Andrena (Avandrena) melacana Warncke, 1967

Wood, Thomas James, Michez, Denis, Cejas, Diego, Lhomme, Patrick & Rasmont, Pierre, 2020, An update and revision of the Andrena fauna of Morocco (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Andrenidae) with the description of eleven new North African species, ZooKeys 974, pp. 31-92 : 31

Andrena (Avandrena) melacana Warncke, 1967

Replacement name for Andrena melaleuca Friese, 1922 nec Andrena melaleuca Pérez, 1895

Material examined.

Morocco: Fès-Meknès, 12 km east of Ifrane, 9.v.1997, 1♀, leg. J. Halada, OÖLM; Fès-Meknès, Laanoucer, 1417 m, 3.v.2018, 1♂, leg. A. Sentil & P. Lhomme, UMONS.

Distribution and remarks.

Previously known from Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya ( Gusenleitner and Schwarz 2002). This species is part of the Avandrena group that, like the Pallandrena , appear to be associated with Geraniaceae . Records of A. avara Warncke, 1967 and A. panurgina Desteffani, 1889 in Portugal have been made exclusively from Erodium , and pollen removed from the scopa from A. melacana comprised entirely of Erodium -type pollen (Figs 131 , 132 ). Andrena melacana can be easily distinguished from A. avara and A. panurgina as the hind femora lacks spines ( Warncke 1980) and the male genitalia are completely different.

Figures

Figures 131 - 136. Andrena (Avandrena) melacana Warncke, 1967 131 female scopa 132 female scopa. Andrena (Pallandrena) byrsicola Schmiedeknecht, 1900 133 female scopa 134 female scutum 135 female tergites 136 female scopa with pollen.