Anthidium porterae

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: A. (Anthidium) Fabricius, 1804
Species: Anthidium porterae Cockerell, 1900
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Anthidium) porterae are black, with some light ferruginousferruginous:
rust-colored
coloration on the legs and abdomen, and 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.). Females have white pubescencepubescence:
short, fine hair
except for yellow pubescencepubescence:
short, fine hair
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
, inner 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
. The clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
and distaldistal:
place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
half of the supraclypeal areasupraclypeal area:
the region of the head between the antennal sockets and clypeus, demarcated on the sides by the subantennal sutures
are covered in apicallyapically:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
hooked hairs. Females have a body length of 9.2–12.3 mm, and males vary in length from 11.5–13.1 mm (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 two 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 6–7 teeth.
• Female propodealpropodeal:
  the last segment of the thorax
  triangle is dull and finely imbricateimbricate:
  overlapping, like shingles or roof tiles
  to lineolatelineolate:
  marked with fine lines
  .
• Female hind tibiatibia:
  the segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus
  with anterioranterior:
  toward the head or on the head side of a segment being described
  carina present.
• Female T1–T5 discal areas are strongly elevated with dull or weakly shiny, finely imbricateimbricate:
  overlapping, like shingles or roof tiles
  areas between punctures.
• Female T1–T5 depressed marginal zones are coarsely punctatepunctate:
  studded with tiny holes
  .
• Female T1–T5 apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  impunctate zones are narrow, and the margins are doubly 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 laterally projected into ventralventral:
  of, on, or relating to the underside of an animal, or segment of an animal
  lobes.
• 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
  is elevated along the midline with a small laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  angle and minutely crenulatecrenulate:
  having a finely scalloped or notched outline or edge
  preapical carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  .
• 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
  median apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  brush is broad and dense, with reddish-brown hairs on the median one-third of the concave apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  margin.
• 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
  lacks laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  projections and has a broadly rounded median lobe.
• 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 a median 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
  projected as a long spine.
• 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 apicallyapically:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  pointed.
• 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 long, broad, and weakly bifidbifid:
  divided into two branches; forked
  .
• 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 weakly curved and about as long as 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 about 1.5 times broader than the distance between the inner margin and median spine.

May be confused with

Anthidium porterae can be differentiated from all Anthidium in the New WorldNew World:
the Western Hemisphere; especially the continental landmass of North and South America
by the presence of the depressed apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
rim that projects into a distinct ventralventral:
of, on, or relating to the underside of an animal, or segment of an animal
laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
lobe on 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
, and median 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
that projects as a long spine on 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
(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.). Anthidium porterae may be confused with A. cochimidue to the clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
with apicallyapically:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
hooked hairs, tomentumtomentum:
a form of pubescence composed of short matted, woolly hair
on the outer hind basitarsibasitarsi:
the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the body of the bee, usually the largest of all the tarsal segments
, and depressed apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
rim that projects into a small ventralventral:
of, on, or relating to the underside of an animal, or segment of an animal
lobe on 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
(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. porterae can be differentiated from A. cochimiby the presence of large, distinct 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 on the labrumlabrum:
part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
and the elevated midline of 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
(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 porterae adults have been recorded in flight from April to early November, with peak activity occurring from late June to the first half of September (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 porterae is a generalist that has been observed visiting a variety of species within Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Fabaceae, Loasaceae, and Plantaginaceae (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

Anthidium porterae has been observed nesting in shallow abandoned burrows in the ground (Custer and Hicks 1927Custer and Hicks 1927:
Custer, C.P. and C.H. Hicks. 1927. Nesting habits of some anthidiine bees. Biological Bulletin 52: 258ndash;277.). The nest contains a single cell that is comprised of plant trichomes from Artemisia campestris (Asteraceae) and Cryptantha sp. (Boraginaceae) (Custer and Hicks 1927Custer and Hicks 1927:
Custer, C.P. and C.H. Hicks. 1927. Nesting habits of some anthidiine bees. Biological Bulletin 52: 258ndash;277.). Nest plugs are constructed with pebbles. Males defend floral resources preferred by females (Villalobos and Shelly 1991Villalobos and Shelly 1991:
Villalobos E.M. and T.E. Shelly. 1991. Correlates of male mating success in two species of Anthidium bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 29: 47ndash;53.).

Distribution

Anthidium porterae occur in the U.S. in Arizona, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. In Mexico, they are found in Baja California Sur, San Luis Potosi, and Chihuahuan to Aguascalientes. They are restricted to grasslands, Edwards Plateau savanna, Colorado Rockies, Arizona mountain forests, Colorado Plateau shrublands, Chihuahuan desert, Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forests, and central Matorral ecosystems (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.).

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References

Custer, C.P. and C.H. Hicks. 1927. Nesting habits of some anthidiine bees. Biological Bulletin 52: 258-277.

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.

Villalobos, E.M. and T.E. Shelly. 1991. Correlates of male mating success in two species of Anthidium bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 29: 47-53.