(Figures 13 −16, 37 and 39)
Centris muralis Burmeister, 1876. 37: 162 (Original description). Vogel, 1974. 7: 216−218, 221, 245 (Floral records, distribution, cited). Neff & Simpson, 1981. 54: 107, 109 (Morphology, figure of fore elaiospathe). Chiappa, 1998. 22: 91 (Distribution). Medan et al., 2002. 34: 237 (Distribution, list). Sarzetti & Genise, 2011. 84: 179−180, 182 (Nesting biology, predators, figures of adult, larvae, nest and cells, nest architecture, cited). Cilla & Rolón, 2012 a. 6: 5 −8, 11, 12 (Distribution, nesting biology, nest architecture, figure of nest and cells). Cilla & Rolón, 2012 b. 67: 575−581 (Cited, nest architecture, figures of adult, nest and cells, distribution, floral records, comparison with Centris nigerrima and C. pallida Fox, 1899). Rolón & Cilla, 2012. 66: 35−38 (Nest architecture, figures of nest and cells, floral records, bionomics).
Centris (Wagenknechtia) muralis; Neff & Simpson, 1981. 54: 107, 109 (Morphology, distribution). Michelette & Camargo, 2000. 17: 655, 658, 663 (Distribution, floral records, cited). Rocha-Filho et al., 2009. 26: 301 (Cleptoparasite). Cilla & Rolón, 2012 b. 67: 574 (Morphology, distribution, floral records). Vélez & Vivallo, 2012. 3357: 52 (Morphology).
Anthophora plumigera Gribodo, 1893. 25: 391.
Anthophora virgo Gribodo, 1893. 25: 390.
Centris muralis melanopus Friese, 1908. 10: 58.
Comments. The male of this species has a great variation in size and coloration of the pilosity with specimens almost completely covered by whitish pubescence (known as metander or beta males, see Snelling, 1984, Michener, 2000 and Vivallo & Zanella, 2012), and others with brown hairs on legs and metasoma. This variation is correlated with mating behaviour, as observed in other species of the genus, as Centris pallida Fox, 1899 and C. aenea Lepeletier, 1841 (see Michener, 2000 and references therein). Some diagnostic characters of this species can be found in Moure (1960) and Roig-Alsina (2000), but complete diagnoses of both sexes have not been published. Here both sexes are redescribed to help the identification of this species.
Diagnosis. Both sexes with the body covered mainly with whitish pilosity, at least on head and mesosoma (Figs. 13−16). Female: primary basitibial plate with one concavity near the anterior and one near the posterior margin, without secondary plate (Fig. 37). Male: apex of the third mandibular third tooth concave (Fig. 15).
Female. Measurements. Approximate body length: 18.6; head width: 6.2; forewing length: 13.6; intertegular span: 5.9; F 1 length: 1.0; F 2 length: 0.2; F 3 length: 0.2; UID: 3.4; LID: 3.1; mandible length: 2.2; mandible basal width: 0.8; labrum length: 1.0; labrum width: 1.3. Coloration. Integument dark brown, mandible reddish brown, legs light brown (Fig. 13). Metasoma without metallic reflections (Fig. 14). Wing membranes slightly yellowish with veins light brown. Surface sculpture. Clypeus with coarse and relatively fine and sparse punctation, with smooth surface in the center of the disc. Labrum with fine and very dense punctation, without smooth areas, except on the basal margin. Paraocular area with fine, dense and uniform punctation, sparser near the lateral ocellus.
Mesoscutum and scutellum not areolate, with dense and relatively uniform punctation. Terga with fine and dense punctation, slightly sparser and coarser on T 4 than on other terga. Pubescence. Whitish on head, mesosoma and T 1 (Figs. 13 and 14). The rest of the body with brown hairs. Prepygidial fimbria light brown with plumose and simple hairs intermixed. Pygidial fimbria with brown, long and simple hairs. Structure. Flabellum circular with the anterior margin slightly acute and projected forward. Labial palpus with the 4 th palpomere apically truncate. Maxillary palpus with five palpomeres (2 nd> 3 rd> 1 st> 4 th≈ 5 th). Mandible with four teeth with acute apex. Trimmal angle relatively straight, well developed. Acetabular carina reaching base of 4 th tooth. Clypeal disc convex. Labrum relatively semicircular. Inner orbits of compound eyes subparallel (Fig. 13). Vertex in frontal view above the upper ocular tangent (Fig. 13). Distance between the lateral ocellus and compound eye more than three times the diameter of median ocellus (Fig. 13). Scutellum without longitudinal depression. Outer surface of the fore tibia with a short and shallow concavity. Fore elaiospathe with the anterior primary comb forming a compact structure, positioned along the basitarsus. Secondary anterior comb formed by three giant spatulate hairs. Hind elaiospathe with overlapping hairs. Primary basitibial plate elliptical with one concavity near the anterior and one near the posterior margin; without secondary plate (Fig. 37). Pygidial plate with rounded apex, secondary plate with open apex. Claws with preapical tooth very reduced on hind tarsus.
Male. Measurements. Approximate body length: 16.6; head width: 5.3; forewing length: 14.1; intertegular span: 5.2; F 1 length: 1.0; F 2 length: 0.2; F 3 length: 0.3; UID: 2.6; LID: 3.0; mandible length: 1.9; mandible basal width: 0.8; labrum length: 0.8; labrum width: 1.1. Coloration. Integument dark brown, reddish brown on mandible (Fig. 15). Metasoma without metallic reflections. Wing membranes slightly yellowish with veins light brown (Fig. 16). Surface sculpture. Clypeus with coarse and relatively fine and disperse punctation, with smooth and shiny surface in the center of the disc. Labrum with fine and very dense punctation, without smooth areas, except on the basal margin. Paraocular area with fine, dense and uniform punctation, sparser near the lateral ocellus. Mesoscutum and scutellum not areolate, with relatively uniform and not very dense punctation. Metasomal terga with fine and dense punctation, slightly sparser and coarser from T 3 to T 5. Pubescence. Whitish on head, mesosoma and T 1 (Figs. 15 and 16). Legs with whitish and brown pubescence. Terga with white and brown pilosity (in some specimens the white or brown pilosity can be widely extended on metasoma) (Fig. 16). Structure. Mandible with three teeth of acute apex, except the third concave (Fig. 15). Trimmal angle acute, well developed. Acetabular carina reaching the base of the 3 rd tooth. Clypeal disc convex. Labrum relatively triangular. Inner orbits of compound eyes converging upward (Fig. 15). Vertex at the same height of the upper ocular tangent. Distance between the lateral ocellus and the eye almost twice the diameter of median ocellus. Scutellum without longitudinal depression. Outer surface of the fore tibia with a short and shallow concavity. Claws with preapical tooth. T 7 without pygidial plate.
Type material. Centris muralis: Lectotype male (MACN, examined). Anthophora plumigera: Holotype female (Museu Cívico de Storia Naturale “Giacomo Doria ” Genoa, Italy (MCG), not examined). Anthophora virgo: Holotype male (MCG, not examined). Centris muralis melanopus: Syntypes male and female (ZMB, not examined).
Taxonomic decision for synonymy. Moure (1960) and Roig-Alsina (2000).
Type locality. Centris muralis: Argentina: Buenos Aires: Carmen de Patagones. Anthophora plumigera: Argentina: Buenos Aires: Patagones. Anthophora virgo: Argentina: Buenos Aires: Patagones. Centris muralis melanopus: Argentina: Mendoza.
Floral records. See table 1.
Distribution. This species occurs exclusively in Argentina, from Salta Province (Cafayate and Chuscha) to Río Negro Province (El Carmen). ARGENTINA: (Chiappa, 1998). BUENOS AIRES: Buenos Aires (Jörgensen, 1912 a, b; Schrottky, 1913 a). Carmen de Patagones (Schrottky, 1902 a, 1903), Delta (Roig-Alsina, 2000). CATAMARCA: San Fernando, Santa María (Roig-Alsina, 2000). *Andalgala, *Chumbicha, *Colpes, *Hualfia, *Joyango, *Pogoncillos, *Tinogasta. CÓRDOBA: Chancaní (Roig-Alsina, 2000). LA PAMPA: Cuchillocó (Roig- Alsina, 2000). LA RIOJA: Anillaco (Cilla & Rolón, 2012 a, Rolón & Cilla, 2012). Capayán (Cilla & Rolón, 2012 a, b). Illiar, Patquía (Roig-Alsina, 2000). Pituil (Cilla & Rolón, 2012 a). Udpidango (Cilla & Rolón, 2012 a, b). Valle Los Colorados (Rolón & Cilla, 2012). Villa Casteló (Cilla & Rolón, 2012 b). Vinchina (Sarzetti & Genise, 2011). *Santa Rosa. MENDOZA: (Vogel, 1974). Chacras de Coria (Jörgensen, 1909), Challao (Roig-Alsina, 2000). Desierto del Monte (Neff & Simpson, 1981). Mendoza (Friese, 1900, 1906, 1908; Jensen-Haarup, 1908; Jörgensen, 1909, 1912a, 1912 b; Schrottky, 1902 a, 1903, 1913a; Cockerell, 1919; Vivallo et al., 2002; Cilla & Rolón, 2012 b).
Papagallos (Roig-Alsina, 2000). Río Blanco (Medan et al., 2002). Tupungato, Uspallata (Roig-Alsina, 2000). *Chalalián. NEUQUÉN (Roig-Alsina, 2000; Vivallo et al., 2002). RÍO NEGRO: (Friese, 1900; Schrottky, 1903, 1913a; Vogel, 1974). Carmen de Patagones (Schrottky, 1902 a, 1903; Wagenknecht, 1971). General Roca, Río Colorado (Roig-Alsina, 2000). *Lamarque. SALTA: *Cafayate, *Chuscha. SAN JUAN: (Cockerell, 1919; Schrottky, 1902 b, 1903, 1913a). Pismanta, Rodeo (Roig-Alsina, 2000). Valle de Zonda (Michelette & Camargo, 2000). *Iglesia. SAN LUIS (Roig-Alsina, 2000). TUCUMÁN (Roig-Alsina, 2000).
Material examined. ARGENTINA: BUENOS AIRES: 1 male: Carm. Patag.\ 223 \ 100 \ Centris muralis holotypus Burm.\ Lectotipo desig. Moure, 1960 (MACN). 1 male: Carm. Patag. Argentina Dr. Burmeister 1881 / 114 \ Co/ type (BMNH). CATAMARCA: 2 males: Pr. Catamarca (Hualfia) 28 / 10 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll\ en Larrea divaricata (CTMI). 4 males: Pr. Catamarca (Hualfia) 28 / 10 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll. in Larrea divaricata (CTMI). 1 male: Pr. Catamarca (Hualfia) 04/ 11 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll. C. muralis metandric male! Reared from nest Centris muralis 3 J. L. Neff 0 2 (CTMI). 2 males: Pr. Catamarca Joyango/ Colpes 19 / 10 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll.\ in Larrea divaricata (CTMI). 2 males and 4 females: Pr. Catamarca Joyango/ Colpes 19 / 10 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll\ In Larrea divaricata (CTMI). 1 female: Catamarca Joyango/ Colpes 24 / 10 / 1972 \ Larrea divaricata (CTMI). 4 females and 7 males: Chumbicha Catamarca Arg. Out- 2957 M. Fritz, leg Dpto. Zool. U. F. Paraná (DZUP). 1 male: Chumbicha Catamarca-Arg. Out- 1957 M. Fritz-leg. Dpto. Zool. U. F. Paraná (DZUP). 1 male: Chumbicha La Rioja R. Argentina (DZUP). 2 females: Pr. Catamarca (Tinogusta) 04/ 11 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll\ In Bulnesia retama (CTMI).
1 female: Pr. Catamarca (Poguncillos) 17 / 11 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll\ In Larrea divaricata (CTMI). 1 female: Pr. Catamarca (Andalgala Desert site) 15 / 10 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll\ in Bulnesia retama (CTMI). 1 male: Pr. Catamarca 28 / 10 / 1973 J. L. Neff, coll\ in Larrea divaricata (CTMI). LA RIOJA: 1 female and 1 male: Patquia Arg. Out- 1975 A. Martínez (col) (DZUP). 2 males: Santa Rosa La Rioja Octubre de 1948 -R. Arg. (DZUP). 1 male: Prov. La Rioja Patquia 10 / 1932 K. J. Hayward B. M. 1933 - 58 (DZUP). 1 male: Argentina Prov. La Rioja Patquia 10 / 1932 K. J. Hayward B. M. 1933 / 58 (BMNH). 1 male and 1 female: Argentina Prov. La Rioja Patquia 10 / 1932 K. J. Hayward B. M. 1933 / 58 (BMNH). MENDOZA: 1 female: 223 \ Mendoza Centris muralis Burm. Allotypus \ muralis Burm. Mendozae (MACN). 1 female: 17 / 965 \ Hemisia muralis (Burm.) forma melanopus Friese C. Schrottky det. 1910 \ Mendoza Rep. Argentina \ 97298 \ 17 / 965 Centris muralis Burm. F. melanopus Fr. Argentina Schrottky det (DZUSP). 1 female: Pr. Mendoza Chalalián 21 / 11 / 73, J. L Neff, coll\ in Larrea divaricata (CTMI). 1 male: Cord. de Mendoza 16 / 11 / 1907 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 1 male: 16 / 11 / 1907 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 1 male: Mendoza 19 / 10 / 1908 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 1 male: Mendoza 23 / 10 / 1908 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 1 male: Mendoza 05/ 11 / 1908 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 2 males: Mendoza 06/ 11 / 1908 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 2 males: Mendoza 08/ 11 / 1908 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 1 male: Mendoza 09/ 11 / 1908 P. Jörgensen (ZMUC). 2 males and 4 females: Arg. Mendoza above Uspallata 1,940 m. 06/02/ 1979 C. & M. Vardy B. M. 1980 / 67 (BMNH). 1 male: Arg. Mendoza above Uspallata 1,940 m. 06/02/ 1979 C. & M. Vardy B. M. 1980 / 67 all bees of this sp. nesting in holes in vertical sandy cliff face (BMNH). RÍO NEGRO: 1 female and 2 males: Lamarque R. Negro R. A. 10 / 1975 M. Fritz\ coleção Campos Seabra (DZUP). SALTA: 2 males: Salta Cafaite-RA R. Chuscha 11 / 1960 R. J. Llano-leg (DZUP). SAN JUAN: 1 female: Zonda San José Argentina 10 -X- 1992 10: 30 h Michelette leg. 949725 (RPSP). 1 male: Zonda San José Argentina 10 -X- 1992 10: 15 h Michelette leg. 940726 (RPSP). 1 male: Iglesia San José Argentina 31 -X- 1992 10: 40 h Michelette leg. 940751 (RPSP). 1 male: Iglesia San José Argentina 31 -X- 1992 19:00h Michelette leg. 940753 (RPSP). 1 male: Iglesia San José Argentina 31 -X- 1992 09:00h Michelette leg. 940752 (RPSP).