Lasioglossum foxii (Robertson, 1890)

Halictus gracilis Robertson, 1890: 316 [♀,♂‚] [preoccupied, not Halictus gracilis Morawitz, 1865]

     Lectotype ♀ [designated by Cresson 1928: 60]. USA, Illinois, Macoupin Co., Carlinville, by C.A. Robertson [ANSP no. 4255]

Halictus foxii Robertson, 1895: 117 [new name for Halictus gracilis Robertson, 1890]

Halictus gracillimus Dalla Torre, 1896: 63 [new name for Halictus gracilis Robertson, 1890]

Species Notes

This species belongs to the nitidiusculum species-group (Ebmer and Sakagami 1985), and is morphologically similar to species in this group from western North American, including L. diatretum, L. synthyridis [Crawford 1907; Gibbs et al. (2013) suggest this is possibly a junior synonym of L. diatretum], L. ruficorne, L. vaporellum, and L. pulveris [Gibbs et al. (2013) suggest this is possibly a junior synonym of of L. ruficorne]. Gibbs et al. (2013) indicate that the western species seem to be morphologically and genetically distinct from L. foxii (at least in the east) and suggest that L. diatretum and L. ruficorne are valid species, but additional study of the western members of the group is needed. Lasioglossum inconditum is the only other member of this species group in the east.

The DNA Barcode Index Number (BIN) for this species is BOLD:AAD4157, which is shared with L. diatretum, and L. pulveris. 

Size

♀ body length: 5.4–6.1 mm; head length: 1.57–1.74 mm; head width: 1.52–1.65 mm; wing length 4.3–4.9 mm

♂‚ body length: 4.4–6.0 mm; head length: 1.40–1.56 mm; head width: 1.27–1.45 mm; wing length 3.5–4.4 mm

Biology

Knerer and Atwood (1962) indicate that L. foxii is a gregarious nester in sandy habitats. This species is believed to be solitary based on its phylogenetic affiliations (Gibbs et al. 2013).

References

Crawford JC (1907) Notes on some species of the genus Halictus. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 15: 183-189.

Cresson ET (1928) The types of Hymenoptera in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia other than those of Ezra T. Cresson. Memoirs of the American Entomological Society 5: 1–90.

Dalla Torre CG (1896) Catalogus Hymenopterorum hucusque descriptorum systematicus et synonymicus. Volumen X: Apidae (Anthophilia). Leipzig, Engelmann, 643 pp. 

Ebmer AW, Sakagami SF (1985) Taxonomic notes on the Palaearctic species of the Lasioglossum nitidiusculum group, with description of L. allodalum sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Halictidae). Kontyû 53: 297–310.

Gibbs J, Packer L, Dumesh S, Danforth BN (2013) Revision and reclassification of Lasioglossum (Evylaeus), L. (Hemihalictus) and L. (Sphecodogastra) in eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae). Zootaxa 3672(1): 1-117. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3672.1.1

Knerer G, Atwood CE (1962) An annotated check list of the non-parasitic Halictidae (Hymenoptera) of Ontario. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Ontario 92: 160–176.

Robertson C (1890) New North American bees of the genera Halictus and Prosopis. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 17 (4): 315‑318. URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25076547

Robertson C (1895) Notes on bees, with descriptions of new species. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 22(2): 115‑128. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25076640