Megachile (Xanthosarus) melanophaea Smith, 1853

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 : 35-36

Megachile (Xanthosarus) melanophaea Smith, 1853

Megachile melanophaea Smith, 1853: 191 . Drons 2012: 58. Burkle et al. 2020: 7.

Megachile (Delomegachile) melanophaea ; Mitchell 1935b: 190; 1962: 138. Butler 1965: 6. Hurd 1979: 2060. Ivanochko 1979: 215. Fultz 2005: 134.

Megachile (Xanthosarus) melanophaea ; Scott et al. 2011: 56. Sheffield et al. 2011: 81. Kuhlman and Burrows 2017: 13. Reese et al. 2018: 23 . Delphia et al. 2019a: 25 . Sheffield and Heron 2019: 70.

Megachile melanophaea wootoni ; Mitchell 1935b: 190.

Diagnosis. The female of M. melanophaea can be distinguished by its white pubescence on T1–2, contrasting the dark pubescence on T3–5, orange scopal setae on S2–6, and mandibles gradually tapering in width from base to apex (viewed laterally) ( Fig. 6I ). The female of M. melanophaea is most similar to M. gemula (see M. gemula above). The male of M. melanophaea can be identified by its 4-toothed mandibles and the dorsal face of the protibia, which has a rounded, spatulate posterior angle and an entirely pale apex. The male of M. melanophaea is most similar to M. gemula (see M. gemula above).

Notes. This species has been collected widely in Montana, with sparser records in the eastern part of the state, reflecting the general trend of more intensive collecting in the western portion of the state ( Fig. 1T ). Photographs, a full morphological description, and notes on the biology of this soil-nesting 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 6. Female Megachile characters. (A) Ventral view of metasoma with white apical setal bands on S2–6, (B) Dorsal view of rounded metasoma, widest at T2–3, (C) Dorsal view of subparallel metasoma, (D–H) Anterior view of clypeus: (D) M. apicalis, (E) M. mellitarsis, (F) M. fidelis, (G) M. lippiae, (H) M. coquilletti, (I) Lateral view of mandible gradually tapering in width towards apex, (J) Lateral view of mandible with base square-shaped with parallel sides for a distance as long as wide, then tapering apically, and (K) Lateral view of mandible square basally, with sides parallel for approximately ⅓ the length of mandible, then tapering apically.