Allodioxys

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Dioxyini
Genus: Allodioxys Popov, 1947
Subgenera: None
Common name: None

Overview

Allodioxys range in body length from 6–11 mm. They have a black head and thorax, and their abdomens can range in color from black to nearly entirely red (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). 

Diversity

Allodioxys contains 4 species (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.); none are known to occur in the U.S. or Canada.

Diagnostic characteristics

(Characteristics modified from Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.)

• Arolia absent.
• Axilla axilla:
  the triangular or rounded point on the thorax where thoracic muscles meet the forewing of an insect
  with margins convexconvex:
  curved outward
  but not angulateangulate:
  forming an angle rather than a curve
  .
• Metanotum metanotum:
  the posterior dorsal segment of the thorax, behind the scutellum
  with median tooth.
• Pronotal lobes carinatecarinate:
  having keels or carinae
  .
• Scutum scutum:
  the large segment on top of the thorax located between the wings and behind the head
  laterally produced to a curved spine.
• Scutellum scutellum:
  shield shaped plate behind scutum
  without laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  spines.
• Female mandiblemandible:
  bee teeth, so to speak, usually crossed and folded in front of the mouth
  bidentatebidentate:
  having two teeth
  .
• Female abdomen lacks scopal hairscopal hair:
  modified hairs for carrying pollen; often branched and dense hairs on the hind-leg, or on the ventral surface of the abdomen in Megachilidae
  .
• Female abdomen tapers strongly so that T6T6:
  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
  is half as wide as T5T5:
  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
  .

May be confused with

Allodioxys may be confused with Ensliniana due to similar shape of the scutellumscutellum:
shield shaped plate behind scutum
; however, Ensliniana lacks the curved spine on the posterior laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
angle of the scutumscutum:
the large segment on top of the thorax located between the wings and behind the head
and a median tooth on the metanotummetanotum:
the posterior dorsal segment of the thorax, behind the scutellum
(Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).  

Known invasives

There are no known invasives.

Host associations

Allodioxys are cleptoparasites; however, their hosts are unknown.

Nesting behavior

Nesting behavior is unknown.

Distribution

Allodioxys occurs in Israel, Algeria, and Libya (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).

Distribution map generated by Discover Life -- click on map for details, credits and terms of use.

References

Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World. 2nd ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.