w.^ 



VOL. 1, pp. 141-159. MAY 24. 1906. 



INYERTEBRATA PACIFICA 



Edited by C. F. Baker, Estacion Agronomica, Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba. 



HVMEirslOPTEIRA 



THE BEE GENUS PASTPHAE IN NORTH AMERICA 

 BY C. F. BAKER 



While in Central America I collected a number of species of 

 Prosopis (descriptions to appear soon) which were typical representat 

 ives of that genus in every way. Scattered through this collection 

 were a number of bees, very Prosopis-like, but possessing a truncated 

 and appendiculated marginal cell and otherwise corresponding to 

 Ashmead's description of the genus Pasiphae, previously known only 

 from the southern Andean region. In Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. XXIX, p. 

 186, Cockerel] says "Mr. VachaJ remarks that this has a distinct 

 tibial pollen brush, and cannot go with the Prosopidae. It appears to 

 be a Colletid with only two submarginal cells." The Prosopidae are 

 usually described almost without reservation, as "non-pubescent", a 

 statement that should be eonpiderably modified. It is true that the 

 pubescence is reduced — thin and fine, but distinctly present over most 

 of the body in all of the American species I have seen. What the 

 naked eye or the simple lens does not show in this ease, the compound 

 microscope will prove a clearly distinct feature. If the hind tibiae 

 of any Prosopis are carefully examined, they will be found usually 

 thickly covered with pubescence. In these Central American bees whicli 

 I am calling Pasiphae, this pubescence is more pronounced than T have 

 found it in any Prosopis, and while it might possibly be called a 

 "distinct pollen brush", still T cannot sec it as especially similar to 

 any Colletid and believe that the status and relationships of the genua 

 are as stated by Ashmead. The genus Stilpnosoma, which is placed 

 in the Prospidae, is still more pubescent, the hind tibiae very thickly 

 so. In .9 tvrneri the hairs on under side of tibiae are long, compound 

 and somewhat matted. If the Central American form which I have 

 is a true Pasiphae, and by Ashmead's description it appears to be-^\S'.'.' • -''St 

 then Pasiphae can be no Colletid even by general habitus, td-^^ay 

 nothing more. I shall name this species. ( r./~'"^' 



\ L'U ! - 



4896 Pasiphae Cameroni n. sp. \ . 



Male. Length 6 mm. Black, with yellow markings on face ana<(^6/o^gj {^^$6 



