Perdita affinis Cresson, 1878
Properties
Scientific Name: Perdita affinis Cresson, 1878
Common Name: Perdita affinis
Taxonomy
Perdita affinis Cresson, 1878: 69 [♀, ♂].
Lectotype ♀, designated by Cresson (1916: 110). USA, Colorado, by Ridings [ANSP no. 2207].
Perdita rectangulata Cockerell, 1896: 72 [♂, not ♀]. Synonymy by Cockerell (1897: 399).
Taxonomic notes: Cockerell (1896: 72) indicated that the ♂ was so different enough from the ♀ that it may be a different species; they were considered conspecific as they were collected “on the same flowers on the same day”. Cockerell (1897: 399) later indicated that the ♂ (allotype) of P. rectangulata Cockerell was conspecific with P. affinis Cresson (and see Timberlake 1960: 108-109); P. rectangulata is a valid species (Timberlake 1960: 82).
Distribution in Canada: Criddle et al. 1924 [AB].
No verified specimens recorded from Canada. Timberlake (1960: 109) recorded this species only from Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, so the record in Criddle et al. (1924: 98) from Medicne Hat, collected by Sladen likely represents a misidentification; Cresson (1878: 70) indicated that his species was similar to P. octomaculata (Say), a widespread species in Canada, though known only as far west as Manitoba. More likely, the specimen is P. bruneri Cockerell 1897, which is widespread in the Prairie provinces; incidently, three other species were also collected by Sladen from Medicine Hat and recorded by Criddle (1924: 98); P. perpallida Cockerell, P. bruneri, and P. swenki Crawford.
References
Cresson ET (1878) Descriptions of new North American Hymenoptera in the collection of the American Entomological Society. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 7: 61-136.
Criddle N, Curran CH, Viereck HL, Buckell ER (1924) The entomological record, 1923. Annual Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario 54: 87-102.
Cockerell TDA (1896) The bees of the genus Perdita F. Smith. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 48: 25-107. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4062171
Timberlake PH (1960) A revisional study of the bees of the genus Perdita F. Smith, with special reference to the fauna of the Pacific coast (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) Part IV. University of California Publications in Entomology 17(1): 1-156.
Cockerell TDA (1897) Contributions from the New Mexico biological station.—V. Some new Hymenoptera from the Mesilla Valley, New Mexico. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 6 19(112): 394-403. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222939708680555
Sociality: Solitary
Nesting: Ground
Pollen Specialization: Broad Oligolecty
Wintering Stage: Mature Larva
Crop Preference: Not Available
Non Crop Preference: Solidago sp., Grindelia sp., Grindelia squarrosa, Helianthus petiolaris, Solidago canadensis
Distribution: Alberta
Ecozone: Prairie