Megachile zaptlana

Cresson, 1878

Megachile zaptlana is a solitary leafcutter in the , first described by Cresson in 1878. The belongs to the subgenus Sayapis and has been documented across the Americas from the southern United States through Central America to South America. As a member of the Megachile, it exhibits the characteristic trait of cutting leaves or other materials to its nest cavities. Research indicates it utilizes pre-existing cavities for nesting and shows specific floral associations, though detailed remains incompletely documented.

Megachile zaptlana by (c) John Rosford, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John Rosford. Used under a CC-BY license.

Megachile zaptlana by (c) Susan Blayney, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Susan Blayney. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Megachile zaptlana: /ˌmɛɡəˈkaɪli ˌzæptˈlænə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Distribution

Documented across the Caribbean, Middle America, North America, and South America. Specific records from Brazil include the states of Amazonas (BR-AM), Bahia (BR-BA), Espírito Santo (BR-ES), Goiás (BR-GO), Maranhão (BR-MA), Minas Gerais (BR-MG), Mato Grosso do Sul (BR-MS), Mato Grosso (BR-MT), Pará (BR-PA), Paraíba (BR-PB), Paraná (BR-PR), Rio de Janeiro (BR-RJ), Roraima (BR-RR), Rio Grande do Sul (BR-RS), Santa Catarina (BR-SC), and São Paulo (BR-SP).

Behavior

Solitary nesting using pre-existing cavities. Exhibits specific floral associations during foraging.

More Details

Taxonomic placement

Placed in subgenus Sayapis within the Megachile. The subgenus Sayapis is characterized by specific morphological traits related to structure and nesting biology, though precise diagnostic features for M. zaptlana within this subgenus require examination.

Research status

A 2019 study in Journal of Apicultural Research examined nesting biology and flower preferences, indicating active research interest but limited comprehensive documentation in accessible literature.