Subgenus Monosmia
The subgenus Monosmia Tkalcu is confined to the Palaearctic region. It contains a single species.
Female of Osmia (Monosmia) apicata Smith, 1853 collecting pollen on Onosma javorkae (Boraginaceae). Foto A. Gogala.
Species accounts
Osmia (Monosmia) apicata Smith, 1853
1853 Osmia apicata Smith, Catalogue of Hymenopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, vol. 1, p. 140. Type material: Lectotype f, by designation of Tkalcu (1974b: 339), “Albania” [Albania], BMNH (London). Type species of Monosmia Tkalcu.
1869 Osmia macroglossa Gerstaecker, Entomologische Zeitung (Stettin), 30: 349. Type material: Lectotype f, by designation of Tkalcu (1974b: 339), “Griechenland” [Greece], ZMHB (Berlin).-Combination Osmia (Aceratosmia) macroglossa Gerstaecker in Schmiedeknecht (1885: 19 [885]). Combination Osmia (Pachyosmia) macroglossa Gerstaecker in Friese (1911b: 124).-Synonymy in Tkalcu (1974b: 339).
Distribution-Europe: AL, ARM, BG, I, GE, GR, HR, MK, RUS, SCG, SLO. Southwestern Asia: IL, IR, JOR, SYR, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Ducke (1900); Medvedeva (1978); Peters (1978a), Schmiedeknecht (1885-1886); Tkalcu (1974b: 337-339).
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Preexisting cavities: crevices in stone walls. Nesting material: Unknown. (Ducke, 1900; Graeffe, 1902)
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Onosma (Boraginaceae) and possibly closely related genera, Echium (Boraginaceae) is rarely exploited as well (A. Müller, unpublished, based on 42 pollen samples from 27 different localities and on field observations; Teppner, 1996; Gogala and Surina, 2011).