Perdita rhodogastra 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 rhodogastra

description: Perdita rhodogastra Timberlake
Figs. 15 A–B, 16A–B, 17A–C, 18A–B, 19D–E, 21C, 23M, 24N–O, 41B, 45, 57A, 59L–M
Perdita (Heteroperdita) rhodogastra Timberlake, 1954: 367, ♂♀. Holotype ♀ (CAS type no. 14686), near Westmoreland, Imperial Co., California, USA.
Diagnosis. Both sexes of P. rhodogastra have the metasoma orange-amber (Figs. 15 A–B, 16A–B), though the coloration often ranges to light or dark brown in whole or part (Figs. 19 D–E). The female can be distinguished from species with similar-colored metasomas by the combination of the second medial cell weakened/absent (e.g. Figs. 4 C–D), clypeal marks white (which can cover the clypeus or be reduced to an abbreviated medial white mark and white on the lateral margins) and the pygidial plate triangular or subtriangular (Figs. 24 N–O). The male can be further recognized by the head oval and broader than long (Figs. 17 A–C), the head and mesosoma with bluish metallic luster, and the pygidial plate truncate apically (Fig. 23 M). The male can have medial white bars on the margin of the discs of T1, T2, and/or T3 (Fig. 15 B), but these are often reduced or absent. Perdita rhodogastra can be extremely variable in terms of coloration; see remarks below.
Redescription of female. Length: 3.1 mm. Forewing length: 1.9 mm.
Coloration. Head (Figs. 18 A–B) and mesosoma base color black with bluish or greenish metallic luster; clypeus dark except for basomedial white stripe and white on lateral margins of clypeus, dark markings generally forming U-shape, occasionally reduced to pair of bands; supraclypeal mark white, large, transverse, sometimes absent; paraocular mark white, transverse to subtriangular, extending to level of summit of clypeus, occasionally traveling up in thin line along eye; mandible white, tip reddish; labrum brown; scape brown, more or less white posteriorly and at apex; antenna brown dorsally, tan ventrally; pronotal collar dark brown with strong metallic tints with pair of small, well-separated transverse marks dorso-posteriorly; pronotal lobe white; legs dark brown except white on joints of femora and tibiae, anterior fore tibia, and distal fore tarsi, distal mid tarsi more or less lightened; wing veins dark brown; metasoma orange-amber, T1 generally darkened basally (Figs. 16 A–B); T1 sometimes with medial white bar on apical margin of disc; T2 fovea dark brown; pygidial plate orange-amber.
Structure and vestiture. Head broader than long (Figs. 18 A–B); lateral areas and circle around antennal socket covered in dense recumbent white pubescence, vertex with sparse erect pubescence; eyes slightly converging ventrally; facial fovea parallel to eye, slightly diverging dorsally, linear, extending from level of top of antennal socket 2/3 of distance to apex of eye, generally obscured by pubescence; mandible simple; labrum quadrate, slightly less than 2X broader than long; disc of clypeus broader than high, convex, apically protruding slightly less than 1 OD from face; lateral extension reaching 2/3 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; mesepisternum and margins of scutum sparsely covered with combination of recumbent and erect white pubescence; fore coxa and anterior margin of venter of mesepisternum with abundant, broadly hooked hairs; apex of mid tibia with some short, thick, curved setae; forewing with second medial cell weakened/absent; metasoma suboval, wide basally, tapering apically, widest at T3 (Figs. 16 A–B); terga tessellate and impunctate; T2 fovea linear, slightly thickened, over 1/2 length of T2; pygidial plate triangular, edges slightly curved rather than straight, apex typically pointed (Fig. 24 N), though often more or less rounded Fig. 24 O); hairs of prepygidial fimbria slightly thickened, dense.
Redescription of male. Length: 2.6 mm. Forewing length: 1.8 mm.
Coloration. Head (Figs. 17 A–C) and mesosoma base color black with bluish metallic luster; clypeus white or yellowish-white, sometimes with narrow medial U-shaped dark mark; supraclypeal mark white, large, broader than long; paraocular mark white or yellowish-white, subtriangular to triangular, extending to level of antennal socket, sometimes continuing up along eye in thin line; mandible white, tip reddish; labrum white, sometimes with basomedial dark spot; scape tan except more or less brown anteromedially; antenna dark brown dorsally, tan ventrally; pronotal collar with pair of large white transverse marks dorso-posteriorly; pronotal lobe white; legs dark brown except white on joints of femora and tibiae, fore tibia, distal fore tarsi, anterior mid tibia, distal mid tarsi, and basally on hind basitarsus; wing veins dark brown; metasoma uniformly amber (Fig. 15 A), T1–T3 often with medial white bar apically on disc (Fig. 15 B), though bars often absent in whole or in part; T2 fovea dark brown; pygidial plate amber.
Structure and vestiture. Head broader than long, oval (Figs. 17 A–C); face with dense appressed white pubescence encircling antennal base, sparse appressed pubescence on vertex; eyes 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 less than 1 OD from face; lateral extension reaching 1/2 distance to base of mandible; head with dense pubescence ventrally; mesosoma strongly tessellate, impunctate, slightly shiny; pronotal collar slightly impressed, humeral angle weak; mesepisternum and margins of scutum sparsely covered with combination of recumbent and erect white pubescence; hind tibia with sparse, short, slightly thickened hairs; metasoma equal in width or narrower than mesosoma, wide basally, tapering apically, widest at T3 (Figs. 15 A–B); terga tessellate and impunctate; T2 fovea linear, slightly thickened, 1/3 length of T2; pygidial plate very broadly triangular, almost spatulate, apex broadly rounded (Fig. 23 M); hairs of prepygidial fimbria slightly thickened, sparse.
Terminalia. S8 (Fig. 57 A) with spiculum bifurcate, lateral apodemes slightly prominent, pointing straight out; apical portion convex, quadrate, sides roughly parallel, diverging slightly before converging at truncate apex; apex curved over ventrally, apical margin of curved over area evenly rounded; sparse hairs ventrally; cuticle thinned in poorly defined oval medially. Genital capsule as in Figs. 59 L–M. Gonostyli separated dorsally by deep, narrow Ushape; dorsal lobe of gonostylus short and broad; ventral lobe extending slightly beyond level of penis valve with minute hairs on ventral edge of apex; volsella short and compact, cuspis narrow with two spicules on dorsal margin; digitus shorter and narrower than cuspis with single spicule on inner margin of apex; penis valve long, strongly undulating on inner margin, slightly converging above until strongly turned out at apex; endophallus extending slightly beyond level of penis valve, weakly sclerotized in medial line.
Floral records. Asteraceae (1 ♂ 3 ♀): Helianthus sp. 1 ♂ 2 ♀, Pectis papposa 1 ♀, Boraginaceae (103 ♂ 119 ♀): Heliotropium curassavicum 2 ♂ 19 ♀, Nama sp. 7 ♂ 4 ♀, Tiquilia latior 67 ♂ 83 ♀, T. palmeri 4 ♂ 1 ♀, T. plicata 22 ♂ 9 ♀, T. sp. 1 ♂ 3 ♀.
Phenology. Active from April to October.
Distribution. Mojave and Sonoran Deserts (Fig. 41 B), USA and Mexico.
Type material examined. Holotype data: ♀, CALIFORNIA: Imperial Co.: near Westmoreland, 31 May 1930, on flowers of Coldenia palmeri [= Tiquilia palmeri] (CAS type no. 14686). Paratype data: CALIFORNIA: Imperial Co.: 3.5 mi N Mount Signal Corner (32.72888 -115.63777): 1 ♀, 28 Apr 1949, P.H. Timberlake, T. palmeri; 5.4 mi S Seeley (32.71364 -115.67779): 1 ♂, 4 May 1949, R.C. Dickson, T. palmeri; Westmorland (33.0372 -115.6206): 1 ♂ 18 ♀, 31 May 1930, P.H. Timberlake, Heliotropium curassavicum; Riverside Co.: 7 mi S Ripley (33.42361 -114.65694): 1 ♀, 19 Oct 1951, P.H. Timberlake, Pectis papposa.
Additional material examined. Total specimens: 153 ♂ 241 ♀. MEXICO: Baja California [Norte]: Ejido Pachuca (32.61182 -114.82426): 1 ♂, 18 Jul 1933, collector unknown. ARIZONA: La Paz Co.: Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, TAMI 2 (33.36638 -114.69947): 2 ♀, 24 May 2013, M.C. Miner; 1 ♀, 19 Jun 2013, M.C. Miner; 2 ♀, 18 Jul 2013, M.C. Miner; 2 ♀, 30 Sep 2013, M.C. Miner; Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, TAMI3 (33.34364 - 114.69652): 1 ♀, 24 May 2013, M.C. Miner; 1 ♀, 18 Jul 2013, M.C. Miner; Maricopa Co.: Arlington, 10 km S; Gillespie Dam (33.2268 -112.7717): 1 ♀, 25 May–3 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin; 8 ♀, 3–7 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker; 1 ♀, 7–13 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin; Gila River, 10 km S Arlington (33.22147 -112.75888): 2 ♀, 25 May–3 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin; 2 ♀, 3–7 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker; 1 ♂ 2 ♀, 3 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin, Helianthus sp.; 2 ♂ 6 ♀, 3 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker; 16 ♀, 7–13 Jun 2010, F.D. Parker, M.E. Irwin; 2 ♀, 7–13 Jun 2010, M.E. Irwin; Mesa, 8 km NE; Gilbert Bridge (33.48595 -111.7863): 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 10 Apr 2014, Z.M. Portman, Tiquilia plicata; Mohave Co.: Bill Williams River NWR, CW1 (34.26066 -114.02736): 2 ♂, 17 Jul 2013, M.C. Miner; Bill Williams River NWR, CW2 (34.25954 -114.02914): 1 ♂, 17 Jul 2013, M.C. Miner; Littlefield ramp of Interstate 15 (36.8906 -113.9292): 1 ♂, 27 Sep 2013, Z.M. Portman, T. latior; Littlefield; County rd 91, right off I-15 (36.88844 -113.92928): 8 ♂ 3 ♀, 17 May 2012, Z.M. Portman, T. latior; 1 ♂ 3 ♀, 17 Jul 2012, Z.M. Portman, T. latior; 7 ♂ 3 ♀, 29 May 2013, Z.M. Portman, T. latior; Yuma Co.: The Island, dunes near Fort Yuma, 1 km W Colorado River (32.74416 -114.53694): 2 ♂ 2 ♀, 2 Jun 2010, G.R. Ballmer, T. plicata; Wellton (32.67 -114.14): 3 ♂, 14 May 1953, P.H. Timberlake, T. palmeri; Yuma, 15 mi NE (32.8637 -114.4773): 6 ♂ 4 ♀, 12 Apr 1961, R.&E. Painter. CALIFORNIA: Imperial Co.: 10 mi S Calipatria (33.02916 -115.52638): 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 19 May 1959, R.C. Dickson, T. sp.; Calipatria, 10 mi S (32.9783 -115.5274): 1 ♀, 19 May 1959, P.H. Timberlake, T. sp.; Westmorland (33.03 -115.62): 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 31 May 1930, P.H. Timberlake, Heliotropium curassavicum; Riverside Co.: Blythe, 18 mi W (33.5642 -114.5633): 1 ♀, 30 Apr 1992, J.G. Rozen, T. sp.; Mecca (33.572 -116.0734): 1 ♂, 25 Aug 1956, M.S. Wasbauer, T. plicata; Salton Sea State Park, N (33.53376 -115.97614): 13 ♂ 4 ♀, 20 Jul 2012, Z.M. Portman, T. plicata; 1 ♀, 27 Oct 2012, Z.M. Portman, T. plicata; San Diego Co.: Borrego Springs, 2 mi W (33.2576 - 116.375): 5 ♂ 1 ♀, 28 Apr 2013, Z.M. Portman, T. plicata. NEVADA: Clark Co.: Bitter Ridge, N (36.3083 - 114.6292): 1 ♂, 4 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz, T. latior; Bowman Reservoir, E (36.6222 -114.467): 1 ♀, 5 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; Devils Throat, N, turnoff to Devil's Throat (36.438 -114.153): 3 ♂ 22 ♀, 12 Aug 1998, T.L. Griswold, C. Schultz; Devils Throat, N (36.4427 -114.151): 6 ♀, 12 Aug 1998, T.L. Griswold, C. Schultz; Fire Canyon Wash (36.4548 -114.5088): 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 5 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; Kaolin Wash, S (36.479 -114.5267): 7 ♂ 6 ♀, 5 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz, T. latior; Las Vegas Dunes (36.2845 -114.9598): 20 ♂ 26 ♀, 9 Jun 1998, K. Receveur, C. Schultz, T. latior; Las Vegas Dunes (36.2853 -114.9642): 10 ♂ 6 ♀, 1 May 1998, K. Keen, C. Schultz, T. latior; 1 ♂, 21 May 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; 18 ♂ 15 ♀, 28 May 1998, K. Keen, C. Schultz; Las Vegas Dunes (36.286 -114.9667): 2 ♂ 8 ♀, 22 May 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen, K. Receveur, C. Schultz; Las Vegas Dunes (36.287 -114.9622): 10 ♂ 36 ♀, 6 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz, T. latior; Mormon Mesa (36.5702 -114.4197): 1 ♂ 2 ♀, 5 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; Mormon Mesa (36.5757 -114.4217): 1 ♂, 6 May 1998, K. Keen, K. Receveur, C. Schultz, T. latior; Mormon Mesa (36.7437 -114.375): 3 ♂ 4 ♀, 5 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; Overton, 8 mi S (36.4536 -114.4336): 7 ♂ 4 ♀, 27 Apr 1972, G.E. Bohart, F.D. Parker, P.F. Torchio, Nama sp.; Overton, NE (36.5693 -114.4193): 1 ♂ 3 ♀, 21 May 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen, K. Receveur, C. Schultz; Overton, SE (36.5213 -114.4367): 8 ♂ 14 ♀, 5 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; Riverside, 8.0 km SW; New Gold Butte Rd. (36.68319 -114.27962): 1 ♂, 23 Jul 2012, Z.M. Portman, T. latior; St. Thomas Gap (36.4023 -114.093): 1 ♂ 4 ♀, 7 Jun 1998, F.D. Parker; St. Thomas Gap (36.4041 -114.0933): 1 ♀, 26 May 1998, M. Andres, K. Keen, K. Receveur, C. Schultz; 3 ♀, 27 Aug 1998, O.J. Messinger, S. Messinger, C. Schultz; St. Thomas Gap (36.4058 -114.0937): 2 ♀, 29 Jun 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; St. Thomas Gap (36.4075 -114.0937): 1 ♀, 4 Aug 1998, M. Andres, C. Schultz; St. Thomas Gap (36.4083 -114.125): 1 ♀, 11 May–12 Jun 1984, R.C. Bechtel, J.B. Knight.
Remarks. Perdita rhodogastra is one of the more variable Heteroperdita, showing large differences in coloration and minor variation in structure (see description of variation below). The species can be divided into relatively disjunct Mojave and Sonoran populations, each of which tend to have their own unique characters. It was initially thought that these two disjunct populations could represent separate species, but no consistent morphological distinctions could be found. In terms of coloration, the northern populations have more extensive, dirty-white face marks in the female and the males tend to have a much darker metasoma. Structurally, in northern specimens the head is typically less broad and females generally have the pygidial plate slightly more rounded than in southern populations. However, in all of the preceding characters, intergrading forms are common both within and between populations. Particular attention was paid to the male terminalia, which showed considerable variation in S8, but again, no consistent differences. The picture was further muddied by the few specimens from southcentral Arizona, which show intermediate characters between the Mojave and Sonoran populations. As a result, P. rhodogastra is here treated as a single species, but the discovery of additional material could potentially change this calculus. Variation seen in northern females: Coloration. Face marks generally dirty-white in color; clypeus typically entirely dirty-white; labrum white in whole or part; transverse marks on pronotal collar reduced or absent; tubercles ranging from white to dark; mid tarsi and anterior face of mid tibia white; metasoma terga often brown on apical margins. Structure and vestiture. Face only slightly broader than long; pygidial plate rounded triangle, often approaching spatulate, apex generally lacking a well-defined point.
Variation seen in northern males: Coloration. Face marks generally dirty-white in color; transverse marks on pronotal collar reduced or absent; tubercles ranging from white to dark; metasoma coloration variable, ranging from amber to entirely dark brown; basal terga generally lacking medial white bars, except some specimens with medial white bar on T1. Structure and vestiture. Head generally only slightly broader than long; eyes often slightly misaligned with one eye slightly more converging ventrally.
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 67-70, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4214.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/253086