Palaearctic Osmiine Bees

Systematics and Biology of a Fascinating Group of Solitary Bees

Author: muelandr

  • Two new species for Portugal

    In a sample of osmiine bees collected by David Baldock, two species were found that have never been recorded for Portugal so far: Hoplitis (Anthocopa) bisulca (Gerstaecker, 1869) and Hoplitis (Hoplitis) ochraceicornis (Ferton, 1902).

  • Osmia labialis and Osmia melanogaster

    The species status of Osmia (Helicosmia) labialis Pérez, 1879 is disputed. Warncke (1986) synonymized it with Osmia melanogaster Spinola, 1808, while other authors considered it as a valid species different from O. melanogaster (Tkalcu, 1975c; Rasmont et al., 1995; Amiet et al., 2004). In a sample of bees from France, two specimens of Helicosmia were recently found that had been collected at the same day and exactly the same location. One of these specimens showed all characters typical of O. labialis as given by Tkalcu (1975c), the other specimen was a typical O. melanogaster. The syntopic occurrence indicates that O. labialis indeed warrants the status of a valid species.

  • Description of the nesting biology of Hoplitis monstrabilis

    Rozen et al. (2009) describe the nesting biology of Hoplitis (Hoplitis) monstrabilis from eastern Turkey. The species was found to nest in excavated burrows in the ground in a similar manner as the species of Hoplitis (Annosmia) do.

  • New synonymies 2

    Osmia (Melanosmia) hyperborea Tkalcu, 1983 is a junior synonym of Osmia (Melanosmia) laticeps Thomson, 1872 (Nilsson, 2009).

  • Osmia steinmanni recorded in Italy

    The rare Osmia (Melanosmia) steinmanni (Müller, 2002), which was known so far only from a few localities in the Swiss Alps, has recently been discovered in South Tirol, Italy (Kopf, 2008).

  • Unknown female of Wainia guichardi discovered

    Wainia (Caposmia) guichardi (Zanden, 1991) was known so far only in the male sex. On an excursion to southern Morocco in April 2009, the unknown female was discovered (A. Müller, unpublished).

  • New synonymies 1

    Hoplitis alexandrina (Warncke, 1991) is a junior synonym of Hoplitis hofferi (Tkalcu, 1977) based on types and the original description (A. Müller, unpublished).

    Hoplitis acuticornis penelope (Warncke, 1991) is the so far unknown male of Hoplitis nigrocolor (Zanden, 1991) based on recently collected material in Tunisia (A. Müller, unpublished). Thus, it is newly treated as a synonym of H. nigrocolor. The synonymization of Hoplitis acuticornis penelope with Hoplitis camelina (Benoist, 1934) by Zanden (1996b) is erroneous.

    Hoplitis brevifurca (Benoist, 1934) is the so far unknown male of Hoplitis sinuata (Pérez, 1895) based on recently collected material in Morocco (A. Müller, unpublished). Thus, H. brevifurca is a junior synonym of H. sinuata.

    Osmia frunseensis Warncke, 1992 is junior synonym of Osmia carinoclypearis Wu, 1985 based on the original descriptions and recently collected material (A. Müller, unpublished).

    Osmia atroalba Morawitz, 1875 is junior synonym of Osmia fasciata Latreille, 1811 based on type specimens and original description (A. Müller, unpublished).

    Osmia prasina Morawitz, 1875 is a valid species based on type material and original description (A. Müller, unpublished); its synonymization with Osmia sogdiana Morawitz, 1875 by Warncke (1988a. 23) is erroneous.

    Chelostoma palaeastinum (Benoist, 1935) is a junior synonym of Chelostoma schlettereri (Friese, 1899) based on comparison of type specimens (A. Müller, unpublished).

    Chelostoma subnitidum (Benoist, 1935) is a junior synonym of Chelostoma ventrale Schletterer, 1889 based on comparison of type specimens (A. Müller, unpublished).

  • Nests of several osmiine bee species detected for the first time

    On their excursion to Iran in June 2009, C. Praz and C. Sedivy detected together with A. Monfared and A. Talebi for the first time nests of Osmia (Hemiosmia) difficilis, Osmia (Ozbekosmia) avosetta, Osmia (Pyrosmia) oramara and Hoplitis (Chlidoplitis) heinrichi. In addition, the discovery of two nests of Hoplitis (Pentadentosmia) laeviscutum allowed insights into the hitherto unknown nest architecture of this species. For details see the species accounts on the Palaearctic osmiine bee website.

    During an excursion to southern Morocco in April 2009, A. Müller detected for the first time nests of the rare Osmia (Tergosmia) lunata. For details see the species account on the Palaearctic osmiine bee website.

  • Wainiella sp.

    The subgenus Wainiella Griswold contains 2 Afrotropical species (Michener, 2007). According to Griswold and Michener (1998), Wainiella marginally reaches the Palaearctic region in Yemen. Indeed, a Wainiella species was recently found in a sample of bees from Yemen (C. Praz, personal communication). As it is improbable that this species is conspecific with Wainia (Wainiella) albobarbata from South Africa and DR Congo or with Wainia (Wainiella) sakaniensis from DR Congo, the species from Yemen is probably new to science.

  • Heriades fujiyamai

    Heriades (Michenerella) fujiyamai Yasumatsu & Hirashima, 1952 from Japan is newly added to the Catalogue.