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Dufourea holocyanea (Cockerell, 1925)

Properties

Scientific Name: Dufourea holocyanea (Cockerell, 1925)

Common Name: All-blue Short-faced Bee

Taxonomy

Halictoides holocyaneus Cockerell, 1925: 199 [♂].

     Holotype ♂. USA, Oregon, Baker, 8 July 1922, by E.C. Van Dyke [CAS no. 1659]

 

Taxonomic Notes: The ♀ was described by Dumesh and Sheffield (2012: 17).

 

DNA Barcode Index Number (BIN): BOLD:AAF6893

 

Diagnosis

Dufourea is also the only genus of Halictidae in Canada with two submarginal cells, though exceptions occur wirh a few species of Lasioglossum (Dialictus) (see Gibbs 2010, 2011) and Sphecodes (see Mitchell 1960; Packer et al. 2007). The main diagnostic characters separating this species from other Dufourea in Canada are the metallic blue integument and the tri-dentate mandible in both sexes; all other species are non-metallic brown or black, and have the mandible bi-dentate (Dumesh and Sheffield 2012).

 

Biology: This species is an oligolege of Symphoricarpos sp. (Caprifoliaceae) (Lincoln 1981; Dumesh and Sheffield 2012). This species can be locally abundant in parts of southern British Columbia, though only one record is known from Alberta (Waterton Lakes National Park).

 

Distribution in Canada: Criddle et al. 1924 [BC, as Halictoides oryx Viereck?]; Dumesh and Sheffield 2012 [BC]; Elwell et al. 2016 [BC]; Sheffield and Heron 2019 [BC]; BOLD [AB]

 

References

Cockerell TDA (1925) Bees in the collection of the California Academy of Sciences. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 14: 185-215.

Dumesh S, Sheffield CS (2012) Bees of the genus Dufourea Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Rophitinae) of Canada. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 18: 1-36. doi: 10.3752/cjai.2012.20

Lincoln PG (1981) Phylogeny, Host Plant Relations and Speciation in Genus Dufourea (Hymenoptera; Apoidea). PhD Thesis, University of California, Santa Cruz. 307 pp.

Mitchell TB (1960) Bees of the Eastern United States, Vol. 1. Technical Bulletin, North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station No 141. 538 pp.

Packer L, Genaro JA, Sheffield CS (2007) The bee genera of eastern Canada. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 3: 1-33. (http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/pgs03/pgs_03.html)

Sociality: Solitary
Nesting: Ground
Pollen Specialization: Narrow Oligolecty
Wintering Stage: Mature Larva

Crop Preference: Not Available
Non Crop Preference: Symphoricarpos sp.

Distribution: Alberta, British Columbia
Ecozone: Montane Cordillera, Western Interior Basin

Distribution Map