Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5404 No. 1: 25 Jan. 2024
Type: Article
Published: 2024-01-25
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5404.1.10
Page range: 134-166
Abstract views: 212
PDF downloaded: 19

A review of the Stelidium group of Stelis Panzer, 1806 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) with two new species from western North America

Royal Saskatchewan Museum; 2340 Albert Street; Regina; Saskatchewan; CANADA S4P 2V7
Hymenoptera cleptoparasite cuckoo bee DNA barcode phylogeny

Abstract

The Stelidium group is readily distinguished from all other members of the subgenus Stelis Panzer, 1806 by the combination of small body size (≤ 6 mm), pale maculations on the head adjacent to the inner margins of the compound eyes and laterally on the vertex in both sexes, and females with sternum 6 extended beyond tergum 6, the former with the dorsal lip trowel-shaped with the apex broadly rounded or subtruncate to more narrowly pointed. This monophyletic clade, which is endemic to North America, currently consists of members previously placed into two species groups: the permaculata group containing S. anasazi Parker & Griswold, 2013, S. ashmeadiellae Timberlake, 1941, S. permaculata Cockerell, 1898, and S. robertsoni Timberlake, 1941, and the palmarum group containing S. broemelingi Parker & Griswold, 2013, S. elongativentris Parker, 1987, and S. palmarum Timberlake, 1941; two additional species, S. herberti (Cockerell, 1916) from Mexico, and S. nyssonoides (Brues, 1903) from Texas, United States, have not been definitively placed in either species group. Two new species are herein described, one from southcentral British Columbia, Canada, the other from New Mexico, United States. A preliminary molecular phylogeny places both new species in the permaculata species group. In addition, S. herberti is also placed within the permaculata species group based on morphological similarity, sharing the multi-spotted maculation pattern on the terga. Based on molecular affinity, S. broemelingi also belongs to the permaculata species group. Because no type specimen for S. nyssonoides is seemingly available for examination, it is hereby considered nomen dubium until the specimen is found and its taxonomic status clarified in relation to the more recently described species in the permaculata species group. A key to females and diagnoses are provided for all known taxa.

 

References

  1. Aguib, S., Louadi, K. & Schwarz, M. (2014) Le genre Stelis Panzer 1806 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae) de l’Algérien avec une espèce nouvelle pour la fauna de ce pays. Entomofauna, 26, 553–572.
  2. Ascher, J.S. (2016) Collaborative databasing of North American bee collections within a global informatics network project. iDigBio Darwin Core Archive Recordset. Available from:
  3. Ascher, J. & Pickering, J. (2023) Discover Life bee species guide and world checklist. Available from: https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Apoidea_species&flags=HAS (accessed 20 April 2023)
  4. Ashmead, W.H. (1898) Some new genera of bees. Psyche, 8, 282–285. https://doi.org/10.1155/1898/70320
  5. Brues, C.T. (1903) Studies of Texan bees. Part I. Entomological News, 14, 79–85.
  6. Cockerell, T.D.A. (1898) Synopsis of the North American bees of the genus Stelis. The Entomologist, 31, 166–168.
  7. Cockerell, T.D.A. (1901) Contributions from the New Mexico Biological Station.—XI. New and little-known insects from New Mexico. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 7, 7, 333–337. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222930108678479
  8. Cockerell, T.D.A. (1916) Descriptions and records of bees.—LXXII. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 8, 17, 428–435. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222931608693809
  9. Cockerell, T.D.A. (1922) Some Canadian bees. The Canadian Entomologist, 54, 143–144. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent54143-6
  10. Cockerell, T.D.A. (1925) Bees in the collection of the California Academy of Science. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 4th series, 14, 185–215.
  11. Criddle, N., Curran, C.H., Viereck, H.L. & Buckell, E.R. (1924) The entomological record, 1923. Annual Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 54, 87–102.
  12. Davidson, A. (1896) Alcidamea producta Cress. and its parasites. Entomological News, 7, 216–218.
  13. Else. G.R. & Edwards, M. (2018) Handbook of the Bees of the British Isles. Vol. 1. Ray Society, London, 332 pp.
  14. Engel, M.S. (2002) The fossil pelecinid Pelecinopteron tubuliforme Brues in Baltic Amber (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 11, 5–11.
  15. Gibbs, J. (2010) Revision of the metallic species of Lasioglossum (Dialictus) in Canada (Hymenoptera, Halictidae, Halictini). Zootaxa, 2591 (1), 1–382. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2591.1.1
  16. Gibbs, J. (2011) Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini). Zootaxa, 3073 (1), 1–216. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3073.1.1
  17. Gibbs, J. (2018) DNA barcoding a nightmare taxon: assessing barcode index numbers and barcode gaps for sweat bees. Genome, 61, 21–31 https://doi.org/10.1139/gen-2017-0096
  18. Gibbs, J., Ascher, J.S., Rightmyer, M.G. & Isaacs, R. (2017) The bees of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), with notes on distribution, taxonomy, pollination, and natural history. Zootaxa, 4352 (1), 1–160. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4352.1.1
  19. Gibbs, J., Hanuschuk, E., Miller, R., Dubois, M., Martini, M., Robinson, S., Nakagawa, P., Sheffield, C.S., Cardinal, S. & Onuferko, T. (2023) A checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Manitoba, Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, 155, E3. https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2022.45
  20. Gistel, J.N.F.X. (1848) Naturgeschichte des Thierreichs, für Höhere Schulen. Hoffmann, Stuttgart, 216 pp.
  21. Gonzalez, V.H., Ascher. J.S. & Engel, M.S. (2012) A new Stelis (Dolichostelis) from northern Colombia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): first records for South America and a synopsis of the bee fauna from the Caribbean region of Colombia. Journal of Natural History, 46, 2919–2934. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2012.738835
  22. Gonzalez, V.H., Gustafson, G.T. & Engel, M.S. (2019) Morphological phylogeny of Megachilini and the evolution of leaf-cutter behavior in bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Journal of Melittology, 85, 1–123.
  23. Hebert, P.D.N., Cywinska, A., Ball, S.L. & deWaard, J.R. (2003) Biological identifications through DNA barcodes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 270, 313–321. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2002.2218
  24. Hicks, C.H. (1927) Stelis permaculata Ckll., a parasite of Heriades carinatus Cress. (Hymen.: Stelididae and Megachilidae). Entomological News, 38, 297–300.
  25. Hurd, P.D. (1979) Superfamily Apoidea. In: Krombein, K.V., Hurd, P.D., Smith, D.R. & Burk, B.D. (Eds), Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico. Vol. 2. Apocrita (Aculeata). Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C, pp. 1741–2209.
  26. ICZN (1939) Opinion 135. The suppression of the so-called “Erlangen List” of 1801. Opinions and Declarations Rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, 2, 7–12.
  27. Illiger, K. (1807) Vergleichung der Gattungen der Hautfliigler, Piezata Fabr. Hymenoptera Linn. Jur. Magazin fiir Insektenkunde, 6, 189–199.
  28. Kasparek, M. (2015) The cuckoo bees of the genus Stelis Panzer, 1806 in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East: a review and identification guide. Entomofauna, Supplement 18, 1–144.
  29. Klug, K. (1807) Kritische Revision der Bienengattungen in Fabricius neuem Piezatensysteme. Magazin für Insektenkunde, 6, 200–228.
  30. Kumar, S., Stecher, G., Li, M., Knyaz, C. & Tamura, K. (2018) MEGA X: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis across computing platforms. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 35, 1547–1549. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msy096
  31. Laval-Peuto, M. (1994) Classe des Oligotrichea Bütschli, 1887. Ordre des Tintinnida Kofoid et Campbell, 1929. In: de Puytorac, P. (Ed.), Traité de zoologie. II. Infusoires Ciliés. Masson, Paris, pp. 181–219.
  32. Linsley, E.G. (1939) New species of Stelis from California (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). Entomological News, 50, 250–255.
  33. Litman, J.R., Griswold, T. & Danforth, B.N. (2016) Phylogenetic systematics and a revised generic classification of anthidiine bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 100, 183–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2016.03.018
  34. Michener C.D. (1944) Comparative external morphology, phylogeny and a classification of the bees (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 82, 151–326.
  35. Michener, C.D. (1951) Superfamily Apoidea. In: Muesebeck, C.F., Krombein, K.V. & Townes, H.K. (Eds), Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico Synoptic Catalog. 2. United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Monograph, Washington, D.C, pp. 1043–1255.
  36. Michener, C.D. (1997) Genus-group names of bees and supplemental family-group names. Scientific Papers, Natural History Museum, the University of Kansas, 1, 1–81. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.4052
  37. Michener, C.D. (2007) The Bees of the world, 2nd Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press Baltimore, Maryland, 992 pp.
  38. Minckley, R.L. & Radke, W.R. (2021) Extreme species density of bees (Apiformes, Hymenoptera) in the warm deserts of North America. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 82, 317–345. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.82.60895
  39. Mitchell, T.B. (1962) Bees of the Eastern United States. Volume 2. North Carolina Agricultural Experimental Station Technical Bulletin, 152, 1–557.
  40. Morice, F.D. & Durrant J.H. (1915) The authorship and first publication of the “Jurinean” genera of Hymenoptera: being a reprint of a long-lost work by Panzer, with a translation into English, an introduction, and bibliographical and critical notes. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1914, 339–436. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2311.1915.tb02984.x
  41. Moure, J.S., Urban, D. & Melo, G.A.R. (2007) Catalogue of Bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) in the Neotropical Region. Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia, Curitiba, xiv + 1058 pp.
  42. Noskiewicz, J. (1961) Beiträge zur Kenntnis der paläarktischen Arten der Gattung Stelis. Poliskie Pismo Entomologiczne, 31, 113–133.
  43. Oram, R.J. (2018) Revision of the genus Hylaeus Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) in Canada. University of Regina, Regina, 165 pp. [MSc Thesis]
  44. Paiero, S.M. & Buck, M. (2004) The Giant Resin Bee, Megachile sculpturalis Smith, and other newly introduced and newly recorded native Megachilidae and Andrenidae (Apoidea) from Ontario. Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 134, 141–143.
  45. Panzer, G.W.F. (1801) Nachricht von einem neuen entomologischen Werke, des Hrn. Prof. Jurine in Geneve. Intelligenzblatt der Litteratur-Zeitung [Erlangen], 1, 160–165.
  46. Panzer, G.W.F. (1806) Kritische Revision der Insektenfauna Deutschlands. Bd. 2. Felssecker, Nürnberg, 271 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.8178
  47. Parker, F.D. (1975) Nest descriptions and associates of three American bees of the genus “Anthocopa” Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 51, 113–122.
  48. Parker, F.D. (1978) Biology of the bee genus Proteriades Titus (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 51, 145–173. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/25083013]
  49. Parker, F.D. & Bohart, G.E. (1979) Dolichostelis, a new genus of parasitic bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 52, 138–153 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/25083888]
  50. Parker, F.D. & Bohart, R.M. (1966) Host-parasite associations in some twig-nesting Hymenoptera from western North America. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 42, 91–98.
  51. Parker, F.D. & Bohart, R.M. (1968) Host-parasite associations in some twig-nesting Hymenoptera from western North America Part II. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 44, 1–6.
  52. Parker, F.D. & Griswold, T. (2013) New species of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Stelis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae, Anthidiini) from the Nearctic Region. Zootaxa, 3646 (5), 529–544. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3646.5.3
  53. Parker, F.D., Cane, J.H., Frankie, G.W. & Vinson, S.B. (1987) Host records and nest entry by Dolichostelis, a kleptoparasitic anthidiine bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 63, 172–177.
  54. Pasteels, J.J. (1969) La systématique générique et subgénérique des Anthidiinae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae) de l’ancien monde. Mémoires de la Société Royale d’Entomologie de Belgique, 31, 1–148.
  55. Provancher, L. (1888) Additions et corrections au Volume II de la Faune Entomologique du Canada. Traitant des Hyménoptères. C. Darveau, Québec, 475 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.46411
  56. Ratnasingham, S. & Hebert, P.D.N. (2007) BOLD: the Barcode of Life Data System (www.barcodinglife.org). Molecular Ecology Notes, 7, 355–364. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01678.x
  57. Ratnasingham, S. & Hebert, P.D.N. (2013) A DNA-based registry for all animal species: the Barcode Index Number (BIN) system. PLoS ONE, 8, e66213. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0066213
  58. Rehan, S.M. & Sheffield, C.S. (2011) Morphological and molecular delineation of a new species in the Ceratina dupla species-group (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of eastern North America. Zootaxa, 2873 (1), 35–50. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2873.1.3
  59. Rightmyer, M.G. (2008) A review of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Triepeolus (Hymenoptera: Apidae).—Part I. Zootaxa, 1710 (1), 1–170. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1710.1.1
  60. Robertson, C. (1902) Some new or little-known bees.—IV. The Canadian Entomologist, 34, 321–325. https://doi.org/10.4039/S0008347X0017779X
  61. Robertson, C. (1903) Synopsis of Megachilidae and Bombinae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 29, 163–178.
  62. Robertson, C (1924) Flower visits of insects II. Psyche, 31, 93–111. https://doi.org/10.1155/1924/16042
  63. Robertson, C. (1926) Phenology of inquiline and nest-making bees. Psyche, 33, 116–120. https://doi.org/10.1155/1926/95452
  64. Robertson, C. (1930) Proterandry and flight of bees (Hymen.: Apoidea). Second Paper. Entomological News, 41, 154–157.
  65. Rozen, J.G. (1987) Nesting biology of the bee Ashmeadiella holtii and its cleptoparasite, a new species of Stelis (Apoidea: Megachilidae). American Museum Novitates, 2900, 1–10.
  66. Rozen, J.G. & Hall, H.G. (2011) Nesting and developmental biology of the cleptoparasitic bee Stelis ater (Anthidiini) and its host, Osmia chalybea (Osmiini) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). American Museum Novitates, 3701, 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1206/3707.2
  67. Sandhouse, G.A. (1943) The type species of the genera and subgenera of bees. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 92, 519–619. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.3156.519
  68. Satyshur, C.D., Evans, T.A., Forsberg, B.M. & Gibbs, J. (2021) First records of Stelis permaculata Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Minnesota, United States of America and Manitoba, Canada. The Great Lakes Entomologist, 54, 208–210. https://doi.org/10.22543/0090-0222.2410
  69. Sheffield, C.S. & Heron, J.M. (2019) The bees of British Columbia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Apiformes). Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia, 115, 44–85. [https://journal.entsocbc.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/1001/1097]
  70. Sheffield, C.S. & J.-M. Perron (2014) Annotated catalogue of the bees described by Léon Provancher (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apiformes). The Canadian Entomologist, 146, 117–169. https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2013.64
  71. Sheffield C.S., Hebert, P.D.N., Kevan, P.G. & Packer, L. (2009) DNA barcoding a regional bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) fauna and its potential for ecological studies. Molecular Ecology Resources, 9, Supplement 1, 196–207. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02645.x
  72. Sheffield, C.S., Frier, S.D. & Dumesh, S. (2014) The bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Apiformes) of the Prairies Ecozone, with comparisons to other grasslands of Canada. In: Giberson, D. J. & Cárcamo, H. A. (Eds.), Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands (Volume 4): Biodiversity and Systematics Part 2. Biological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, pp. 427–467
  73. Sheffield, C.S., Heron, J., Gibbs, J., Onuferko, T.M., Oram, R., Best, L., deSilva, N., Dumesh, S., Pindar, A. & Rowe, G. (2017) Contribution of DNA barcoding to the study of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Canada: progress to date. The Canadian Entomologist, 149, 736–754. https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2017.49
  74. Sladen, F.W.L. (1916) Canadian species of the bee genus Stelis Panz. The Canadian Entomologist, 48, 312–314. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent48312-9
  75. Spinola, M. (1808). Insectorum Liguriae species novae aut rariores, quas in agro ligustico nuper detexit, descripsit, et iconibus illustravit Maximilianus Spinola, adjecto catalogo specierum auctoribus jam enumeratarum, quæ in eadem regione passim occurrunt. Vol. 2. Fasc. 2–4. Gravier, Genuae, 262 pp.
  76. Swenk, M.H. (1914) Studies of North American bees II. Family Stelididae. Papers from the University Studies Series (The University of Nebraska), 9, 1–36.
  77. Swenk, M.H. (1915) Studies of North American bees III. Families Nomadidae and Stelididae. Papers from the University Studies Series (The University of Nebraska), 15, 155–36.
  78. Thorp, R.W. (1966) Synopsis of the genus Heterostelis Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 39, 131–146. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/25083499]
  79. Timberlake, P.H. (1941) Ten new species of Stelis from California (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 49, 123–137. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/25004909]
  80. Vickruck, J.L., Rehan, S.M., Sheffield, C.S. & Richards, M.H. (2011) Nesting biology and barcode analysis of two cryptic species within Ceratina dupla, with comparisons to C. calcarata (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae). The Canadian Entomologist, 143, 254–262. https://doi.org/10.4039/n11-006
  81. Warncke, K. (1992) Die westpaläarktischen Arten der Bienengattung Stelis Panzer, 1806 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Megachilinae). Entomofauna, 22, 341–376.
  82. Webb, D.W. (1980) Primary insect types in the Illinois Natural History Survey Collection, exclusinve of the Collembola and Thysanoptera. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 32, 55–191. https://doi.org/10.21900/j.inhs.v32.142
  83. Wheeler, W.M. (1919) The parasitic Aculeata, a study in evolution. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 58, 1–40. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/984478]