Anthidium rodecki

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: A. (Anthidium) Fabricius, 1804
Species: Anthidium rodecki Schwarz, 1934
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Anthidium) rodecki are black, with light brown to ferruginousferruginous:
rust-colored
coloration on the tarsitarsi:
the group of segments at the end of the leg following the tibia
, 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
, and tergal distaldistal:
place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
margins, 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 light brown to ferruginousferruginous:
rust-colored
hairs on the inner tarsitarsi:
the group of segments at the end of the leg following the tibia
. The outer fore and mid basitarsibasitarsi:
the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the body of the bee, usually the largest of all the tarsal segments
are covered by tomentumtomentum:
a form of pubescence composed of short matted, woolly hair
. Females range in body length from 7.4–10.8 mm, and males range in length from 8.2–12.3 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 clypeusclypeus:
  a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
  is weakly convexconvex:
  curved outward
  with a thin, straight distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin that has sublateral tubercles.
• Female fore basitarsusbasitarsus:
  the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the body of the bee, usually the largest of all the tarsal segments
  with a sparse fringe of long hairs along the posterior margin.
• Female labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  has two small 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 and lacks basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  protuberances.
• 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 or weakly shiny and finely imbricateimbricate:
  overlapping, like shingles or roof tiles
  .
• 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 with dull or weakly shiny, finely imbricateimbricate:
  overlapping, like shingles or roof tiles
  areas between fine, sparse punctures.
• Female T1–T5 depressed marginal zones are finely punctatepunctate:
  studded with tiny holes
  .
• Female T1–T5 apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  margins are dull or weakly shiny.
• 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
  with median apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  emargination small or absent.
• Male labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  preapical projections are absent.
• 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 dense, reddish-brown hairs.
• 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 broad, ventrally bent laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  lobes and a broad median lobe that has a notched distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin.
• 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
  truncate.
• 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
  distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin has a distinct, long, rectangular apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  process.
• 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 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 apicallyapically:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  rounded and twice as broad as the distance between the inner margin and median spine.

May be confused with

Anthidium rodecki may be confused with A. paroselaeand A. sonorensedue to the combination of white pubescencepubescence:
short, fine hair
, a weakly convexconvex:
curved outward
clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
in profile with a straight apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
margin, dull or weakly shiny tergaterga:
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
with complete bandsbands:
usually referring to bands of hair or bands of color that traverse across an abdominal segment
of yellow maculations, and tergal discs with fine and sparse punctures (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. rodecki can be differentiated from A. paroselaeand A. sonorenseby the fringe of long hairs on the basitarsusbasitarsus:
the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the body of the bee, usually the largest of all the tarsal segments
, the absence of an anterioranterior:
toward the head or on the head side of a segment being described
carina on the hind tibiatibia:
the segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus
, and 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
with a broad depressed apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
rim. Male A. rodecki can be differentiated from A. paroselaeand A. sonorenseby the presence of a broad, rounded laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
lobe on 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 apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
brush of dense, reddish-brown hairs 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
, and the shape of 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 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
(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 rodecki adults have been recorded in flight from May to early September, with peak activity occurring from June to the first half of July (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 rodecki has been observed visiting Tetradymia tetramers (Asteraceae), and Psoralidium lanceolatum and P. polydenius (Fabaceae) (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 rodecki occur in the U.S. in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming. They are restricted to sand dunes within the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, Red Desert, San Luis Valley, and the western edge of the Great Plains (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

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.