Squash and Gourd Bees of the Genus Xenoglossa (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

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Abstract
The genus Xenoglossa Smith consists of 7 species which are restricted to North America and derive virtually their entire economy from the genus Cucurbita (squashes, gourds, and pumpkins). These species differ in their abilities to collect the pollens of the various species of Cucurbita, both indigenous and domestic, and from these relationships we are able to suggest certain tentative conclusions concerning their evolution and distribution. Since the fig-leaf gourd (C. ficifolia) has species of both Xenoglossa and Peponapis solely dependent upon its pollen, it evidently was a native species of Cucurbita before the advent of aboriginal man. No species of Xenoglossa or Peponapis is solely dependent on the pollens of the 4 annual species of domesticated Cucurbita (C. maxima, C. mixta, C. moschata and C. pepo) and thus apparently these species of Cucurbita were developed by aboriginal man. A key is provided for identification of both sexes of the 7 species, and new records of the occurrence and plant relationships of these bees are reported. Characters useful for the identification of species are illustrated and the known occurrence of each species is mapped. Changes in rank and new synonymy include Xenoglossa gabbii crawfordi (=X. crawfordi Cockerell), X. gabbii gabbii (=X. gabbii (Cresson), = X. fuliginosa Gribodo), and X. strenna (=X. spriuna Howard, which is transferred to this genus from Peponapis where it has erroneously been listed as a synonym of P. pruinosa). Additional lectotypes are selected and designated for X. mustelina (Fox).

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