Anthophora (Micranthophora) chihuahua Orr & Pitts & Griswold 2018, SP. NOV.
Creators: name: Orr, Michael C.
name: Pitts, James P.
name: Griswold, Terry
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Apidae
Anthophora
Anthophora chihuahua

description: Anthophora (Micranthophora) chihuahua, SP. NOV.
(Figs. 39D, 44D, 49D, 54D, 59D, 64D, 69D, 74D)
Anthophora (Micranthophora) chihuahua (holotype: ♂; Christmas Mountains, Texas, USA; coll. J. Pascarella, 1 May 2016; BBSL, BBSL1049122 / HOLO103).
Verbatim: “ USA Texas, Brewster Co. Christmas Mountains N29°25.276’, W103°26.347’ 1 V 2016, sweep net Pascarella” “ HOLOTYPE Anthophora chihuahua male Orr BBSL1049122.”
Diagnosis. Males may be determined by the following character combination: galea clearly extending past rear of foretrochanter in repose; mandible with inferior tooth distinct but low, roughly paralleling main blade (Fig. 49D); scape at least partially maculated, usually fully so; scutum shiny, appearing so due to either distinct impunctate areas or generally sparse punctation; basitibial plate present, sometimes obscured by setae; tergal rims relatively transparent, at most tan; T1–T4 with thin apical appressed setal bands; and T7 with medial longitudinal carina, lateral projections sharp, and apically rounded medial projections somewhat broad and short with their texture abruptly changing near the base (Fig. 59D). Females may be determined by the following character combination: galea clearly extending past rear of foretrochanter in repose, very weakly tessellate if at all, with strong reflections; clypeal maculation typically nearing half of clypeal height, usually with a slight medial point formed by relatively straight sides (Fig. 39D); scutum shiny, with impunctate areas of variable size; terga tessellate, dull; T1–T4 with appressed setal bands, often interrupted on T4; T4 rim transparent to tan, broadly triangular; T5 with appressed setae; anal fimbria brown to black.
Male description. Head: Facial maculations pale yellow. Galea reaching about rear of foretrochanter or slightly exceeding it in repose; dark brown; weakly tessellate if at all, with strong reflections. Mandible with inferior tooth ovular to weakly triangular, running roughly parallel to main blade (Fig. 49D); maculated from base to about middle of inferior tooth. Labral rim tridentate; fully maculated. Clypeal maculation a low band, not reaching lateral sides, tallest medially where it fills about a third or less of clypeal height (Fig. 49D); punctation nearly absent near rim but much denser above bottom third of clypeal height. Paraocular area immaculate. Supraclypeal area immaculate. Scape usually maculated; fully along length below, uncommonly absent basally. Mesosoma: Scutum shiny; with distinct impunctate areas. Tegula moderately translucent, light to medium brown. Basitibial plate present; usually distinct but sometimes obscured by setae. Metasoma: T1–T6 with thin appressed setal bands, often undulate, sometimes weaker on T5–T6. Terga strongly tessellate between punctures, with few to no reflections; not apparent through appressed setae. Tergal rims relatively transparent, clear to light brown. Male T7 (Fig. 59D) with somewhat obscure medial longitudinal carina, flanked by dense setae; lateral projections strongly recurved, sharp; medial projections broadly rounded and relatively short. Male S5 (Figs. 38A, 38C) setal arrangement unremarkable, without large, distinctive patches, at most longer along rim. Male S6 (Fig. 38A) clearly medially emarginate. Male S7 (Fig. 64D) with setae absent or nearly so around midpoint of length; widening from midpoint to tip, apical half widest near rounded lateral tips; apical half triangular, rim roughly flat. Male S8 (Fig. 69D) lateral projections distinct; medial projection narrowing to tip, apically emarginate. Male genital capsule (Fig. 74D) with outer corners, where gonocoxite tips curve inward, marked by obvious flange of about 90 degrees or greater, best seen in profile; from corner to apex, in profile, gonocoxite relatively unmodified, concave or straight; tip, in profile, rounded and strongly curved ventrally, with minor dorsal projection clearly pointed; gonostylus tip position significantly exceeding that of gonocoxite, measured from above along primary axis of latter. Pubescence: See Fig. 54D. Appears dark gray overall, given weak appressed setal bands. All setae white, except as follows: vertex variably dark around ocelli; scutum regularly with intermix; leg inner faces with orange or brown; tergal basal zones dark.
Female similar to male, except: Head: Mandible with inferior tooth ridge-like, only weakly angled off main blade (Fig. 39D, somewhat obscured). Labral rim rounded. Clypeal maculation distinctly medially pointed upward, often rising above half of clypeal height (Fig. 39D). Scape immaculate. Mesosoma: Midtibial spur apically curved; tan to orange. Basitibial plate circular distally, teardropped overall. Metasoma: T1–T4 appressed setal bands thicker and almost always undulate, often interrupted on T4; T5 with appressed setae, sometimes little. T4 impunctate rim of extended length medially, triangular. Anal fimbria strongly triangular, covering more than third but usually less than half of T5 length medially. Pubescence: See Fig. 44D. Appears somewhat lighter overall. Vertex and scutum darker; hindbasitarsal brush medium to dark brown; anal fimbria dark brown, sometimes light around perimeter; S5 dark apicomedially, sometimes obscured by light setae.
Distribution. See Fig. 9. Possibly rare or uncommon. Present in USA: New Mexico, Texas, possibly Arizona; Mexico: likely Chihuahua, likely Coahuila. Found almost exclusively in Chihuahuan Desert. Ecoregional habitance is as follows, based on 19 specimen records: 2 ecoregions total: Chihuahuan Desert (16=84.2%), Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests (3=15.8%).
Phenology. Recorded from April–May, August–September, and November, primarily in spring. Few records preclude certainty, bivoltinism possible.
Nesting biology. Unknown.
Floral specialization. Likely specialist on Asteraceae to some degree, given the preferences of the most closely related species. Primary recorded visits by one female includes: Family Asteraceae (100%); Genus Ericameria (100%); Species Ericameria teretifolia (100%).
Etymology. Anthophora chihuahua is named for the desert in which it is most common. Note that this species is called “ aff. erythrothorax ” on determination labels prior to the choice of a species name (this name was also used for some specimens of A. escalante). The epithet is a noun in apposition.
Comments. The character states given in this species account and key were described liberally because the few specimens available may not represent the full variation of this species. Given the similarity of this species to A. estebana, Orr determinations of the latter species from before 2015 should be checked against A. chihuahua if from east of Arizona.
Paratypes: USA: NEW MEXICO: Otero County: Alamo Canyon, near Alamagordo: 1 ♀, 3 Sep 1990, T. L. Griswold; Alamogordo: 1 ♀, 5 Aug 1966, D. R. Miller; 1 ♀, 5 Aug 1966, R. L. Brumley; TEXAS: Brewster County: Big Bend National Park, Mule Ears Overlook: 1 ♀, 15 Apr 1986, T. L. Griswold; Boquilas Canyon: 1 ♂ 1
♀, 12 Apr 1963, R. B. Roberts; Christmas Mountains: 1 ♀, 1 May 2016, No collector; 1 ♂, 1 May 2016, collector unknown; Terlingua Creek: 1 ♂, 16 Apr 1986, T. L. Griswold; El Paso County: El Paso: 1 ♂, 18 Aug 1908, F.C. Pratt (USNM).
Other specimens examined: USA: TEXAS: Brewster County: Boquillas Canyon, Big Bend National Park: 6 ♀, 19 Apr 1970, collector unknown; Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park: 1 ♀, 19 Apr 1970, collector unknown; El Paso County: El Paso: 1 ♀, 7 Nov 1910, P.H. Timberlake.
description: Published as part of Orr, Michael C., Pitts, James P. & Griswold, Terry, 2018, Revision of the bee group Anthophora (Micranthophora) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), with notes on potential conservation concerns and a molecular phylogeny of the genus, pp. 1-193 in Zootaxa 4511 (1) on pages 33-35, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4511.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3770979