According to Ungricht et al. (2008), Hoplitis (Alcidamea) garzetta (Warncke, 1991) has been recorded in Greece. This record is erroneous as all specimens from Greece formerly identified as H. garzetta were recently found to belong to the closely related Hoplitis (Alcidamea) bispinosa Zanden, 1992. So far, H. garzetta is known to occur only in Turkey.
Author: muelandr
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New synonymies 3
Hoplitis (Pentadentosmia) laeviscutum (Alfken, 1933) is a junior synonym of Hoplitis (Pentadentosmia) rufopicta (Morawitz, 1875). Several males and females of Pentadentosmia from Central Asia, which were identified by V. B. Popov as Hoplitis rufopicta, were found to be morphologically identical with typical specimens of Hoplitis laeviscutum from Turkey and Israel (A. Müller, unpublished). The extent of the red colour of the cuticula appears to vary much intraspecifically: specimens from Turkey, Israel and Jordan are virtually devoid of red, while some specimens from Central Asia and Pakistan have their abdomen entirely red coloured. Even among individuals flying at the same locality, there are transitions from purely black specimens to specimens with differing amounts of red, as exemplified by a series of Hoplitis rufopicta recently collected by C. Praz, C. Sedivy and A. Monfared in Iran.
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New species records 1
In a sample of bees recently received from the American Museum of Natural History, several new species records were established: Hoplitis (Anthocopa) batyamae (Zanden, 1986): new record for Egypt (collected by J.G. Rozen and S.M. Kamel); Hoplitis (Anthocopa) jakovlevi (Radoszkowski, 1874): new record for Armenia (collected by S. Droege); Hoplitis (Pentadentosmia) nitidula (Morawitz, 1877): new record for Pakistan (unknown collector); Hoplitis (Pentadentosmia) rufopicta (Morawitz, 1875): new record for Pakistan (collected by J.G. Rozen).
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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).
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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.
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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.
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New synonymies 2
Osmia (Melanosmia) hyperborea Tkalcu, 1983 is a junior synonym of Osmia (Melanosmia) laticeps Thomson, 1872 (Nilsson, 2009).
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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).
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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).
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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).