Andrena (Poecilandrena) Hedicke, 1933

Pisanty, Gideon, Scheuchl, Erwin & Dorchin, Netta, 2018, Taxonomic review of the subgenus Andrena (Poecilandrena) (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in Israel and the Levant, Zootaxa 4374 (2), pp. 151-188 : 154

Andrena (Poecilandrena) Hedicke, 1933

Andrena (Poecilandrena) Hedicke, 1933: 218 . Type species: Andrena labiata Fabricius, 1781 , by original designation.

A Palaearctic subgenus of ca. 40 species, the distinguishing morphological characters of which are difficult to define. Characters which apply to the majority of species are: both sexes: body size small, under 10 mm length; cuticle black or greenish/bluish-metallic, metasoma often red; mouthparts relatively short; clypeus not elongated or protruding forward, or weakly so; ocelloccipital distance short, about 1 ocellus diameter; pronotum not carinate or weakly so; mesepisternum shagreened to weakly areolate, shallowly punctured; basal area of propodeum horizontal or sloping, not declivous; propodeal triangle shagreened to moderately rugose; first submarginal crossvein meeting marginal cell close to stigma; metasoma more or less bare, hair bands weak to absent; females: labral process moderately to considerably broad, trapezoidal or rectangular; facial foveae shallow, elongate, uniformly and moderately broad; propodeal corbicula incomplete, anterior margin hairless; flocculus strongly developed; inner side of hind tibia more or less rounded, without peg- or thorn-shaped projections; hind tibial spurs not broadened basally; scopa moderate, hairs simple to weakly plumose; pretarsal claws of hind leg bidentate; pygidial plate not elevated medially; males: head broader than long; clypeus usually yellow or white; paraocular area black, yellow or white; genal area not broadened, preoccipital ridge not carinate; sternite 6 arched apically; genital gapsule often distinctly longer than broad, with narrow and elongate gonostyli; dorsal gonocoxite lobe absent or developed; penis valves often broadened basally and with elongate lateral lamellar extensions; sternite 8 columnar, narrow.

Note regarding the diagnostic keys: the distinction among bronze, blue and green metallic colors is best applicable in fresh specimens. Specimens with metallic colors that are subject to extreme changes of humidity or temperature (as when put in a relaxing chamber) may undergo permanent discoloration. Other characters should be used to key them in these circumstances