Lasioglossum (Dialictus) absimile (Sandhouse, 1924)

Gardner, Joel & Gibbs, Jason, 2022, New and little-known Canadian LasIOGLOssum (DIaLICTus) (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) and an emended key to species, The Canadian Entomologist (e 3) 154 (1), pp. 1-37 : 3-5

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) absimile (Sandhouse, 1924)

Figure 1 .

Halictus (Chloralictus) absimilis Sandhouse 1924: 21 (holotype, ♀, deposited in USNM, examined) Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) absimile – Michener 1951: 1111 (catalogue)

Dialictus absimilis – Hurd 1979: 1963 (catalogue) – Moure and Hurd 1987: 87 (catalogue)

Diagnosis. Females of Lasioglossum absimile can be distinguished from similar species in the L. viridatum species complex defined in Gibbs (2010), especially L. pacatum (Sandhouse, 1924) , L. admirandum (Sandhouse, 1924) , L. sagax (Sandhouse, 1924) , and L. ephialtum Gibbs, 2010 , by the combination of mesepisternum very smooth and imbricate to tessellate (rugulose dorsally in L. admirandum , L. ephialtum , and L. sagax ), mesoscutum shiny except sometimes dull anteromedially (dull tessellate except sometimes shiny posteriorly in L. admirandum , L. pacatum , and L. sagax ), head short (head length/width ratio = 0.93; face length/width ratio = 0.79) (usually longer (length/width ratio = 0.94–1.01) in L. admirandum , L. ephialtum , and L. sagax ), T1 disc very sparsely punctate (IS = 2–6 PD medially) (more densely punctate medially (IS = 1–2 PD) in L. admirandum ), and T2–T4 with abundant tomentum and dense apical fringes (less extensive tomentum and weaker apical fringes in L. ephialtum and L. pacatum ).

Comments. Lasioglossum absimile is included based on material from Manitoba and British Columbia, Canada. Due to taxonomic difficulties in the L. viridatum species complex, the identification of these specimens is tentative, pending a more thorough revision of this species complex. It is included here on a preliminary basis because some specimens are liable to cause confusion otherwise.

Lasioglossum absimile is very similar to Lasioglossum caducum (Sandhouse, 1924) , described from New Mexico, and diagnostic characters distinguishing the two are not yet known.

Figures

Fig. 1. Lasioglossum absimile (Sandhouse, 1924) (holotype ♀): A, lateral habitus; B, face, mesoscutum, and T1 anterior slope; and C, propodeum and metasoma. Scale bars: 1 mm.