Based on a new molecular phylogeny of the bee genus Osmia with emphasis on North American Melanosmia, Rightmyer et al. (2013) erected a new Nearctic subgenus of Osmia, Hapsidosmia, for a single species formerly treated as a member of the subgenus Melanosmia. Furthermore, they synonymized the two Nearctic subgenera Mystacosmia and Acanthosmioides under Melanosmia. This study also clarified the phylogenetic relationships among the different subgenera of Osmia, e.g. Osmia (Erythrosmia) is newly supported as sister to Osmia (Tergosmia). In addition, a key is given for the identification of the eight Nearctic subgenera of Osmia.
Author: muelandr
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New osmiine bee species in France
The examination of osmiine bees received from Matthieu Aubert revealed the presence of Hoplitis (Anthocopa) fasciculata in Corsica. In Europe, this species has been known so far only from Sardinia, Greece and Crete.
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Nests of two osmiine bee species detected for the first time
G. Le Goff discovered the hitherto unknown nests of Hoplitis (Anthocopa) zaianorum and Hoplitis (Hoplitis) tenuiserrata in southern Morocco in spring 2013. For details see the species accounts on the Palaearctic osmiine bee website.
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New osmiine bee species in Egypt
Three osmiine bee species have been recorded for the first time in Egypt: Hoplitis (Alcidamea) epeoliformis, Hoplitis (Platosmia) africana and Hoplitis (Platosmia) gerofita.
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New osmiine bee species in Israel
The examination of osmiine bee material received from Yael Mandelik and coworkers revealed the following new species records for Israel: Hoplitis (Anthocopa) serainae and Hoplitis (Micreriades) antalyiae.
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7 Palaearctic osmiine bee species newly described
Three articles in Zootaxa have recently been published dealing with the biology and taxonomy of Hofferia and Stenoheriades (Zootaxa, 3765, 175-186, 2014), of Hoplitis (Stenosmia) (Zootaxa, 3765, 301-316, 2014) and of Hoplitis (Chlidoplitis) and Hoplitis (Megahoplitis) (Zootaxa, 3765, 161-174, 2014). Seven new species are described: Stenoheriades levantica spec. nov., Hoplitis (Stenosmia) desertorum spec. nov. and Hoplitis (Chlidoplitis) allii spec. nov. from the Levant, Hoplitis (Stenosmia) crassipunctata spec. nov., Hoplitis (Stenosmia) dispersipunctata spec. nov. and Hoplitis (Chlidoplitis) haplophylli spec. nov from Central Asia, and Hoplitis (Stenosmia) gobiensis spec. nov from the Gobi desert.
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3 new Palaearctic Protosmia species
In a recent paper (Journal of Melittology, 20, 1-9, 2013), T.L. Griswold describes three new species of Protosmia (Nanosmia) from the Palaearctic region: P. hamulifera spec. nov. from the Arabian peninsula, P. schwarzi spec. nov. from the Maghreb and P. trifida spec. nov. from Turkey.
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Nesting biology of Haetosmia uncovered
In a recent paper by Gotlieb et al. in American Museum Novitates (3808, 1-20, 2014), nests, floral preferences and immatures of Haetosmia vechti are described. Interestingly, H. vechti was found in Israel to nest in excavated burrows in sandy soil and to build urn-shaped brood cells from masticated leaves.
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Erroneous synonymization
As recently noticed by Ivanov et al. (2013), the synonymization of Pseudosmia taurica Radoszkowski, 1874 with Osmia dimidiata Morawitz, 1870 by Ungricht et al. (2008) is erroneous. P. taurica is a member of Hoplitis (Anthocopa) and appears to be closely related to Hoplitis bisulca (Gerstaecker, 1869).
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New osmiine bee species in France
Matthieu Aubert and Christophe Philippe discovered Hoplitis (Hoplitis) lithodorae in southern France near Montpellier in spring 2013 and at other places in the Aude and Bouches du Rhone provinces in 2014. This species was hitherto known only from a small area in southwestern Spain (Müller, 2012). Flowers of Lithodora fruticosa were very common at the sites of H. lithodorae in southern France, suggesting that the species is indeed a Lithodora oligolege.