Taxonomy
Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Pseudoanthidium, Friese 1898
Subgenus: Pseudoanthidium, Friese 1898
Species: Pseudoanthidium canariense (Mavromoustakis, 1954)
Background
Pseudoanthidium canariense are relatively small, 6–9 mm bees. They have a predominantly black
integumentintegument:
a tough, protective outer layer
with symmetrical orange-yellow spots on their
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 orange and may be black at the base. 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 canariense is known only from the Canary Islands off the coast of Northwestern Africa (
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.).
​Distribution map generated by Discover Life -- click on map for details, credits, and terms of use.
Host associations
Pseudoanthidium canariense has been observed primarily visiting flowers of the plant family Asteraceae
but have also been collected on species of Brassicaceae and Lamiaceae (
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
coarse, as large or larger than 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 T7T7:
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
with deep, nearly circular median emargination
-
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 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
with a chevron-shaped, shiny, hairless zone that extends as a carinacarina:
a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
along the midline of the sternum.
-
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
Male
Pseudoanthidium canariense are most similar to
P. tropicum because they both have
gonostyligonostyli:
the apical-most appendage of the male genitalia, which is usually quite hairy
without an
apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
emargination. They can be distinguished by the deep, semi-circular
emarginationemargination:
a notched or cut out place in an edge or margin, can be dramatic or simply a subtle inward departure from the general curve or line of the margin or structure being described
on the
apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
margin of
T7T7:
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
. Most females of the
P. scapulare complex that
P. canariense belongs to look very similar.
P. canariense can be distinguished by the maculations that are more orange than yellow, and the face that mostly lacks maculations (
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.).
Nesting behavior
Little is known about the nesting biology of
Pseudoanthidium canariense 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.
