Lestrimelitta Friese 1903
Creators: name: Guevara, Diego A.
name: Gonzalez, Victor H.
name: Ospina, Rodulfo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Apidae
Lestrimelitta

description: Keys to workers of Lestrimelitta from Central America and
Northern South America (Modified from Gonzalez and Griswold 2012)
Note: A reference to works illustrating morphological features and their corresponding figures are indicated in the couplets.
1. Propodeal spiracle ovoid, 2–3 times longer than broad (c.f. Marchi and Melo 2006; fig. 1) ............................ 2
―. Propodeal spiracle elongate, at least 4.6 times longer than broad (c.f. Marchi and Melo 2006; fig. 2) .......... 6
2(1). Lateral surface of mesepisternum practically glabrous, without dense, stout, erect simple setae .................... 3
―. Lateral surface of mesepisternum distinctly covered by stout, erect, simple setae (c.f. Marchi and Melo 2006; fig. 14) ........................................................................ 4
3(2). Anterior margin of mesoscutum, and often pronotal lobe, practically glabrous, without dense, stout, erect simple setae (c.f. Gonzalez and Griswold 2012; fig. 12) ……….……………. L. opita Gonzalez and Griswold
―. Pronotal lobe and anterior margin of mesoscutum distinctly covered by stout, long (1–1.4 times median ocellar diameter), erect, simple setae ................................. ............................................................................. L. limao (Smith)
4(3).Vertex, and often preoccipital border, with few, sparse, short erect setae restricted to interocellar area; disc of mesoscutum practically glabrous, not densely covered by short, fine setae, without a tomentose appearance; Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia …...…..…................... L. spinosa Marchi and Melo
―. Vertex and preoccipital border with longer, denser setae throughout; disc of mesoscutum densely covered by short, fine setae giving a tomentose appearance from which sparse, long, stout setae arise ………........................................................…............... 5
5(4). Mesotibial spur very reduced, apex barely visible; Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru ................... ......................................................... L. rufa (Friese)
―. Mesotibial spur normal, about as long as or slightly shorter than mesobasitarsus width basally; Colombia ...... L.piedemontana Gonzalez and Rasmussen
6(1). Vertex, preoccipital border, and anterior margin of mesoscutum practically glabrous, without erect setae, at most with sparse, short setae restricted to interocellar area and anterolateral corner of mesoscutum; disc of mesoscutum practically glabrous, with minute, appressed setae barely visible ………..................…...… 7
―. Preoccipital border, anterior margin of mesoscutum, and often vertex, with long, erect setae; disc of mesoscutum with variable pubescence, practically glabrous or densely covered by short, fine setae giving a tomentose appearance from which sparse, long, stout setae usually arise ....................……….…….….. 10
7(6). Small bees (body length 5 mm; head width 2.2 mm); mesoscutellum distally with short (about twice as long as median ocellar diameter), erect setae; mesotibia with few long, stout, semierect or erect setae along anterior and posterior margins ……..................…………………... 8
―. Larger bees (body length 6–7.4 mm; head width at least 2.3 mm); mesoscutellum distally with long (at least three times as long as median ocellar diameter), erect setae; mesotibia distinctly covered by long (about as long as median ocellar diameter or longer), erect, stout setae ……................................................. 9
8(7). Lateral surface of propodeum covered by relatively long and dense pubescence, integument visible among setae; mesotibial spur very reduced; Mexico …..................................…… L. chamelensis Ayala
―. Lateral surface of propodeum sparsely covered by fine, short setae (setae barely visible); mesotibial spur long, normal; Brazil, French Guyana …............... L. glaberrima Oliveira and Marchi
9(7). Anterolateral corner of mesoscutum with abundant, long, erect setae; pronotal lobe with long, erect setae inferiorly, with branched setae relatively long and dense on posterior margin; mesotibial spur very reduced; T2–T5 laterally with long setae (at least 1.3 times median ocellar diameter); body length ~ 6 mm; head width 2.3 mm; French Guyana …………...........….…………… L. guyanensis Roubik
―. Anterolateral corner of mesoscutum and pronotal lobe distinctly glabrous, at most with very short, sparse setae; mesotibial spur normal; T2–T6 with shorter setae (about as long as median ocellar diameter), progressively increasing in length towards apical terga; body length ~ 7.3 mm; head width 2.6 mm; Brazil, Guyana, Ecuador, Colombia …................… L. glabrata Camargo and Moure
10(6). Mandible with a single, small basal tooth; mesepisternum laterally with erect or decumbent setae ………………...........…………………………………. 11
―. Mandible with two small basal teeth; mesepisternum with variable pubescence, glabrous or with fine, decumbent setae .........……………………………….… 12
11(10). Large bees (6.1 mm in body length); mesepisternum laterally with erect setae, setae longer near omaulus, below pronotal lobe; propodeum laterally with long, branched setae; mesoscutellum elevated, not flattened and partially covering metanotum medially in dorsal view; mesotibial spur reduced, not visible ……………… L. monodonta Camargo and Moure
―. Small bees (4.8 mm); mesepisternum laterally with short, decumbent setae; propodeum laterally with short, appressed, minutely branched setae; mesoscutellum flattened, not covering metanotum medially; mesotibial spur long, 1.2× mesobasitarsal width basally ……...……………… L. diminuta sp. n.
12(10). Metasoma with erect setae on all terga, at least laterally, except on T1; South America …….....…... 13
―. Metasoma with erect setae on apical terga only; Central America ………..................................…….. 15
13(12). Head and mesosoma predominantly dark ferruginous (c.f. Gonzalez and Griswold 2012; figs. 1–3); disc of mesoscutellum largely glabrous (c.f. Gonzalez and Griswold 2012; fig. 3); sides of T2 with long setae (about as long as median ocellar diameter) (c.f. Gonzalez and Griswold 2012; fig. 4); Venezuela …. L. catira Gonzalez and Griswold
—. Head and mesosoma much darker, predominantly dark brown to black; disc of mesoscutellum sparsely covered with erect, short (about as long as median ocellar diameter) setae; sides of T2 with minute erect setae (at most half width of median ocellar diameter); Colombia ............................................ 14
14(13). Mesepisternum and disc of mesoscutum with short but distinct decumbent setae; mesotibial spur very reduced, apex barely visible; Colombian Pacific …………………....……………………….. L. galvisi sp. n.
—. Mes episternum and disc of mesoscutum glabrous or nearly so; mesotibial spur long, 1.3× mesobasitarsal width basally; Colombia, Magdalena valley …..……….. L. huilensis Gonzalez and Griswold
15(12).Mesotibial spur normal, long; disc of mesoscutum practically glabrous, with fine, minute setae barely visible; erect setae on anterolateral corner of mesoscutum distinctly longer and denser than those on along anteromedial margin …..................... ..................... L. danuncia Oliveira and Marchi
―. Mesotibial spur reduced; disc of mesoscutum more densely covered by short, fine setae giving a tomentose appearance; erect setae on anterolateral corner of mesoscutum about as dense as and about as long as those along anteromedial margin ……. 16
16(15). Discs of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with erect setae arising from short, fine pubescence, longer and denser on mesoscutellum; Mexico …............... ..................................................… L. niitkib Ayala
―. Discs of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum practically without erect setae arising from short, fine pubescence, at most with few, short, erect setae on mesoscutellum; Costa Rica ….............................. ..............…….… L. mourei Oliveira and Marchi
description: Published as part of Guevara, Diego A., Gonzalez, Victor H. & Ospina, Rodulfo, 2020, Stingless robber bees of the genus Lestrimelitta in Colombia (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini), pp. 17-29 in Caldasia 42 (1) on pages 26-28, DOI: 10.15446/caldasia.v42n1.75511, http://zenodo.org/record/15265313