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First Record of Megachile (Pseudocentron) luctifera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Puerto Rico
Alana Freytes-Rivera1, Elif Kardas1,2, Julio A. Genaro3,José J. Fumero-Cabán4, and Julissa Rojas-Sandoval5,6,*
1Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, 17 Avenue Universidad Suite 1701, San Juan, PR 00925-2537, USA.2University of Mons, Avenue du Champ de Mars 6, B7000 Mons, Belgium. 3Florida State Collection of Arthropods, 1911 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608-1268, USA. 4Department of Science, Technology and the Environment, Universidad Ana G. Méndez, PO Box 21150, San Juan, PR 00928-1150, USA. 5Institute of the Environment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-4210 6Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community, and Urban Studies, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-4148. *Corresponding author.
Caribbean Naturalist, No. 102 (2025)
Published 4 July 2025
Abstract
We report the first record of Megachile (Pseudocentron) luctifera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Puerto Rico, based on specimens of both sexes. Previously known only from the Lesser Antilles, this finding represents the first documentation for an island in the Greater Antilles. The first male specimen from Puerto Rico was collected in Coamo in October 2021, followed by females collected in the Guánica State Forest in May 2022. We confirmed species identification through morphological analysis and DNA sequencing. Repeated observations of this species in Coamo and Guánica suggest an established presence in these areas. Additionally, potential but unconfirmed records from other locations in Puerto Rico indicate that the species may have a broader Caribbean distribution than previously recognized. Preliminary data on its nesting behavior, spatiotemporal dynamics, and interactions with plant species are reported. Further research is needed to accurately evaluate its distribution, ecological role, and nesting behavior in Puerto Rico.
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