Megachile fulvifrons Smith, 1858

Wood, T. J., Risch, S., Orr, M. C. & Hogan, J. E., 2025, An illustrated type catalogue of the bee species collected by Alfred Russel Wallace and described by Frederick Smith from Southeast Asia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 1028, pp. 1-144 : 55-57

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2025.1028.3129
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:06182A07-5DB6-4916-86AF-673865690CE2
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/251C1E7D-FFB6-166E-FD84-17E7FC075645
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Megachile fulvifrons Smith, 1858
status

Treatment

33. Megachile fulvifrons Smith, 1858 View in CoL

Fig. 34

Megachile fulvifrons Smith, 1858a: 6–7 View in CoL , ♀ ♂.

Type material examined

Lectotype

INDONESIA • ♂; Mak. [ Makassar , Sulawesi]; [ 2 Sep.–18 Dec. 1856]; OUMNH, ENT-HYME2792-01 ( lectotype indicated by Baker 1993, de facto lectotype by present designation)

Paralectotype

INDONESIA • 1 ♀; Mak. [ Makassar , Sulawesi]; [ 2 Sep.–18 Dec. 1856]; OUMNH, ENT-HYME2792-02 .

Type locality

Celebes [= Sulawesi].

Notes

Baker (1993: 201) wrote the following:

“A ♂ and a ♀ in the UMO type collection, both labelled ‘MAK’ [blue disc] [Makasar district, Sep-Dec 1856 (Wallace)], are syntypes of fulvifrons . Although the ♀ was described first, and although the ♂ is in comparatively poor condition, the latter (dissected and figured) is now designated as LECTOTYPE: ♀♀ in the difficult group to which fulvifrons belongs (including gadara Cameron, 1903, rufovittata Cockerell, 1911, siamensis Cockerell, 1927, and numerous undescribed species) are not always readily determined with certainty, while the ♂♂ generally present immediately diagnostic characters. Published synonymies in this group are unreliable”.

As Baker’s lectotype was never published, we formally publish it here following his reasoning that males can be determined with greater confidence than females, and hence this lectotype designation has greater utility.

Current status

Megachile ( Aethomegachile) fulvifrons Smith, 1858 . Ascher & Pickering (2024) list this species as incertae sedis, but we believe it is better placed in the subgenus Aethomegachile . In Southeast Asia, the majority of the medium-sized true leaf-cutters belong to this subgenus, with the situation becoming more complex to the north ( China) and west ( India). Males can be identified, apart from characters of the genital capsule, by the external character of the structure of S6 which has a vertical surface clearly visible with a median notch (triangular or semicircular). In males of the other groups this surface seen from below is narrow ( Eutricharaea Thomson, 1872 ) or hardly visible ( Paracella Michener, 1997 ). The mandibles also have no basal projection. The other species mentioned by Baker (1993) in this context also belong to Aethomegachile , and a revision of Southeast Asian species is required.

Distribution

Unclear due to the requirement for a revision of this group. Possibly Indonesia ( Sulawesi, Ambon, Buru) and Timor-Leste ( Smith 1858a, 1863; Ascher & Pickering 2024).