Megachile discorhina Cockerell, 1924
Properties
Scientific Name: Megachile discorhina Cockerell, 1924
Common Name: Megachile discorhina
Taxonomy
Megachile discorhina Cockerell, 1924: 549 [♀].
Holotype ♀. MEXICO, Gulf of California, Palm Canyon, Angel de la Guarda Island, 3 May 1921, by E.P. Van Duzee [CAS no. 1514].
Taxonomic notes: Though Mitchell (1937: 405; 1965: 131) and Snelling (1990: 30) recognized the ♂, it has not been fully described, though both Mitchell (1937: 385; 1956: 136) and Snelling (1990: 5) incorporate it into their keys, the latter offering some diagnostic characters of both sexes, including images of the head of the ♀ and the metasoma of the ♂.
DNA Barcode Index Number (BIN):
Distribution in Canada: Sheffield pers. obs. [AB].
The single ♀ specimen at the CNC [CNC no. 1107422] likely represents either a mislabelled specimen, or an introduction (without establishment), as southern Alberta is well outside the known range of this species (Mitchell 1937; Snelling 1990). Snelling (1990) indicated it was a Creosote Scrub desert species from the southwestern USA and Baja California, Mexico.
References
Mitchell TB (1937) A revision of the genus Megachile in the Nearctic region. Part VIII. Taxonomy of the subgenus Chelostomoides, addenda and index (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 63(4): 381-421.https://www.jstor.org/stable/25077402
Snelling RR (1990) A review of the native North American bees of the genus Chalicodoma (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 421: 1-39.
Cockerell TDA (1924) Expedition of the California Academy of Sciences to the Gulf of California in 1921. The bees (II). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Series 4 12(27): 529-560.https://biostor.org/reference/77990
Mitchell TB (1956) Notes and descriptions in the megachilid subgenus Chelostomoides (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 32(3): 129-138.
Sociality: Solitary
Nesting: Cavity Renter
Wintering Stage: Mature Larva
Crop Preference: Not Available
Non Crop Preference: Not Available
Distribution: Alberta
Ecozone: Prairie