Hylaeus in Hawaii


Hylaeus perkinsianus

Islands: Nihoa

Locations: None

Habitats: Probably occurs over the entire island. No recent collections.

Plants: Sida

Xerces: No info.

Insects of Hawaii: Medium-sized bees with clear wings. Male face with yellow mark (clypeus and supraclypeal area, with or without mark in lower paraocular areas) divided by fine black sulci, unusual lateral process of S7 very short, median process of S8 not dilated and apex simple; unusual gonoforceps expanded apically beyond penis valves. Female black and unmarked. Sister species of H. hirsutulus.

Timberlake (1926:22) stated that H. perkinsianus was closely allied to H. hirsutulus from Kauai, a conclusion supported here. The males of the two forms are very similar (short to very short malar space, wide face, similar facial marks, scape slightly dilated and moderately arched, linear process of S8 with simple apex) and share the very short lateral processes on S7 not found in other species. Timberlake observed differences in the configuration of the apices of the gonoforceps: narrower and rounded apically in H. perkinsianus; broader and slightly angular apically in H. hirsutulus. The legs of H. perkinsianus are unmarked or with only obscure yellow spots at the tibial bases and the wings nearly clear, whereas H. hirsutulus has at least a large, basal yellow mark on the hind tibia and dark smoky wings. We confirm Timberlakes observations and treat H. perkinsianus as a distinct species until additional studies prove otherwise.
Insects of Hawaii Volume 17PDF

UH/DOD:
Hylaeus near military landsPDF

Other:

 Flickr Images of H. perkinsianus

 Google Search for H. perkinsianus



Images and information mostly from various works by Karl Magnacca.
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