Anthophora (Micranthophora) caudata 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 caudata

description: Anthophora (Micranthophora) caudata, SP. NOV.
(Figs. 33B, 39C, 44C, 49C, 54C, 59C, 64C, 69C, 74C)
Anthophora (Micranthophora) caudata (holotype: ♂; Cuatro Cienegas Nat’l Preserve, Site E2, ~ 8 km SE of Cuatro, Coahuila, Mexico; coll. D.C. Lightfoot et al., 19 Sep. 2011; BBSL, BBSLID99013 / HOLO107).
Verbatim: “ Mexico: Coahuila, Cuatro Cienegas Nat’l Preserve 19 IX 2011 26.91021°N 102.03642°W D.C. Lightfoot et al., colrs” “Site E2 ~8 Km Se of Cuatro saline gypsum marsh general collecting” “ HOLOTYPE Anthophora caudata male TYPE Orr BBSLID99013” “ Anthophora sp. male Det. K. R. Wetherill 2011.”
Diagnosis. Males are immediately recognizable by T7’s unusually long medial projections, which dwarf the blunt lateral projections (Fig. 59C). Males may be otherwise determined by the following character combination: galea clearly reaching well beyond the foretrochanter in repose; clypeus with strong inverted-T maculation (Fig. 49C); supraclypeal maculation transverse, often weak; scutum shiny, with impunctate areas; basitibial plate absent; terga covered in appressed white setae. Females may be determined by the following character combination: galea with long setae curved toward tip (Fig. 33B); mandible with inferior tooth moderate to large, vaguely triangular, angled off main blade (Fig. 39C); supraclypeus amorphously maculated; terga covered with appressed, white setae; and anal fimbria light, yellow to orange.
Male description. Head: Facial maculations richly yellow. Galea reaching well past foretrochanter in repose; amber to brown; weakly tessellate to smooth and shiny, with strong reflections. Mandible with inferior tooth large and triangular, strongly angled off main blade; maculated from base to near distal attachment of inferior tooth (Fig. 49C). Labral rim tridentate; fully maculated. Clypeal maculation an inverted-T, present in lower half or more with narrow medial line extending upward, reaching lateral sides, and most often reaching top medially (Fig. 49C); punctation nearly absent near rim but much denser above bottom third of clypeal height. Paraocular area immaculate. Supraclypeal area maculated; transverse, sometimes pointed above. Scape maculated; fully along length and width below. Mesosoma: Scutum shiny; with impunctate areas, sometimes weak. Tegula transparent to translucent, yellow to brown. Basitibial plate absent. Metasoma: T1–T6 covered in appressed setae. Terga smooth and shiny between punctures, with strong reflections; apparent through appressed setae. Tergal rims fully transparent or nearly so, tan at most. Male T7 (Fig. 59C) without medial longitudinal carina, setae often obscuring area; lateral projections weakly recurved, blunt flanges; medial projections extremely long, thin, slightly directed literally. Male S5 (Fig. 38A) setal arrangement unremarkable, without large, distinctive patches, at most longer along rim. Male S6 resembling Fig. 38B, clearly medially emarginate with slight transparent integumental infill near base, but with slight transparent bump at center of medial emargination, with stronger setal tuft there. Male S7 (Fig. 64C) with setae absent or nearly so around midpoint of length; widening from midpoint to tip, apical half widest near rounded lateral tips; apical half vaguely trapezoidal, rim rounded outward, with narrow medial emargination. Male S8 (Fig. 69C) lateral projections reduced but distinct; medial projection narrowing to tip, apically emarginate. Male genital capsule (Fig. 74C) 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, pointed and strongly curved ventrally; gonostylus tip position slightly to significantly exceeding that of gonocoxite, measured from above along primary axis of latter. Pubescence: See Fig. 54C. Appears light gray overall. All white, except orange on leg inner surfaces and often sterna.
Female similar to male, except: Head: Galea medium to dark brown; more often weakly to moderately tessellate; with sparse but distinct, curved setae over the galeal surface, pointing toward galeal tip (Fig. 33B). Labral rim rounded. Supraclypeal area rarely immaculate; usually more amorphous. Scape immaculate. Mesosoma: Scutum uncommonly without impunctate areas. Midtibial spur apically curved; tan to orange. Basitibial plate circular distally, teardropped overall. Metasoma: T1–T4 covered in appressed setae; T5 with extensive appressed setae. T4 impunctate rim of short length medially, weakly expanded medially. Anal fimbria triangular, filling roughly third or slightly more of T5 length medially. Pubescence: See Fig. 44C. Hindbasitarsal brush medium to dark brown; anal fimbria yellow to orange.
Distribution. See Fig. 8. Present in USA: New Mexico, Texas, possibly Arizona; Mexico: Coahuila, likely Chihuahua, possibly Durango. Found almost exclusively in Chihuahuan Desert. Ecoregional habitance is as follows, based on 105 specimen records: 4 ecoregions total: Chihuahuan Desert (91=86.7%), Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests (10=9.5%), Western short grasslands (3=2.9%), Colorado Plateau shrublands (1≤1%).
Phenology. Recorded from April–September, primarily May and August–September, few in July. Specimens collected from June and September in same site/year suggest bivoltinism; more records needed to draw rigorous conclusions.
Nesting biology. Unknown.
Floral specialization. Likely generalist with preference for Boraginaceae and Asteraceae, possibly also Onagraceae. Boraginaceae use suggested by appreciable proportions present in 8/15 pollen views, half of which were purely Boraginaceae pollen, and modified pollen-gathering galeal setae generally associated with Boraginaceae use (Fig. 33b). However, two pollen views revealed pure Asteraceae loads and one pure Onagraceae load. Remaining four pollen loads contain variably proportioned mixes of Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Onagraceae, and at least two unidentified types. Primary recorded visits by 38 females include: Family Boraginaceae (61%), Asteraceae (13%), Bignoniaceae (11%); Genus Nama (47%); Species Nama cornosum (34%), Chilopsis linearis (11%). 58 total floral records from 14 families include: Aizoaceae (1 ♀): Sesuvium portulacastrum 1 ♀, Asteraceae (5 ♂ 5 ♀): Aster sp. 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Asteraceae sp. 1 ♀, Baccharis neglecta 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Dyssodia sp. 1 ♀, Isocoma coronopifolia 1 ♀, Machaeranthera sp. 1 ♂, Varilla sp. 1 ♂, Xanthisma sp. 1 ♂, Bignoniaceae (2 ♂ 4 ♀): Chilopsis linearis 2 ♂ 4 ♀, Boraginaceae (6 ♂ 23 ♀): Nama carnosum 13 ♀, Nama havardii 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Nama hispidum 1 ♂ 2 ♀, Nama sp. 2 ♂ 2 ♀, Phacelia integrifolia 2 ♂ 2 ♀, Tiquilia gossypina 2 ♀, Tiquilia hispidissima 1 ♀, Cucurbitaceae (1 ♂): Ibervillea tenuisecta 1 ♂, Fabaceae (1 ♂): Prosopis glandulosa 1 ♂, Loasaceae (5 ♂ 1 ♀): Petalonyx sp. 5 ♂ 1 ♀, Onagraceae (2 ♀): Calylophus hartwegii 2 ♀, Polygonaceae (2 ♀): Eriogonum gypsophilum 2 ♀.
Etymology. The exceptionally long medial pair of projections on the male T7 has earned this species the name caudata (“tailed”). Note that this species is called “ aff. mortuaria ” on determination labels prior to the choice of this name. The epithet is an adjective in the nominative singular.
Paratypes: USA: NEW MEXICO: Eddy County: Seven Rivers, 3 km S: 1 ♀, 16 May 1989, T. L. Griswold; 1 ♂ 3 ♀, 3 Sep 1990, T.L. Griswold; Whites City, 10 km SSW: 8 ♀, 12 May 1989, T. L. Griswold; Otero County: White Sands National Monument site A2 ~ 9 km SW of field station gypsum dunes/interdune flats: 1 ♀, 26 Aug 2011, K. Wetherill; TEXAS: Brewster County: Old Terlingua, 1 mi E: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, 13 Jun 2004, J.L. Neff (CTMI); Terlingua Creek, 32 km N Study Butte: 1 ♀, 16 Apr 1986, R. T. Griswold; 2 ♂, 16 Apr 1986, T.L. Griswold; Crane County: Crane, 15 mi W: 1 ♀, 20 May 2006, J.L. Neff (CTMI); Culberson County: Linda Lake Salt Basin, Along Rd to dune area: 1 ♀, 22 Aug 2010, T. L. Griswold; Rd 1108 and 652, 4.8 mi SE: 1 ♂, 14 Jun 2005, J.L. Neff, A. Hook (CTMI); Reeves co line on hwy 652, 23.4 mi W: 1 ♀, 12 Jun 2004, J.L. Neff (CTMI); Ward County: Monahans Sandhills st pk CG area: 1 ♂, 13 Jun 1998, E.B. Dopman, C. R. Nelson (CTMI).
Other specimens examined: MEXICO: Coahuila de Zaragoza: Cuatro-Cienegas Nat'l Preserve; Site B3 ~ 19.43km sw of Cuatro gypsum dunes pedestals: 5 ♂ 1 ♀, 20 Sep 2011, D.C. Lightfoot; Cuatro-Cienegas Nat'l Preserve; Site D1 ~ 8km se of Cuatro gypsum flat: 1 ♀, 16 May 2010, K. Wetherill; 2 ♀, 27 Jun 2011, D.C. Lightfoot; Cuatro-Cienegas Prot. Area; Site B1 ~ 19km sw of Cuatrocienegas gypsum dunes: 2 ♂, 18 May 2010, D.C. Lightfoot, K. Wetherill; 1 ♂ 1 ♂, 18 May 2010, K. Wetherill; Cuatro-Cienegas Prot. Area; Site B2 ~ 20km sw of Cuatrocienegas vegetated gypsum dunes: 1 ♂ 1 ♂, 24 Jul 2010, K. Wetherill; 2 ♂ 3 ♀, 22 Jun 2011, D.C. Lightfoot; 1 ♂, 20 Sep 2011, D.C. Lightfoot; Cuatro-Cienegas Prot. Area; Site E2; ~ 8 km SE of Cuatrocienegas; saline gypsum marsh: 2 ♂, 16 May 2010, K. Wetherill; 1 ♂, 26 May 2011, K. Wetherill; 2 ♀, 22 Aug 2011, K. Wetherill; 1 ♂ 2 ♂, 19 Sep 2011, D.C. Lightfoot; Cuatro-Cienegas Prot. Area; Site E3; ~ 13 km SE Cuatrocienegas; gypsum flat with sinkholes: 1 ♀, 19 Sep 2011, D.C. Lightfoot; Cuatro-Cienegas Prot. Area; Site F3 ~ 16km se of Cuatrocienegas gypsum outcrop: 2 ♂, 15 May 2010, K. Wetherill; Cuatro-Cienegas Prot. Area; Site F4; ~ 18 km E Cuatrocienegas; gypsum flat: 1 ♂, 14 May 2010, K. Wetherill; 1 ♂, 24 Jun 2011, D.C. Lightfoot. USA: NEW MEXICO: Chaves County: Bitter Lake NWR: 1 ♀, 14 May 1995, R.L. Minckley; Dona Ana County: White Sands National Monument; site A6; 3.7 km E of Lake Lucero on gypsum dunes: 1 ♀ 5 ♀, 6 Aug 2010, K. Wetherill; 5 ♀ 1 ♀, 26 Aug 2011, K. Wetherill; Eddy County: Bottomless Lakes, 2.5km S: 1 ♀, 29 Aug 1972, Eickwort; Carlsbad Caverns, 12 mi SW: 2 ♀, 30 Aug 1940, H.G. Rodeck; Seven Rivers, 3 km S: 1 ♀, 12 May 1989, T.L. Griswold; Otero County: White Sands Monument area: 1 ♀, 28 May 2011, K. Wetherill; White Sands National Monument: 1 ♀, 27 Aug 1973, G.C. Eickwort; White Sands National Monument; site A2 ~ 9 km SW of Visitors center: 1 ♀, 6 Aug 2010, D.C. Lightfoot; White Sands Natl Monument, Site C1: 1 ♀, 28 May 2011, K. Wetherill; Socorro County: Sevilleta NWR-G: 1 ♂, 16 Jul 2007, K. Wetherill; TEXAS: Crane County: Crane, 15 mi W: 1 ♀, 20 May 2006, J.L. Neff.
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 31-33, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4511.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3770979