In a recent paper (Müller et al., Zootaxa, 5782, 330-346, 2026), three new osmiine bee species from the Arabian desert were described (see species accounts for details): Hoplitis (Hoplitis) heliotropii from Saudi Arabia, Hoplitis (Hoplitis) trichodesmae from Saudi Arabia and Israel, and Hoplitis (Platosmia) trisinuata from Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Category: Taxonomy
-
Revision of Chelostoma
The revision of the Western Palaearctic Chelostoma bees of the subgenus Chelostoma revealed the existence of eight new species: C. dolichocephalum, C. levantense, C. kurdistanicum, C. meronense, C. miripalpum, C. negevense, C. ornithogali and C. scabiosae (Müller, Pisanty & Dorchin, Zootaxa, 5717, 329-369, 2025). See species accounts for details.
-
Newly described osmiine bee from Spain
In a recently published paper, Hoplitis (Hoplitis) sulayr from southeastern Spain was newly described (Ortiz-Sanchez et al., Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, 76, 117-122, 2025). See species account for details.
-
Replacement name for Hoplitis convolvuli
In a recent paper (Zootaxa, 5631, 83-102, 2025), a replacement name for Hoplitis (Anthocopa) convolvuli Müller, 2022 (not Osmia papaveris convolvuli Ducke, 1899 = Osmia perezi Ferton, 1895) is given: Hoplitis (Anthocopa) trabutiana nom. nov..
-
Newly described osmiine bee species from Europe
In a recent paper (Zootaxa, 5631, 83-102, 2025), nine new osmiine bee species from Europe were described (see species accounts for details): Heriades (Michenerella) clypeonitida from Spain, southeastern Europe and western Turkey, Hoplitis (Anthocopa) nevadensis and Hoplitis (Anthocopa) spinidorsa from the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain, Hoplitis (Hoplitis) cretensis from Crete, Hoplitis (Micreriades) andalusiae from southwesternmost Andalusia, Hoplitis (Micreriades) hispaniae and Hoplitis (Micreriades) fuscospina from central and southern Spain, Osmia (Helicosmia) inflatipes from Greece, and Osmia (Helicosmia) sardoa from Sardinia.
-
Osmia gulmargensis, Osmia kashmirensis
In a recent publication (Zootaxa, 5551, 186-196, 2024), Sardar et al. redescribe the female of Osmia gulmargensis Nurse, 1903, which is known so far from Pakistan and India and whose subgeneric affiliation was unclear. Based on this redescription, O. gulmargensis most probably belongs to the subgenus Helicosmia. In the same publication, Osmia kashmirensis Nurse, 1903 from Pakistan is treated as a nomen dubium due to the insufficient original description and the probable loss of the male type.
-
Newly described osmiine bee species from Russia and Spain
In two recently published papers, Hoplitis (Hoplitis) andreasmuelleri from Dagestan and Hoplitis (Stenosmia) muelleri from central Spain were newly described (Fateryga et al., Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 97, 1417-1433, 2024; Álvarez Fidalgo, P. and Pascual Hergueto, J.I., Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, 75, 103-113, 2024). See species accounts for details.
-
Hoplitis benoisti and H. gregaria
Hoplitis (Hoplitis) benoisti benoisti (Alfken, 1935) and H. (Hoplitis) benoisti gregaria (Warncke, 1992) exhibit an allopatric distribution, the former occurring in the southwestern European mediterranean area, the latter in the Maghreb. Both taxa morphologically differ by several substantial characters in the male and female sex (see Warncke, 1992 and Le Divelec, 2024). Hoplitis gregaria is therefore newly regarded as a species of its own.
-
Newly described osmiine bee species from Corsica and Sardinia
In a recent paper (Annales de la société Entomologie de France, 2024, DOI: 10.1080/00379271.2024.2419083), R. le Divelec described the following three new species: Chelostoma (Foveosmia) incisum from Corsica, Hoplitis (Alcidamea) agnielae from Corsica and Hoplitis (Hoplitis) legoffi from Corsica and Sardinia. Hoplitis agnielae also occurs on Sardinia (A. Müller, unpublished). The three newly described species have very close relatives on the European mainland, i.e. Ch. distinctum, H. acuticornis and H. adunca, respectively.
-
Heriades labiata
R. Le Divelec discovered the female type of Heriades labiata Pérez, 1895 in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris. The specimen bears a label “Barcelone” indicating that the type locality lies in Spain and not in Algeria as assumed so far. This taxon is enigmatic as the type is the only individual that has ever been found, suggesting that the type might possibly be an aberrant specimen of Heriades rubicola Pérez, 1890.