Author
Gonzalez, Victor | |
Griswold, Terry | |
AYALA, RICARDO - Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico |
Submitted to: Revista De Biologa Tropical
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2009 Publication Date: 2/1/2010 Citation: Gonzalez, V.H., Griswold, T.L., Ayala, R. 2010. Two New Species of Nocturnal Bees of the Genus Megalopta (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) with Keys to Species. Revista de Biologia Tropical. 58(1):255-263. Interpretive Summary: Most bees search for food on flowers during the day but some forage at night. Megalopta is a genus of dark-loving bees that live in dead, broken branches in tropical forests from Mexico to Brazil. A few rare species are parasites on nests of other Megalopta. We describe and illustrate two new species of Megalopta from Mexico and Ecuador. We also provide a guide to identify the species from Central America and those that are parasites on other Megalopta. Technical Abstract: Two new species of the nocturnal bee genus Megalopta are described: M. (Megalopta) tetewana, n. sp., from Mexico and M. (Noctoraptor) huaoranii, n. sp., from Ecuador. Identification keys to the Mesoamerican species of Megalopta s. str. and the species of the cleptoparasitic subgenus Noctoraptor are presented. |