Bee of the Month (March): Halictus (Seladonia) pinguismentus Janjic and Packer

Comments: Halictus (Seladonia) pinguismentus Janjic and Packer, is a new species of Halictine bee known only from four females collected from Guadeloupe Island, off the west coast of Baja California approximately 100 years ago. Diagnostic features include the genal angle of the larger two of the four specimens and the long mandible with the subapical tooth somewhat concave. Size and morphological variation among the four specimens is suggestive of caste differences as found in some of this species' close relatives such as H. (S. ) hesperus. Guadeloupe Island is an uninhabited, difficult of access locality which has been substantially damaged by goats. It is possible that this species is extinct.

References:
Brooks, R.W. and D.W. Roubik. 1983. A halictine bee with distinct castes: Halictus hesperus (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) and its bionomics in Central Panama. Sociobiology 7:263-282.

Janjic, J. and L. Packer. 2001. New descriptions of Halictus (Seladonia) from the New World. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, in press.

Go Back