsina, 2011).…”

“…Remarkably, for the bee tribe Augochlorini a number of genera have been revised, particularly during the last 20 years, and keys to the species provided -these include Paroxystoglossa Moure (Moure, 1960), Ctenaugochlora Eickwort (Engel, 1995a;), Rhectomia Moure s.l. (Engel, 1995b;Gonçalves, 2010b) Brooks & Engel, 1999;Engel et al, 2006;Engel & Gonzalez, 2009;Engel, 2009a), Ischnomelissa Engel (Engel, 1997, 2013aEngel & Brooks, 2002) et al (Engel, 2013b). In addition, several regional revisions have been completed for Neocorynura Schrottky (Smith-Pardo, 2005a, 2005b, 2010Smith-Pardo & Gonzalez, 2009;Engel & Smith-Pardo, 2012), Pseudaugochlora Michener (Almeida, 2008), Megalopta Smith (Santos & Silveira, 2009;Gonzalez et al, 2010), Caenaugochlora Michener (Gonçalves & Engel, 2010, and Augochlora Smith (Dalmazzo & Roig-Alsina, 2011).…”