Megachile (Megachiloides) manifesta Cresson, 1878

Pritchard, Zoe A., Ivie, Michael A., O’Neill, Kevin M. & Delphia, Casey M., 2025, A faunal treatment of the Megachile (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) of Montana with a key for their identification, Zootaxa 5683 (1), pp. 1-51 : 35

Megachile (Megachiloides) manifesta Cresson, 1878

Megachile manifesta Cresson, 1878: 122 . Drons 2012: 58.

Megachile (Xeromegachile) manifesta ; Mitchell 1937a: 352. Butler 1965: 8. Hurd 1979: 2064.

Megachile (Megachiloides) manifesta ; Raw 2002: 18 . Scott et al. 2011: 55. Sheffield et al. 2011: 55.

Diagnosis. The female of M. manifesta can be identified by its 4-toothed mandibles with an asymmetrical emargination between the 3 rd and 4 th teeth that is deepest nearer the 4 th tooth ( Fig. 7C ), black scopal setae on S6 and at least the apical part of S5, the basal portion with white scopal setae, and T5 surface matte to shiny with punctures ≤ 1 diameter apart medially. Females are closest to M. nevadensis , which has all white scopal setae on S5, and M. wheeleri , which has the surface of T5polished and shiny with punctures 2–4 diameters apart medially (see Taxonomic Challenges). The male of M. manifesta can be identified by its wide and spatulate procoxal spine without a setae patch at the base ( Fig. 8I ), triangular metatarsomeres (viewed laterally) ( Fig. 8F ), and a smooth, rounded carina on the ventral mesepisternum (viewed ventrally, directly posterior to the procoxal spine). The male of M. manifesta is most similar to M. wheeleri , which differs in having quadrate metatarsomeres (viewed laterally) ( Fig. 8G ).

Notes. This species, in general occurring in the western U.S. and Canada, is found in drier areas of eastern and south-central Montana ( Fig. 1S ). Photographs, a full morphological description, and notes on the biology of this species can be found in Sheffield et al. (2011).

Figures

FIGURE 1. County-level distribution of each Megachile species in Montana. Females identified as Megachile latimanus/ Megachile perihirta (and data without recorded specimen sexes) are counted here as M. perihirta as they are not distinguishable from one another in Montana. Males identified as Megachile lapponica/Megachile relativa (and data without recorded specimen sexes) are counted here as M. relativa as they are not distinguishable from one another in Montana. Mitchell county records are included on maps but not in specimen counts. Two specimens did not have county-level localities and are not included in maps but are included in specimen counts.

FIGURE 7. Female Megachile characters. (A–H) Anterolateral view of mandible, (I–N) Lateral view of metasoma, tergites 4–6, (O) Lateral view of tergites on M. dakotensis, and (P) Lateral view of head with pronounced tooth on the posterior genal margin on M. pugnata.

FIGURE 8. Male Megachile characters. (A) Probasitarsus not expanded or excavated ventrally, (B) Probasitarsus widely expanded and excavated ventrally, (C–E) Anterior view of mesobasitarsus and mesotibia, (F) Lateral view of triangular metatarsomeres on M. manifesta, (G) Lateral view of quadrate metatarsomeres on M. wheeleri, (H) Ventral view of procoxal spine, longer than wide, (I) Ventral view of procoxal spine, wide and spatulate, (J–L) Dorsal view of vertex of head: (J) Ocelloccipital distance longer than ocellocular distance, (K) Ocelloccipital distance equal to ocellocular distance, and (L) Ocelloccipital distance shorter than ocellocular distance.