19-6-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - DIGGER BEE (Amegilla garrula)

Stout species, with protuberant clypeus and short antennae

Short marginal cell

3 submarginal cell of equivalent size

2nd recurrent vein reaching the middle of submarginal cell 2

Lack of arolia between the claws

 Morphologically close genera and how to distinguish them:

Amegilla - Anthophora

Anthophora species tend to be larger and have an arolium between the claws.

Amegilla species stend to be smaller with well delimited hairs bands on the metasoma, and lack the arolium.

Amegilla - Habropoda

Amegilla species have a distinctly short marginal cell, as well as recurrent veins reaching the middle of submarginal cell 2 and an interfurcal nervulus.

Habropoda species have a more elongated tip of marginal cell (the apex of the anterior margin of submarginal cell 3 reaches only the middle of the marginal cell), a recurrent vein reaching the apex of submarginal cell 2 and a post-furcal nervulus

General comments on Amegilla species identification

Amegilla females can be distinguished using criteria from hairs colour patterns and punctation. Male identification can be performed using facial yellow patterns, shape of posterior legs, hairs of the median legs, and may require genitalia comparisons.