Morphological studies on the last instar larva of Centris (Hemisiella) tarsata Smith from Brazil (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae) Sandor Christiano Buys Buys, S. C. (2005): Morphological studies on the last instar larva of Centris (Hemi-siella) tarsata Smith from Brazil (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae). -Spixiana 28/2: 175-179 The last instar larva of Centris (Hemisiella) tarsata Smith is described and illus-trated based on material collected in Southwest Brazil. Some characters usually not included in descriptions of larvae of bees are emphasised. Sandor Christiano Buys, Laboratörio de Entomologia, Departamento de Zoolo-gia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Caixa postal 68044, CEP 21944-970, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil; e-mail:
[email protected] Introduction Centris is a large Neotropical genus of solitary bees known as larvae by only a few species (Janvier 1928, Michener 1953, Rozen 1965, Rozen & Buchmann 1990, Chiappa & Toro 1994, Chiappa 2000). Rozen (1965) described the last instar larva of Centris (Hemisiella) tarsata Smith, 1874 [misidentified as C. lanipes (Fabricius, 1775), see Rozen & Buchmann 1990], but the examination of larvae of this species suggests the necessity of new morphological studies including others descriptive characters and measure-ments of some structures. Herein the last instar larva of this species is redescribed. Methods The techniques and terminology follow, in general lines, those used by Evans & Lin (1956). The body was measu-red in a straigth line, including the head. The head was measured from top to apex of the clypeus, excluding the labrum. The widths of the palpi, galeae, and setae were measured at the base. The number of punctures and setae on the genal areas of the left and right side of the head, respectively, were included in the description separated by a slash. Four specimens were examined, but the morphometric features were taken from one specimen. One adult specimen was deposited in the entomological coUection of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Centris (Hemisiela) tarsata Smith, 1874 Last instar larva Figs 1-12 Description Body. Yellowish. Length about 1 .2 cm; width 0.5 cm. Approximately cylindrical, strongly curved. Pleural lobes very weak. Intersegmental lines weak. Segments dorsally divided into two annulets, the posterior ones more prominent, particularly those of Segment TL Integument with isolated setae (20-43 pm long), more abundant on anal segment; spines sparse and diminute (Fig. 1). Spiracles unpigmented; atrium without sculptures; peritreme smooth. Head capsule. Height 1.4; width 1.4. Coronal suture well developed, unpigmented. Antennal papillae unpigmented, on poorly developed con-vexities, subcircular, 38 pm in diameter; with three small basiconic sensilla (in one specimen with four sensilla). Parietal bands absent. Cephalic rugosity absent. Two pairs of concavities distinct, one pair adjacent to the antennal orbits and another pair on 175
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