Perdita sexfasciata Timberlake
Creators: name: Portman, Zachary M.
name: Neff, John L.
name: Griswold, Terry
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Andrenidae
Perdita
Perdita sexfasciata

description: Perdita sexfasciata Timberlake
Figs. 10 B, 11B, 12B, 13B, 23O, 24Q, 47B, 48, 57C, 60A–B
Perdita (Heteroperdita) sexfasciata Timberlake, 1954: 368, ♂. Holotype ♂ (CAS type no. 14706), 4 miles east of Edom, Riverside Co., California, USA.
Perdita (Heteroperdita) optiva Timberlake, 1954: 371, ♀ (not type ♂).
Perdita (Heteroperdita) fasciatella Timberlake, 1980: 7, ♀. Holotype ♀ (CAS type no. 14520), Bouse, Mojave Co., Arizona, USA. Syn. n.
Diagnosis. Both sexes of P. sexfasciata have the metasoma black with white stripes apically on the discs of the terga (Figs. 10 B, 11B). Both sexes also share a slightly carinate omaulus, which is unique in Heteroperdita. The female is similar in coloration to P. trifasciata and P. optiva. It can be distinguished by the pygidial plate, which is large and broadly rounded (Fig. 24 Q), whereas in P. trifasciata the pygidial plate is narrowly spatulate and in P. optiva it is triangular. The male can be further recognized by having the head oval and non-quadrate (Fig. 12 B), pygidial plate with apex evenly rounded (Fig. 23 O), and five white bands on the terga.
Redescription of female. Length: 3.5 mm. Forewing length: 2.2 mm.
Coloration. Head (Fig. 13 B) and mesosoma base color black with metallic greenish or bluish luster; clypeus black with medial abbreviated white stripe; supraclypeal mark dark brown; paraocular mark white, triangular, extending along eye up to level of top of antennal socket; mandible white, tip brownish-orange; labrum dark brown; scape dark brown, more or less lightened apically; antenna brown dorsally, tan ventrally and apically; pronotal collar dark brown with metallic tints with pair of white transverse marks dorso-posteriorly; pronotal lobe white; legs dark brown except more or less white on apex of femur, anterior fore and mid tibiae, joint of hind femur and hind tibia, all basitarsi; wing veins brown; metasoma black except T1–T5 with white bands along margins of discs, bands thicker laterally and medially (Fig. 11 B); T2 fovea black; pygidial plate brown.
Structure and vestiture. Head broader than long (Fig. 13 B); lateral area covered by recumbent white pubescence up to level of fovea; eyes subparallel, slightly converging ventrally; facial fovea teardrop-shaped, angled medially towards antennal socket, extending from level of tops of antennal sockets half distance to apex of eye; mandible with small blunt subapical tooth; labrum quadrate, slightly less than 2X broader than long; disc of clypeus broader than high, convex, apically protruding 1 OD from face; lateral extension reaching 1/3 distance to base of mandible; venter of head with abundant inward-facing broadly hooked hairs; mesosoma strongly tessellate, impunctate, slightly shiny; pronotal collar slightly impressed, humeral angle weak; omaulus with distinct but weak carina; mesepisternum sparsely covered with combination of recumbent and erect white pubescence; scutum with exceptionally sparse and fine pubescence; fore coxa and anterior venter of mesepisternum with abundant, broadly hooked hairs; apex of mid tibia with some short, thick, curved setae; forewing with second medial cell present; metasoma oval, slightly wide basally, tapering apically, widest at T3 (Fig. 11 B); terga tessellate and impunctate; T2 fovea long, linear, 3/4 length of T2; pygidial plate wide, apex broadly rounded, margin flexed dorsally (Fig. 24 Q); hairs of prepygidial fimbria slightly thickened, sparse.
Redescription of male. Length: 3.1 mm. Forewing length: 1.9 mm.
Coloration. Head (Fig. 12 B) and mesosoma base color black with metallic bluish luster; clypeus yellowishwhite, sometimes invaded by brown basally; supraclypeal mark yellowish-white, small, often reduced or absent; paraocular mark yellowish-white, triangular, reaching level of top of antennal socket; mandible white, tip reddish; labrum ranging from dull white to dark brown; scape dark brown, more or less yellowish-white anteriorly; antenna dark brown, lightened to tan ventrally; pronotal collar brown with slight metallic blue tints with pair of wellseparated transverse yellowish-white marks dorso-posteriorly; pronotal lobe dull white; legs dark brown except yellowish-white on anterior fore and mid tibiae, basally on fore and mid basitarsi, joint of hind tibia and hind femur, and hind basitarsi; wing veins brown; metasoma dark brown except T1–T6 with white bands along margins of discs, bands thicker laterally and medially (Fig. 10 B); T2 fovea black, obscure; pygidial plate dark brown.
Structure and vestiture. Head oval, broader than long (Fig. 12 B); face, except for clypeus and frons, sparsely covered by recumbent white pubescence, pubescence thicker in lateral areas; eyes slightly converging ventrally; mandible simple, extending to far side of labrum in repose; labrum quadrate, 1.5X broader than long; disc of clypeus broader than high, slightly convex, apically protruding 1 OD from face; lateral extension reaching 1/3 distance to base of mandible; head with short thickened pubescence ventrally; mesosoma strongly tessellate, impunctate, slightly shiny; pronotal collar slightly impressed, humeral angle weak; omaulus with distinct but weak carina; mesepisternum and margins of scutum sparsely covered by combination of recumbent and erect white pubescence; hind tibia with sparse, thickened hairs; metasoma more or less equal in width to mesosoma, oval, slightly wide basally, tapering apically, widest at T3 (Fig. 10 B); terga tessellate and impunctate; T2 fovea linear, slightly thickened, 1/3 length of T2; pygidial plate short, spatulate, apex broadly truncate, margins flexed upwards (Fig. 23 O); hairs of prepygidial fimbria slightly thickened, sparse.
Terminalia. S8 (Fig. 57 C) with spiculum bifurcate; lateral apodemes prominent, strongly curving downwards; apical portion broader than long, moderately convex, sides very slightly converging up to small subapical points, then converging more strongly to truncate apex, apex shallowly and broadly emarginate; short hairs ventrally; lacking thinned cuticular area. Genital capsule as in Figs. 60 A–B. Gonostyli separated dorsally by relatively narrow V-shape; dorsal lobe of gonostylus large, broad, rounded; ventral lobe equal in length to dorsal lobe, relatively narrow with few minute hairs on apex; volsella large, extending beyond gonostylus; cuspis slightly curved dorsally with spicules dorsally on apex; digitus short and slender with single spicule on inner margin of apex; penis valve large with minute spots basoventrally, extending beyond rest of genitalia, fused nearly to apex, apex broad and flat with acute lateral angles diverging outwards; endophallus not apparent.
Floral records. Boraginaceae (34 ♂ 9 ♀): Nama sp. 19 ♂, Tiquilia latior 2 ♂, T. palmeri 8 ♂ 4 ♀, T. plicata 5 ♂ 5 ♀.
Phenology. Active in spring (April to June).
Distribution. Mojave and Sonoran Deserts (Fig. 47 B), USA (and likely Mexico).
Type material examined. Perdita sexfasciata Holotype data: ♂, CALIFORNIA: Riverside Co.: 4 miles east of Edom, 17 April 1937, P.H. Timberlake, at flowers of Coldenia palmeri [= Tiquilia palmeri (A. Gray) A.T. Richardson] (CAS type no. 14706). Perdita fasciatella Holotype data: ♀, CALIFORNIA: San Bernardino Co.: Bouse [since Bouse is not in California, the true state and county data is Arizona, Mojave Co.], 19 May 1970, P.F. Torchio, on flowers of Nama (P.F. Torchio often incorrectly identified Tiquilia as Nama (T. Griswold, pers. comm.)) (CAS type no. 14520). Perdita fasciatella Paratype data: 2 ♀, same data as P. fasciatella holotype.
Additional material examined. Total specimens: 36 ♂ 9 ♀. ARIZONA: La Paz Co.: Parker, 6 mi E; Shea Rd. (34.1322 -114.2288): 1 ♂ 2 ♀, 17 Apr 2010, G.R. Ballmer, Tiquilia palmeri; Mohave Co.: Topock, 2 mi N (34.74 -114.48): 16 ♂, 1 May 1983, P.F. Torchio, Nama sp.; Topock (34.71 -114.48): 3 ♂, 13 May 1983, P.F. Torchio, N. sp.. CALIFORNIA: Imperial Co.: nr Mount Signal (32.67843 -115.64033): 1 ♂, 15 Apr 1973, J.D. Pinto; Riverside Co.: Bradshaw Trail Rd., ca. 6.3 mi W Graham Pass Rd. (33.4483 -115.2683): 4 ♂ 2 ♀, 15 Apr 2013, M. C. Orr, T. palmeri; San Bernardino Co.: 20 mi S Needles (34.55888 -114.64611): 1 ♂, 18 Apr 1967, P.F. Torchio, N. Youssef; Needles, 20 mi S (34.56869 -114.6445): 1 ♂, 18 Apr 1967, P.F. Torchio, N. Youssef. NEVADA: Clark Co.: Cottonwood Cove (35.4875 -114.6944): 2 ♂, 4 May 1998, K. Receveur, C. Schultz, T. latior; 5 ♂ 5 ♀, 11 Jun 1998, K. Keen, C. Schultz, T. plicata; Davis Dam, W (35.1857 -114.5905): 1 ♂, 13 May 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen, T. palmeri; Laughlin, W (35.1833 -114.6167): 1 ♂, 13 May 1998, K. Receveur, C. Schultz, T. palmeri.
Remarks. Perdita sexfasciata was described from the male sex by Timberlake (1954). In the same publication, the female of P. sexfasciata was erroneously described as the female of P. optiva; this mismatch was rectified by Timberlake (1968).
Examination of the holotype and both paratypes of P. fasciatella reveal them to be specimens of P. sexfasciata. Timberlake (1980) cited differences in the facial maculations and the shape of the pygidial plate to split it from P. sexfasciata. The differences in the pygidial plate are not apparent and the facial maculations are within the natural level of variation seen in P. sexfasciata.
description: Published as part of Portman, Zachary M., Neff, John L. & Griswold, Terry, 2016, Taxonomic revision of Perdita subgenus Heteroperdita Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), with descriptions of two ant-like males, pp. 1-97 in Zootaxa 4214 (1) on pages 74-76, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4214.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/253086