Pseudoanthidium tropicum

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Pseudoanthidium, Friese 1898
Subgenus: Pseudoanthidium, Friese 1898
Species: Pseudoanthidium tropicum (Warncke, 1982)

Background

Pseudoanthidium tropicum are small, 5–7 mm bees. They have a predominantly brown integumentintegument:
a tough, protective outer layer
with symmetrical yellow spots on their face, tergaterga:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
, and scutellumscutellum:
shield shaped plate behind scutum
. Their legs are predominantly yellow to orange and may be brown at the base. The size of the yellow portions varies within the species. They have a thin coat of white pubescencepubescence:
short, fine hair
that covers most of their bodies. Their wings are translucent and sometimes slightly brown.

Distribution

Pseudoanthidium tropicum is known only from Iran (Litman et al. 2021Litman et al. 2021:
Litman, J. R., Fateryga, A. V., Griswold, T. L., Aubert, M., Proshchalykin, M. Y., Le Divelec, R., Burrows, S. & Praz, C. J. 2022. Paraphyly and low levels of genetic divergence in morphologically distinct taxa: revision of the Pseudoanthidium scapulare complex of carder bees (Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 195(4): 1287-1337.).

Host associations

Few specimens of Pseudoanthidium tropicum have been recorded but they have been observed visiting Centaurea sp. (Asteraceae) (Litman et al. 2021Litman et al. 2021:
Litman, J. R., Fateryga, A. V., Griswold, T. L., Aubert, M., Proshchalykin, M. Y., Le Divelec, R., Burrows, S. & Praz, C. J. 2022. Paraphyly and low levels of genetic divergence in morphologically distinct taxa: revision of the Pseudoanthidium scapulare complex of carder bees (Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 195(4): 1287-1337.).

Diagnostic characteristics

(Modified from Litman et al. 2021Litman et al. 2021:
Litman, J. R., Fateryga, A. V., Griswold, T. L., Aubert, M., Proshchalykin, M. Y., Le Divelec, R., Burrows, S. & Praz, C. J. 2022. Paraphyly and low levels of genetic divergence in morphologically distinct taxa: revision of the Pseudoanthidium scapulare complex of carder bees (Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 195(4): 1287-1337.)

• Female T1–T2 punctationpunctation:
  overall pattern of the punctures on a surface of a bee, includes size of punctures and the distance between them
  fine, as smaller than the punctationpunctation:
  overall pattern of the punctures on a surface of a bee, includes size of punctures and the distance between them
  on scutumscutum:
  the large segment on top of the thorax located between the wings and behind the head
  , with shiny interspaces.

• Male gonostylusgonostylus:
  the apical-most appendage of the male genitalia, which is usually quite hairy
  approximately parallel-sided. Notch at the apexapex:
  end of any structure
  absent.

• Male S3S3:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  premarginal brush with strongly hooked hairs at the tips.

• Male laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  combs on S5S5:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  small, with the apexapex:
  end of any structure
  no wider than the arm proceeding it.

May be confused with

Pseudoanthidium tropicum can be readily distinguished from other Pseudoanthidium (Pseudoanthidium) by their small size and brown to reddish-brown integumentintegument:
a tough, protective outer layer
.

Nesting behavior

Little is known about the nesting biology of Pseudoanthidium tropicum but most species of Pseudoanthidium nest in pre-existing cavities like in wood, stems, galls or crevices (Litman et al. 2021Litman et al. 2021:
Litman, J. R., Fateryga, A. V., Griswold, T. L., Aubert, M., Proshchalykin, M. Y., Le Divelec, R., Burrows, S. & Praz, C. J. 2022. Paraphyly and low levels of genetic divergence in morphologically distinct taxa: revision of the Pseudoanthidium scapulare complex of carder bees (Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 195(4): 1287-1337.).

Known invasives

There are no known invasives.