Perdita perpallida

Cockerell, 1901

pale miner bee, All-pale Perdita

Perdita perpallida is a solitary mining in the , to North America. The is distinguished by its notably pale to coloration, which sets it apart from most other Perdita species that typically exhibit darker or more contrasting patterns. Formerly divided into two , the was revised in 2023 when Perdita perpallida citrinella was synonymized with the nominate form after being recognized as intraspecific color variation. The species belongs to a large of small bees that are important but often overlooked .

Perdita perpallida by (c) Thilina Hettiarachchi, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Thilina Hettiarachchi. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Perdita perpallida: /pɛrˈdiːtə pɛrˈpælɪdə/

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Identification

The extremely pale to coloration is the primary distinguishing feature of Perdita perpallida. Most Perdita display darker coloration or more pronounced patterning; the near-uniform pallid appearance of this species makes it readily recognizable within the . The 2023 taxonomic revision clarified that color variation previously attributed to separate falls within the normal range of this species.

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Distribution

North America.

Behavior

As a member of the Perdita, the is solitary and nests in burrows excavated in soil.

Similar Taxa

  • Perdita perpallida citrinella (Graenicher, 1910)Formerly recognized as a based on color differences, but synonymized in 2023 after being determined to represent intraspecific variation rather than distinct taxonomic status.

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