Stelis heronae Sheffield, 2024
Properties
Scientific Name: Stelis heronae Sheffield, 2024
Common Name: Heron\\\'s Cuckoo Carder Bee
Taxonomy
Stelis (Stelis) heronae Sheffield, 2024: XX [♀, ♂].
Holotype ♀. CANADA, British Columbia, Lillooet, Yalakom River Road, Yalakom River Forest Recreation Site 675 m, 50°54′46.1″ N 122°14′17.7″ W, 14 July 2012 (CC12-05), by R. Bennett, C. Copley, D. Copley [RBCM no. ENT012-009016].
Taxonomic notes: This species is very similar to S. anasazi Parker and Griswold, 2023, and increased sampling and discovery of additional specimens in areas between the known range of S. anasazi (i.e., southern United States) and southern British Columbia may prove S. heronae Sheffield, 2023 to be a synonym. At present, the geographic separation, slight but consistent sequence divergence, and subtle morphological differences, particularly colour patterning extent, and female sternum 6 morphology allow them to be distinguished.
DNA Barcode Index Number (BIN): BOLD:AAH9968
This BIN is shared with S. anasazi and S. robertsoni Timberlake, 1941, both not recorded from Canada. Stelis robertsoni shows 0.72% sequence divergence from its nearest neighbour, S. anasazi, which in turn shows 0.16% sequence divergence from S. heronae.
Distribution in Canada: Sheffield 2023 [BC].
This species is currently known from the Western Interior Basin of southcentral British Columbia.
Body length: ♀ 4.8 mm ♂ 4.6 - 4.8 mm
Forewing length: ♀ 3.5 mm ♂ 3.3 mm
Intertegular distance: ♀ 1.1 mm ♂ 1.0 mm
References
Sheffield CS (2024) A review of the Stelidium group of Stelis Panzer, 1806 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) with two new species from western North America. Zootaxa
Sociality: Parasitic
Nesting: Cavity Renter
Pollen Specialization: Not Applicable
Wintering Stage: Mature Larva
Crop Preference: Not Available
Non Crop Preference: Not Available
Distribution: British Columbia
Ecozone: Western Interior Basin