Anthidium jocosum

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: A. (Anthidium) Fabricius, 1804
Species: Anthidium jocosum Cresson, 1878
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Anthidium) jocosum are primarily black with yellow or ivory maculations and reddish-brown coloration on the antennal flagellumflagellum:
any segment of the antenna past the scape and pedicel
, clypeal margin, tegulategula:
the usually oval, small shield-like structure carried at the extreme base of the wing where it attaches to the body
, tibiaetibiae:
the segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus
, tarsitarsi:
the group of segments at the end of the leg following the tibia
, abdomen, and apexapex:
end of any structure
of the mandiblemandible:
bee teeth, so to speak, usually crossed and folded in front of the mouth
and femorafemora:
the third segment of the leg, situated between the trochanter and the tibia
(Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.). Females have white pubescencepubescence:
short, fine hair
except for yellow to ferruginousferruginous:
rust-colored
hairs on the vertexvertex:
the area between the ocelli and the back of the head
, scutumscutum:
the large segment on top of the thorax located between the wings and behind the head
, axillaaxilla:
the triangular or rounded point on the thorax where thoracic muscles meet the forewing of an insect
, scutellumscutellum:
shield shaped plate behind scutum
, tarsitarsi:
the group of segments at the end of the leg following the tibia
, and sometimes S6S6:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
. Females and males have a body length of 6.2–8.8 mm and 8.5–8.8 mm, respectively (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

Diagnostic characteristics

(modified from Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.)

• Female labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  lacks basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  protuberances and has large preapicalpreapical:
  referring to a section of a bee that is physically found just before the outermost (or apical) end of the section or segment
  projections that curve upwards.
• Female mandiblemandible:
  bee teeth, so to speak, usually crossed and folded in front of the mouth
  has five teeth.
• Female propodealpropodeal:
  the last segment of the thorax
  triangle is shiny and smooth.
• Female hind tibiatibia:
  the segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus
  without anterioranterior:
  toward the head or on the head side of a segment being described
  carina.
• Female T1–T5 discal areas are weakly elevated and smooth and shiny between coarse, dense punctures.
• Female T1–T5 distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margins are smooth, shiny, narrow, thick, and carinatecarinate:
  having keels or carinae
  .
• Female T6T6:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  depressed apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  rim visible across the entire distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin.
• Female T6T6:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  spine and preapicalpreapical:
  referring to a section of a bee that is physically found just before the outermost (or apical) end of the section or segment
  carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  is absent.
• Male labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  has preapicalpreapical:
  referring to a section of a bee that is physically found just before the outermost (or apical) end of the section or segment
  projections that are larger than those in females.
• Male S4S4:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  with median apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  brush of sparse, reddish-brown hair.
• Male S4S4:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  margin is straight.
• Male S6S6:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  with blunt laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  lobes.
• Male S6S6:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  median lobe is broadly rounded, and broader than long.
• Male S7S7:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  is pointed apicallyapically:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  .
• Male S8S8:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  process is narrow, long, and deeply bifidbifid:
  divided into two branches; forked
  with ventrally bent, pointed lobes.
• Male T6T6:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  spine is straight, and as long as the T7T7:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  median spine.
• Male T7T7:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  lobe is subquadrate, and twice as broad basally than the distance between the inner margin and median spine.

May be confused with

Anthidium jocosum may be confused with A. utahense based on the small body size, female basitarsibasitarsi:
the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the body of the bee, usually the largest of all the tarsal segments
lacking dense tomentumtomentum:
a form of pubescence composed of short matted, woolly hair
, female T6T6:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
shape, and male T7T7:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
, genitaliagenitalia:
all the genital structures collectively
, and sternasterna:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
shape (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.). Female A. jocosum can be differentiated from A. utahense by the more broadly rounded T6T6:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
distaldistal:
place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
margin with a less depressed apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
rim, and clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
and paraocular areaparaocular area:
the area extending along the sides of the face parallel to the eye
without yellow maculations (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.). Male A. jocosum can also be differentiated from A. utahense by the sparser median apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
brush on S4S4:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
, less acute laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
lobe on S6S6:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
, and darker, more sclerotizedsclerotized:
hardened by the formation of sclerotin, specifically the exoskeleton of an insect
median lobe on S6S6:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
(Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

Phenology

Anthidium jocosum adults have been recorded in flight from late March to early July, with peak activity occurring from April to the first half of June (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

Host associations

Anthidium jocosum is a generalist that has been observed visiting a variety of species within Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Cactaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Loasaceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae, Polemoniaceae, Polygonaceae, Plantaginaceae, Rhamnaceae, and Zygophyllaceae (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

Nesting behavior

Nesting behavior is unknown.

Distribution

Anthidium jocosum occur in California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and southwestern New Mexico. One male was also found in Colorado. In Mexico, they are found primarily in Baja California and Sonora. They are found primarily in the Great Basin shrub steppe; Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Desert; California coastal sage and chaparral; and Sierra Madre occidental pine-oak forests (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

​Distribution map generated by Discover Life -- click on map for details, credits, and terms of use.

References

Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 168: 221-425.