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Photo#1395808
wasp - Pseudomasaris edwardsii

wasp - Pseudomasaris edwardsii
Panoche Hills, Fresno County, California, USA
March 30, 2014

Images of this individual: tag all
wasp - Pseudomasaris edwardsii wasp - Pseudomasaris edwardsii

Diagnostic Antenna Character
The angle of view brings out the most distinctive character of (male) P. edwardsii...namely, the irregular ("serrate" or "erose") edge of the terminal segments of the antennae. All other species in the genus have antennal clubs with smooth edges. BTW, the antennal club in male Pseudomasaris consists of antennal segments 8-12. After segments 1 & 2 (AKA the "scape" & "pedicel"...quite short here, especially the latter), segments 3-5 are long & narrow...while segment 6 flares out towards the club, and segment 7 is reduced (it gives rise to "middle tooth" seen on edge here).

Another diagnostic character for P. edwardsii visible here is the protuberance (or rounded "tooth") on the tibia of the middle leg (though that character may occur in other species...I'm not sure).

In this species the females (which have shorter antennae & smaller "clubs") gather pollen from Phacelia.

PS: Nice Eriogonum this male is perched on. The leafy bracts are somewhat diagnostic...I think it's either E. angulosum or E. gracillimum (would have to see open flowers to know for sure).

 
Pseudomasaris edwardsii
Thanks Aaron for all the details.
There was a lot of Phacelia next to the Eriogonum. No open flowers on the Eriogonum, at least not in the images I took (I checked).

Moved
Moved from Pseudomasaris.

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