34 [February, 



J 



ANDRENA NANA OF BEITISH AUTHOES DISTINCT FROM 

 A. NANA OF KIRBY. 



BY R. C. L. PERKINS, D.Sc, M.A , P.Z.8. 



Some time ago on reading Kirby's description of Andrena nana, 

 I thought it very probable that this was not the common species, 

 which both in English works and in many Continental ones is placed 

 under that name. An examination of Kirby's type at once proved 

 that his specimen was entirely different from the nana of our 

 collections. 



Recently, through the kindness of the Eev. F. D. Morice, I was 

 enabled to examine a considerable Continental series of the Andrena 

 nana group, collected by him at divers times in various European 

 countries, as well as some from Northern Africa and Asia. Of some 

 species, which possibly might occur in this country, he kindly allowed 

 me to retain typical specimens. 



On a recent visit to the British Museum I again looked at Kirby's 

 type of nana, and at once saw that it was a widely spread Continental 

 species, known as A. schenckella, Perez. Kirby's name had already 

 been correctly assigned to this species by Schenck and Schmiedeknecht. 

 A. schenckella, therefore, becomes a synonym of A. nana, and it is more 

 than probable that the common species, which we have for years been 

 calling nana, will require a new name. 



It is quite certain that Kirby did not recognise this common 

 species as distinct, as he included specimens of it amongst his minutnla. 



I have not seen any exponent of the true nana, K. {schenckella, 

 Per.) from Britain other than Kirby's type, although I have now 

 examined about 1000 examples of this group of Andrena. It would 

 appear, therefore, to be very rare or local, and the case is similar to 

 that of Halictns Isevis, K. 



The $ of the true nana is very distinct from any other of our 

 species from the fact that the impressed apical margins of the 2nd 

 and 3rd abdominal segments bear a number of distinct but shallow 

 scattered punctures. The first segment is polished, and distinctly and 

 plentifully punctured on the disc, while at the sides the punctures 

 become very sparse. The second segment is extremely densely and 

 distinctly punctured, the small amount of surface left between the 



