Osmia species (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) from the southeastern United States with modified facial hairs: taxonomy, host plants, and conservation status

By

Rightmyer, Molly G.
Deyrup, Mark A.
Ascher, John S.
Griswold, Terry L.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

148

Pages

257-278

Subjects

Apoidea , bee , Calamintha ashei , Lamiaceae , Megachilinae , Melanosmia , oligolecty , Osmia calaminthae , Osmia conjunctoides , Osmiini

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.148.1497

 

Abstract

We describe females and males of Osmia (Melanosmia) calaminthae sp. n., an apparent floral specialist on Calamintha ashei (Lamiaceae), and provide observations on the behavior of female bees on flowers of this plant. We also provide diagnostic information for Osmia (Diceratosmia) conjunctoides Robertson, stat. n., and synonymize O. (Diceratosmia) subfasciata miamiensis Mitchell with O. conjunctoides syn. n. Females of both O. calaminthae and O. conjunctoides are unique among North American Osmia forshort, erect, simple facial hairs, which are apparent adaptations for collecting pollen from nototribic flowers. Osmia calaminthae is currently only known from sandy scrub at four nearby sites in the southern Lake Wales Ridge in Highlands County, Florida, USA, while O. conjunctoides is known from limited but widespread sites in the southeastern USA. We discuss the conservation status of both species based on known or speculated floral associates and distributions.