Heriades texana Michener 1938
Creators: name: Rojas-Arias, Laura
name: Griswold, Terry
name: Hinojosa-Díaz, Ismael
name: Morrone, Juan J.
name: Barajas, Ricardo Ayala
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Heriades
Heriades texana

description: Heriades texana Michener, 1938
(Figs. 2H, 28–29)
Heriades texana Michener, 1938. American bees of the genus Heriades. Annals Entomological Society of America. Vol. XXXI:517.
Type locality: Kerrville, Texas, April 12, 1907, ex Marrubium vulgare (F. C. Pratt)
Holotype female in USNM.
Diagnosis. Malar area with angular projection (Fig. 29C) although is smaller on males; large ocelli (Fig. 3C); OPR 2.6 times OD (Fig. 29B, D). Male: projection on malar area (similar to H. crucifera but differing on having clypeus, frons and hypostomal area with plumose, long, white to goldish hairs); scutum and T3 with punctures medium-sized (0.67 times OD); posterior margin of S1 produced to median sub rectangular shape (Fig. 2 Hb), in profile, with low ventral angle less than one third of distance from apex to base (Fig. 2 Ha); posterior margin of S5 similar to H. crucifera, and H. leavitti, with two rectangular lobes, two rounded tufts of capitate hairs directed medially (Fig. 29E); S6 with two subapical tufts of short, thin hair, directed downward, all hairs with similar length (Fig. 29F). Female: large body size, outer surface of mandible with pointy, obtuse, angle at base of outer ridge forming a false ventral margin; apical margin of clypeus with two rounded tubercles and a submarginal, straight, transverse elevation between tubercles (Fig. 29C).
Additional material examined: MEXICO: Coahuila, Cuesta La Muralla, 500 m, 28.25055556 -101.0388889, 12/IX/1976, (BBSL 1♂). Hidalgo, Jacala, 1500 m, 21.03 -99.20277778, 27/VIII/1962, 05/V/1989, (KUNHM-ENT 3♀). Michoacán, Morelia, Colonia Lomas de Vista Bella, Calle Tihuapu, Lote Baldío, 1981 m, 19.673528 - 101.197028, 1/V/2023, S. Currea. (CNIN 1♀). Nuevo León, 5minE Galeana Jct. [1641 m, 24.82555556 -100.0775], 16, 17/IX/1976, J. A. Chemsak, et al. (BBSL 1♀). Querétaro, Cadereyta de Montes, Jardín Botánico Regional de Cadereyta de Montes “Ing. Manuel Gonzalez de Cosio”, 2062 m, 20.68365933 -99.80146833, 26, 27/VIII/2023, A. Pereira. (CNIN 1♀ 1♂). Sonora, El Novillo, 22 km E. [412 m, 28.97777778 -109.6341667], 23/IV/1990, J. G. Rozen (AMNH 4♀). Nogales, 1219 m, 31.30111111 -110.9380556, 11/IX/1965, A. E. Michelbacher (BBSL 1♀).
Distribution. This species is mainly present and abundant in the United States, but its distribution now includes records in central Mexico, Sonora, and Hidalgo (Fig. 28). Altitudinal range: 412 to 2164 m.
Comments. Compared to other species, females present the lowest tubercle in mandible from apex to base, with strong angle and tubercles more separated on apical margin of clypeus than in H. timberlakei Michener, 1938 and H. gracilior Cockerell, 1897. Mandibles are similar to H. vulcanica sp. nov., but differ by having white hairs on posterior terga, not orange. Males present similar S5 and S6 to H. leavitti, H. cristina sp. nov., H. vulcanica sp. nov., H. crucifera, but can be recognize by the projection on the malar area and clypeus covered in plumose, whitish to golden hairs, all of the same length.
description: Published as part of Rojas-Arias, Laura, Griswold, Terry, Hinojosa-Díaz, Ismael, Morrone, Juan J. & Barajas, Ricardo Ayala, 2025, Neotropical bees of the genus Heriades Spinola, 1808 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae: Osmiini) with description of nine new species, pp. 201-259 in Zootaxa 5570 (2) on pages 247-248, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5570.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14734877