Hoplitis (Stenosmia) hartliebi ( Friese, 1899 )

Müller, Andreas, 2014, Palaearctic Hoplitis bees of the subgenus Stenosmia (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 3765 (4), pp. 301-316 : 306-307

Hoplitis (Stenosmia) hartliebi ( Friese, 1899)

Osmia hartliebi Friese, 1899: 333 .

Type material: Syntypes ♂(♂), ♀(♀), “Fayum”, “Helouan” ( Egypt). The depository of the type material is unknown.

New records. EGYPT: Suez, 10.5.2009. MOROCCO: 10km N Mhamid, 21.– 22.4.1995. TUNISIA: 60kmW Gabes, 16.4.1981; 30km SW Sfax, 18.4.1981; Kebili, 10.5.1992; 15km W Nefta, 22.3.2001; Medenine, 10km S Zarzis, 22.4.2012; Nefta, 25.4.2012.

Literature records. LYBIA: Bengasi ( Warncke, 1991).

Distribution. Northern Africa ( Morocco, Tunisia, Lybia, Egypt).

Pollen hosts. Probably oligolectic on Frankenia (Frankeniaceae) : all 9 pollen loads (3 localities, 2 countries) analyzed so far consisted of Frankenia pollen, and males of H. hartliebi were observed patrolling near flowering plants of Frankenia cf. laevis in southern Tunisia ( Figs. 1, 3 ).

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Note. H. hartliebi is known from Morocco so far only from four females collected near Mhamid. In these females, the distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge is slightly longer (about 1.7x as long as ocellar diameter) compared to that of females from Tunisia (1.5–1.6x). As no males of H. hartliebi have ever been found in Morocco, it cannot be excluded with certainty that the Moroccon specimens belong to a still undescribed species.

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 5. 1 – 3: Sandy slope at the shore of a salt lake near Medenine in southern Tunisia (Fig. 1), where females of Hoplitis minima collected pollen on the flowers of Zygophyllum album (Fig. 2) and males of Hoplitis hartliebi patrolled flowers of Frankenia cf. laevis (Fig. 3). 4: Hoplitis minima, head of female. 5: Hoplitis jordanica, terga 4 – 7 of male.