Duckeanthidium

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Duckeanthidium Moure and Hurd, 1960
Subgenera: none
Common name: none

Overview

Duckeanthidium are robust but slightly elongate bees that range in body length from 8.5–16.0 mm (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). Some have solid black integumentintegument:
a tough, protective outer layer
with limited yellow maculations, while others have abundant yellow maculations and a brown abdomen (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).

Diversity

Duckeanthidium contains 8 species worldwide (Michener 2002Michener 2002:
Michener, C.D. 2002. Duckeanthidium , a genus new to Central America, with generic synonymy and a new species (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75: 233ndash;240.; Urban 2004Urban 2004:
Urban, D. 2004. Espeacute;cies novas e notas sobre Dianthidiini (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) do Peru. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 48: 347ndash;352.); none are known to occur in the U.S. or Canada.

Diagnostic 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.)

• Juxtantennal carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  present.
• Preoccipital carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  present.
• Propodeum propodeum:
  the last segment of the thorax
  with foveafovea:
  a depressed region of cuticle; in bees this depressed area is usually only very slightly hollow and usually on the face.
  defined by a carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  behind spiraclespiracle:
  a breathing pore, usually occurring on the third thorasic segment
  present.
• Propodeum propodeum:
  the last segment of the thorax
  basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  area without a strong row of pits delimited by a posterior carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  .
• Scutum scutum:
  the large segment on top of the thorax located between the wings and behind the head
  about as wide as long or longer.
• Stigma stigma:
  a pigmented/ thickened spot on the costal margin of the forewing, usually at the end of the radius(Greek, stigma= mark)
  small with the width across the costal margin subequalsubequal:
  similar but not necessarily exactly equal in size, form, or length
  to the length.
• Female aroliaarolia:
  the cushion-like pad between the tarsal claws found at the ends of some bees' legs
  absent or reduced.
• Male 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
  and S6S6:
  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
  without laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  teeth or lobes.
• Male 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
  extending posteriorly to widely separated laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  lobes.
• Male aroliaarolia:
  the cushion-like pad between the tarsal claws found at the ends of some bees' legs
  present.

May be confused with

Duckeanthidium may be confused with other large anthidiines, such as Epanthidium and Hypanthidioides, which have juxtantennal carinacarina:
a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
and similar body coloration patterns. Duckeanthidium can be distinguished by the combination of characters above.

Known invasives

There are no known invasives.

Host associations

Duckeanthidium thielei is believed to be a specialist on Bauhinia (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae) (Thiele 2002Thiele 2002:
Thiele, R. 2002. Nesting biology and seasonality of Duckeanthidium thielei Michener (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), an oligolectic rainforest bee. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75: 274ndash;282.). Little is known about the floral resources utilized by the remaining species of Duckeanthidium.

Nesting behavior

The nesting habits of most species of Duckeanthidium are unknown. Duckeanthidium thielei provision cells with dry pollen partitioning cells. They close their nests with a light-yellow resin that turns light cream-colored and becomes exceptionally hard (Thiele 2005Thiele 2005:
Thiele, R. 2005. Phenology and nest site preferences of wood-nesting bees in a Neotropical lowland rainforest. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 40: 39ndash;48.). Specializing in wet forest environments, nests are formed high in the canopy of live trees in holes in wood blocks (Thiele 2002Thiele 2002:
Thiele, R. 2002. Nesting biology and seasonality of Duckeanthidium thielei Michener (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), an oligolectic rainforest bee. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75: 274ndash;282.). Their nesting location in the canopy may be one reason that Duckeanthidium are uncommon in collections (Michener 2002Michener 2002:
Michener, C.D. 2002. Duckeanthidium , a genus new to Central America, with generic synonymy and a new species (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75: 233ndash;240.). Females seal themselves within nests overnight by temporarily capping nests with a soft resin-like material, which is removed before resuming diurnaldiurnal:
active only during daytime, as opposed to nocturnal
activity (Thiele 2005Thiele 2005:
Thiele, R. 2005. Phenology and nest site preferences of wood-nesting bees in a Neotropical lowland rainforest. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 40: 39ndash;48.).

Distribution

Duckeanthidium is found in Central and South American tropical forests (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).

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References

Michener, C.D. 2002. Duckeanthidium, a genus new to Central America, with generic synonymy and a new species (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75:233-240.
 
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.
 
Thiele, R. 2002. Nesting biology and seasonality of Duckeanthidium thielei Michener (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), an oligolecticoligolectic:
the term used to describe bees that specialize on a narrow range of pollen sources, generally a specific plant genus
rainforest bee. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75:274-282.
 
Thiele, R. 2005. Phenology and nest site preferences of wood-nesting bees in a NeotropicalNeotropical:
biogeographic region that includes South and Central America, the Caribbean Islands, southern Florida, and the southern Mexican lowlands
lowland rainforest. Studies on NeotropicalNeotropical:
biogeographic region that includes South and Central America, the Caribbean Islands, southern Florida, and the southern Mexican lowlands
Fauna and Environment 40:39-48.
 
Urban, D. 2004. Espécies novas e notas sobre Dianthidiini (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) do Peru. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 48:347-352