Osmia (Erythrosmia) sparsipuncta Alfken, 1914

Osmia sparsipuncta Alfken, 1914: 200 . Type material: Holotype ♀, “Alger, Maison Carrée” (Algeria), Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.

Literature records. ALGERIA: Algiers (Oued Ouchaja), Mascara (Mascara), Oran (Batteries espagnoles, Santa Cruz) (Alfken 1914).

New records. MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès: 35 km W Taza, 18.5.2003, 1♂ (leg. M. Halada); Marrakesh-Safi: 10 km E Youssoufia, 11.5.1995, 1♀ (leg. M. Halada); Oriental: Nador, 14.4.1990, 1♀ (leg. J. Halada); Souss-Massa: 2 km NE Aourir near Agadir, 30°29.854ʹN / 9°37.626ʹW, 100 m, 27.4.2011, 1♀ (leg. R. Prosi) . TUNISIA: Béja: 5km NE Nefza, 30.04.2012, 9♀, 1♂ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Bizerte: Ichkeul lake, 22.4.1991, 1♀ (leg. M. Kuhlmann); Kef: 2 km SW El Kef, 28.04.2012, 1♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Jendouba: 10 km N Jendouba, 9.4.1981, 1♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Nabeul: Hammamet, 5.5. – 19.5.1998, 1♂ (leg. M. Hradksy); Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar, 35°49ʹN / 9°06ʹE, 21.4.1994, 1♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Sousse: M’saken, 20.4.– 21.4.1998, 1♀ (leg. K. Denes); Tunis: Hammam-Lif, 22.5.1913, 1♀, 3♂ (leg. A. von Schulthess) .

Distribution. Maghreb (Morocco, northern Algeria, northern Tunisia).

Pollen hosts. Polylectic with affinity for nototribic flowers of both Lamiaceae (e.g. Stachys) and Antirrhineae as well as for Fabaceae (e.g. Lotus, Onobrychis) (Tab. 1). Additional pollen sources include Echium (Boraginaceae) and Brassicaceae . The females are equipped with a specialized pilosity on clypeus and frons composed of apically twisted bristles, which are used to comb pollen from the raised anthers of nototribic flowers.

Nesting biology. Unknown.