Genus Haetosmia

Female of Haetosmia circumventa collecting pollen on a flower of Heliotropium (left); Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) is the exclusive pollen source of the Haetosmia species (right). Fotos Claudio Sedivy and FlowersInIsrael.com.

Biogeography and diversity

The genus Haetosmia is confined to the Palaearctic region. It contains 3 species.

Phylogeny and classification

Haetosmia is a member of the Osmia group (Praz et al., 2008b). However, its phylogenetic position within the Osmia group was found to vary depending on the analysis: maximum parsimony placed it at the base of the Osmia group, while some Bayesian analyzes placed it as sister to the clade Wainia+Atoposmia+Ashmeadiella+Osmia+Hoplosmia (Praz et al., 2008b). The latter placement is supported by the structure of the male sterna, which are similar in Haetosmia, Wainia, Atoposmia and Osmia.

Nesting biology

Nesting site and nesting material are unknown. However, Haetosmia possibly nests in excavated burrows in sandy soil as indicated by the following observations: all three species seem to be restricted to sandy ground (Mavromoustakis, 1954b for Haetosmia vechti; A. Müller and C. Sedivy, personal observation for H. circumventa; C. Praz, personal observation for H. brachyura); in addition, the females possess long bristles on tibia and tarsus of their forelegs, which are possibly used to flip away sand during nest excavation in the ground.

Flower preferences

All three species exploit flowers of Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) as probably exclusive pollen source. The females have long, apically curved and capitate bristles on their labial palpi (Peters, 1974). As already assumed by Peters (1974), these modified bristles serve to extract pollen from the tiny and narrow-tubed Heliotropium flowers (A. Müller and C. Sedivy, personal observation for H. circumventa).

Species accounts

Haetosmia brachyura (Morawitz, 1875)

1875 Osmia brachyura Morawitz, Travel to Turkestan by A. P. Fedtschenko, p. 97. Type material: m(m), “in deserto Kisilkum” [Turkestan].-Combination Anthocopa (Haetosmia) brachyura (Morawitz) in Zanden (1988b: 119).

1875 Osmia latipes Morawitz, Travel to Turkestan by A. P. Fedtschenko, p. 97. Type material: f(f), “in deserto Kisilkum” [Turkestan]. Type species of Haetosmia Popov.-Combination Anthocopa (Haetosmia) latipes (Morawitz) in Popov (1952b: 103).-Synonymy in Peters (1974: 293).

Distribution-Northern Asia: TM, UZ; Turkestan. Southwestern Asia: AFG, PAK; IL, TR.

Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Ducke (1900); Peters (1974); Popov (1952b: 103).

Nesting biology: Unknown.

Flower preferences: Probably oligolectic on Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) (C. Praz, personal observation; A. Müller, unpublished, based on 3 pollen samples from 3 different localities). Additional flower records: Salsola richteri (Popov, 1960b).

- subspecies altera (Peters, 1974)

1974 Osmia (Haetosmia) brachyura altera Peters, Senckenbergiana Biologica (Frankfurt), 55: 294. Type material: Holotype f, “Gulbahar, 1700 m” [Afghanistan], SMFD (Frankfurt); paratypes mm, ff.

Distribution-Southwestern Asia: AFG, PAK.

Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Peters (1974).

- subspecies brachyura (Morawitz, 1875)

1875 Automatically established nominotypical subspecific taxon (original description and type specimen are identical with those of the species rank taxon of the same name above).

Distribution-Northern Asia: TM, UZ; Turkestan.

Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Peters (1974).

Haetosmia circumventa (Peters, 1974)

1974 Osmia (Haetosmia) circumventa Peters, Senckenbergiana Biologica (Frankfurt), 55: 297. Type material: Holotype m, “Gran Canaria, Maspalomas, Dünen” [Canary Islands], SMFD (Frankfurt); paratypes mm, ff.-Combination Anthocopa (Haetosmia) circumventa (Peters) in Zanden (1988b: 119).

Distribution-Northern Africa: E(Ca), ET, LAR, MA. Southwestern Asia: IL, UAE. Extralimital: Afrotropic (Sudan).

Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Peters (1974, 1975: 54-55).

Nesting biology: Unknown.

Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) (A. Müller, unpublished, based on field observations and 54 pollen samples from 11 different localities; Hohmann et al., 2003). Additional flower records: Neurada procumbens (Peters, 1974).

Haetosmia vechti (Peters, 1974)

1974 Osmia (Haetosmia) vechti Peters, Senckenbergiana Biologica (Frankfurt), 55: 294. Type material: Holotype m, “Teheran-Evin, Institutsgelände” [Iran], SMFD (Frankfurt); paratypes mm, ff.-Combination Anthocopa (Haetosmia) vechti (Peters) in Zanden (1988b: 119).

Distribution-Europe: GR. Southwestern Asia: IL, IR, TR.

Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Mavromoustakis (1954b: 267-268, as Osmia latipes var.); Peters (1974).

Nesting biology: Unknown.

Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) (Mavromoustakis 1954b).