Leioproctus pilotapilus

Leioproctus pilotapilus
Female holotype and male allotype
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Colletidae
Genus: Leioproctus
Species:
L. pilotapilus
Binomial name
Leioproctus pilotapilus
Leijs 2018[1][2]

Leioproctus pilotapilus, or Leioproctus (Colletellus) pilotapilus, is a species of bee in the family Colletidae and subfamily Colletinae. It is endemic to Australia. It was described by entomologist Remko Leijs in 2018.[1][2]

Etymology

The specific epithet pilotapilus refers to the short, dense hair on the scutum.[1]

Description

The female holotype body length is 6.6 mm, head width 1.8 mm; the male allotype body length 5.9 mm, head width 1.85 mm. Integumental colouration is mainly black, orange and brown. The hair is white to brown.[1]

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs in inland Western Australia. The type locality is 41 km east of Charlies Knob, in the Young Range of the Gibson Desert.[2]

Behaviour

The adults are flying mellivores. Flowering plants visited by the bees include Podolepis canescens, Schoenia cassiniana and Helipterum craspedioides.[2]

Flowers of Helipterum craspedioides (yellow billy buttons), a forage plant of the bees

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Leijs, R; Dorey, J; Hogendoorn, K (2018). "Twenty six new species of Leioproctus (Colletellus): Australian Neopasiphaeinae, all but one with two submarginal cells (Hymenoptera, Colletidae". ZooKeys (811): 109–168 [152]. doi:10.3897/zookeys.811.28924. PMC 6323115. PMID 30627041. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Species Leioproctus (Colletellus) pilotapilus Leijs, 2018". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2026. Retrieved 2026-08-08.