Superfamily APOIDEA 1771 



Revision: Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 23-40, figs. 2-4, 17-40, map 1, 

 plates 1-2 (included spp. with summary of biological literature). 



Biology: Linsley and Michener, 1962. Kans. Ent. Soc, Jour. 35: 385-389 (habits). 

 gloriosa (Fox). Tex. west to Ariz.; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, 



Nuevo leon, Sinaloa, Sonora and TamauUpas). Parasite: Triepeolus sp. Pollen: Narrowly 

 polylectic, obtains pollen chiefly from the flowers of Acacia angustissima, Cassia 

 bauhinioides, C. leptocarpa, C. wislizenii, Desmanthus cooleyi, Kallstroemia 

 grandiflora, Larrea tridentata, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyanum, Solamim 

 elaeagnifolium, S. rostratum, but visits some of these and a wide variety of other 

 flowers for nectar including Aloysia gratissima, A. wrightii, Asclepias snbverticillata, 

 Baccharis glutinosa, Baileya multiradiata, Caesalpinia jamesii, Casuarina, Cevallia 

 sinuata, Conyza coulteri, Croton pottsii, Dalea scoparia, Gaillardia pulchella, 

 Gossypium, Guardiola tulocarpa, Helianthus annuus, Hoffvianseggia glauca, 

 Koeherlinia spinosa, Lepidium lasiocarpum, L. monianum, Lygodesmia juncea, 

 Medicago saliva, Melilotus alba, Menodora scabra, Mentzelia, Mimosa, Parkinsonia 

 aculeata, Psilostrophe tagetina. Salvia azurea, Solidago occidentalis, Spkaeralcea, 

 Tamarix gallica, T. ramosissima, Verbesina encelioides. 



Megacilissa gloriosa Fox, 1893. Psyche 6: 421. 9. 



Oxaea Tristis Gribodo, 1894. Soc. Ent. Ital., Bol. 26: 278. 6. 



Protoxaea gloriosa pallida Cockered, 1934. Canad. Ent. 66: 153. 9,6. 



Taxonomy: Rozen, 1964. N. Y. Ent. Soc, Jour. 72: 223-230, 7 figs, (larva and taxonomic 

 significance, parasite). —Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 29-38, figs. 2, 

 3, 25-36, map 1, plates 1-3 (redescription, synonymy, geogr. and floral records). 



Biology: Linsley and Michener, 1962. Kans. Ent. Soc, Jour. 35: 385-389 (habits). — Cazier and 

 Linsley, 1963. Canad. Ent. 95: 547-556, 2 figs, (male territorial behavior). —Linsley and 

 Cazier, 1963. Pan-Pacific Ent. 39: 1-18, 6 figs., 2 tables (floral relationships, diurnal 

 activity). —Linsley and Cazier, 1972. Amer. Mus. Novitates 2509: 1-25, 4 tables (adult 

 behavior). —Cazier and Linsley, 1974. Amer. Mus. Novitates 2546: 1-20, figs. 1-6, tables 1-2 

 (foraging behavior). —Hurd and Linsley, 1975. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 193: 27 (floral 

 relationships, territorial behavior). —Cazier and Linsley, 1975. Pan-Pacific Ent. 51: 

 248-253, 6 figs., 2 tables (visitation to flowers of Kallstroemia grandiflora after two years 

 drought). —Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 14-16 (adult behavioral 

 characteristics). 



Genus MESOXAEA Hurd and Linsley 



Mesoxaea Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 41. 

 Type-species: Oxaea nigerrima Friese. Orig. desig. 



As presently understood this genus contains seven species which occupy much of the Mexican 

 mainland to the northeast, south, and west of the Mexican Plateau although one species inhabits 

 the Valley of Mexico. 



arizonica (Cockerell). South. Ariz.; Mexico (Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora). Pollen: Collects 

 pollen of Kallstroemia grandiflora, but also visits other flowers for nectar including 

 Acacia angustissima, Buddleja sessiliflora, Tephrosia leiocarpa, Tumera diffusa. 

 Protoxaea nigerrima arizonica Cockerell, 1936. Amer. Mus. Novitates 831: 6. 9. 



Taxonomy: Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 61-64, figs. 61-64, map 3, 

 table 2 (redescription, geogr. records and floral preferences). 

 rufescens Hurd and Linsley. South. Ariz.; Mexico (Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora). Pollen: 

 Collects pollen from the flowers of Mimosa polyantha, Sola7ium, but visits other 

 flowers for nectar including Acacia angustissima, Buddleja sessiliflora, Croton 

 culiacanensis, Kallstroemia grandiflora, Tumera diffusa, Vei-besina encelioides. 

 Mesoxaea rufescens Hurd and Linsley, 1976. Smithsn. Contrib. Zool. 220: 47, figs. 45-48, 

 map 2, table 2. 6, 9. 

 texana (Friese). La., Tex.; Mexico (Nuevo Leon). Ecology: Nests in large aggregations in areas 

 of sparse vegetation. Pollen: Collects pollen from flowers oi Solanum rostratum, but 



