Holcopasites minimus (Linsley 1943)

Holcopasites illinoiensis minimus (Linsley)

Neopasites (Neopasites) minimus Linsley, 1943:123, 126–127, 5 [Arizona: sixteen miles south of Tucson].

Holcopasites (Holcopasites) minimus.—Linsley 1951:1208, 9 [Arizona].

LOCATION OF TYPE.—California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco.

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE.—Southwestern United States (Arizona and New Mexico) and adjacent Mexico (Sonora).

HOST.—Hypomacrotera callops callops Cockerell and Porter (unconfirmed) and H. c. persimilis Cockerell (confirmed). Table 1.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—ARIZONA. COCHISE COUNTY: Apache, 13 mi SW, 8 ♀, VIII–19 to 26–64 (J. G. and B. L. Rozen, AMNH); ♂, VIII–21–66, 2 ♂ VIII–22–66, and ♀, VIII–29–66 (J. G. and B. L. Rozen, AMNH); 2♂, ♀, IX–1–71, flying over nesting area of Calliopsis spp. (J. G. Rozen and M. Favreau, AMNH). Apache, 15 mi SW, ♀, VIII–22–70 (J. G. Rozen, AMNH). Apache, 17.5 mi SW, 2 ♀, VIII–14–69 (J. G. and K. C. Rozen, AMNH); 5 ♀, VIII–16–69 (J. G. Rozen, AMNH). Douglas, ♀, VIII–22–68 (J. G. Rozen and M. Favreau, AMNH); ♀, VIII–24–69 (J. G. and K. C. Rozen, AMNH). Douglas, 1 mi, E, 3 ♀, VIII–13–62, flying just above ground (M. A. Cazier, CIS);♀, VIII–14–62, flying over surface of ground investigating holes, 11:00–11:20 A.M. (M. A. Cazier, CIS); 5 ♀, VIII–15–62, flying just above ground, 9:00–9:50 A.M. (M. A. Cazier, CIS); 3 ♀, VIII–16–62 (M. Statham, AMNH); 2 ♀, VIII–17–62 (M. A. Cazier, CIS); ♀, same date (M. Statham, AMNH); ♀, VIII–14–69 (J. G. and K. C. Rozen, AMNH); ♀, VIII–21–69 (J. G. Rozen and M. Favreau, AMNH); ♂, 5 ♀, VIII–24–70 (J. G. Rozen, AMNH). Portal, 2 mi, NE, ♀, IX–14–61 (J. G. Rozen and M. Statham, CIS); ♀, VIII—30–71, examining burrow entrances of Hypomacrotera callops callops Cockerell and Porter (J. G. Rozen and M. Favreau, AMNH); ♀, same data, except VIII–31–71 (J. G. Rozen and M. Favreau, AMNH). PIMA COUNTY: Sabino Canyon, Santa Catalina Mountains, ♂, VII–7–50, flowers Euphorbia capitellata (R. H. Beamer, KU). Tucson, 16 mi S, ♀, VIII–11–24 (E. P. Van Duzee, CAS, Linsley 1943:127).

NEW MEXICO. HIDALGO COUNTY: Rodeo, 1 mi N, ♀, VIII–29–63, asleep on Eriogonum (M. A. Cazier and M. Mortenson, CIS);♂, IX–4–63 (M. A. Cazier and M. Mortenson, CIS).

MEXICO. SONORA: Belen, 5 ♂, 38 ♀ ♀, IX–28–66, from nesting site of Hypomacrotera callops (G. E. and A. S. Bohart, GEB).

Although Holcopasites illinoiensis minimus was originally accorded the rank of species, the male has subsequently been discovered and with the acquisition of much new material, we have been unable to find any structural features to distinguish it from H. illinoiensis. On the basis of geographically segregable colorational features and differences in the expression of white pubescence, we conclude that they are subspecifically distinct. It is interesting that H. illinoiensis minimus has been associated with a host bee that is different from those thus far associated with the nominate subspecies (Table 1).

In late August of 1971, J. G. Rozen and M. Favreau found adults of this subspecies examining burrow entrances of Hypomacrotera callops callops Cockerell and Porter at one mile west of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona. In their excavation of the nests a feeding larva and several postdefecating larvae of presumably this subspecies were recovered. Of further interest these observers noted nests of Calliopsis gilva in the same area which were not visited or examined by the adults of this parasite. Upon excavation of the nests no Holcopasites larvae were recovered. However, at 13 miles southwest of Apache, Cochise County, Arizona, adults of this bee were seen flying over a nesting area occupied by several species of the genus Calliopsis.

Holcopasites minimus is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. It is found in Central America and North America.