Osmia (Neosmia), Tkalcu, 1974 Osmia (Neosmia) cinnabarina Pérez, 1895

Müller, Andreas, 2022, Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 5188 (3), pp. 201-232 : 216-227

Subgenus Neosmia Tkalců, 1974

Morphological diagnosis

Osmia (Neosmia) species are nonmetallic, robust and medium-sized bees (7.5–14 mm) with punctiform to shortlinear parapsidal lines. Both sexes differ from all other subgenera of Osmia by the extraordinary length of antennal segment 3, which is at least 2x as long as apically wide, but mostly longer. The females are additionally characterized by the following characters: i) pilosity of head, mesosoma and metasoma including scopa foxy red to orange-red (except for O. bicolor (Schrank) , whose head and mesosoma are covered with black hairs); ii) ventral inner margin of mandible without large median tooth, which is in contrast to O. ( Hemiosmia ), whose females often look very similar due to their foxy red body pilosity; iii) disc of clypeus partly rugose (except for O. bicolor and O. jason Benoist , whose clypeal disc is regularly punctured); and iv) apical margin of clypeus medially distinctly impressed or notched (except for O. bicolor and O. jason , whose clypeal margin is medially almost straight). Additional characters of the males are i) the well-developed foxy red to orange-red pilosity of the metasoma (except for O. bicolor , whose metasoma is covered with yellowish to whitish hairs); ii) the shape of tergum 7, which is two-toothed or medioapically more or less emarginate, and iii) peculiar properties of sternum 4, which – depending on the species – has a deep triangular incision, bears mediopreapically a roundish spot of short hairs, is covered with erect and stiff bristles on its apical half or has a convex apical margin.

Biology

Pollen hosts. The species of Osmia (Neosmia) are pollen generalists collecting pollen on up to 17 plant families ( Fig. 17 ; see species accounts for details). The distinct polylecty is also evident from the finding that pollen of Carex (Cyperaceae) and Plantago (Plantaginaceae) , which is only exceptionally collected by osmiine bees, was found in several brood cell provisions of O. bicolor ( Müller 1990, 1991). Moreover, 68% of the 78 pollen loads analysed contained 2–7 different pollen loads, which suggests low flower constancy of pollen-collecting O. ( Neosmia ) females.

Nesting biology. All species of O. ( Neosmia ), for which information on the nesting biology is available, utilize empty snail shells as exclusive nesting sites (see species accounts for details), indicating that snail shell nesting is a subgeneric trait ( Figs 16, 18–21 ). Depending on the size of the selected shells, the nests contain one to several brood cells, which are separated from each other by one-layered partitions constructed from leaf pulp. The females of all species cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp before and often also during and after cell provisioning ( Fig. 16 ; see section on the nesting biology of the subgenus Allosmia above for a discussion of possible functions of this behaviour). The nest plug is always three-layered, consisting of the outermost cell partition built from leaf pulp followed by a space filled with small pebbles, earth crumbs, plant fibers, fragments of mollusc shells or other foreign particles ( Figs 18, 19 ) and the final partition, which is located at the shell opening or more or less hidden inside the shell. This final partition is either built from a mixture of leaf pulp and fragments of mollusc shells or—in the two representatives of the Osmia bicolor species group - from leaf pulp alone. In the latter two species, the central layer of the nest plug is often divided up by one to three additional partitions of leaf pulp. The sealed nests are rolled to a suitable place and either buried few centimetres deep into the sandy ground or hidden under vegetation. In the O. bicolor species group however, the sealed nests remain in place and are covered with hundreds of pine needles, dry grass blades or other plant material ( Figs 20, 21 ); prior to the construction of the protective cover, the females may bury their nests partly or completely into the ground.

Taxonomy

The types of Osmia purpurata Ducke, 1899 are lost ( Tkalců 1977; Peters 1977). According to Ducke (1900), the female of O. purpurata is morphologically very close to O. gracilicornis Pérez, 1895 and differs mainly by the darker reddish and sparser pilosity of the metasoma. The pronounced morphological similarity led Peters (1977) to suspect that O. purpurata and O. gracilicornis might be conspecific and that the differences in colour and density of the pilosity are due to different ages of the specimens Ducke had studied. As the types are lacking and the original description is not sufficient to clarify species identity, O. purpurata is treated here as a nomen dubium.

Species accounts

Osmia (Neosmia) cinnabarina Pérez, 1895

Osmia cinnabarina Pérez, 1895: 10 . Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1977), “ Tlemcen ” ( Algeria), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris.

Literature records. ALGERIA: Algiers (Algiers) ( Ducke 1900). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: West Bank (Jericho) ( Tkalců 1977). MOROCCO: Drâa-Tafilalet, Fès-Meknès, Oriental, Souss-Massa, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima ( Lhomme et al. 2020). TUNISIA: Tunis (Tunis) ( Tkalců 1977).

New records. ALGERIA: Mila: Oulad Aziz , 36º27ʹN / 6º16ʹE, 16.4.– 16.5.2013, 7♀ (leg. Abderrezak) ; Tébessa: Bouchebka , 3.5.2008, 1♀ (leg. N. Benarfa) . ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District : 1.6 km N Be'er Sheva, 31°18ʹ13ʺN / 34°48ʹ20ʺE, 352 m, 26.3.2017, 1♀ (leg. A. Dorchin) . JORDAN: Dscharasch : 10 km N Jerash, 20.4.2002, 1♀ (leg. M. Snizek) ; Ma ' an: Al-Shawbak, 18.4.2007, 1♀ (leg. C. Praz , C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Madaba: 20 km N Madaba , 1.5.1997, 1♀ (leg. W. Schlaefle) . MOROCCO: Casablanca-Settat: Oueled Sghir , 32.8226ºN / 7.6221ºW, 495 m, 8.4.2013, 1♀ (leg. A. Sentil) ; Drâa-Tafilalet : 30 km E Midelt, 13.5.1995, 1♀ (leg. M. Halada) ; Fès-Meknès: Sefrou , 33°50.3ʹN / 4°50.3ʹW, 22.3.1992, 1♀ (leg. H.- J. Flügel) ; Guelmim-Oued Noun: Foum Assaka , 35 km SW Sidi Ifni, 29°08ʹ22ʺN / 10°24ʹ38ʺW, 0 m, 19.4.2017, 1♀ (leg. A. Müller) ; Oriental: 40 km S Guercif , 15. – 17.5.1995, 5f (leg. M. Halada) ; Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: Rabat , 33.976444ºN / 6.860639ºW, 61 m, 1♀, 5.4.2018 (leg. D. Michez, P. Lhomme) ; Souss-Massa: Cap Rhir-Tamri , 60 km N Agadir, 4.4.2009, 2♀, 2♂ (leg. A. Müller) . SPAIN: Canary Islands: Fuerteventura, Costa Calma, ENE Montana Pelada , 40 m, 30.3.2015, 3♀, 5♂ (leg. A. Müller) ; Lanzarote , La Caleta, 7.2.1998, 1♂ (leg. F. Amiet) . TUNISIA: Gabès: 10 km SW Toujane , 24.4.2012, 2♀ (leg. C. Praz) ; Gafsa: 20 km N Metlaoui , 17.4.1994, 1♀ (leg. M. Schwarz) ; Jendouba: Jendouba, 19.4.2001, 3♀ (leg. M. Halada) ; Kairouan: Kairouan, 3.4.2001, 1♀ (leg. M. Halada) ; Kasserine: 10 km NNW Thelepte , 24.3.2001, 1♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger) ; Kebili: Zaafrana , 6.4.1999, 1♂ (leg. K. Denes) ; Nabeul: 5 km NNW Grombalia , 11.4.2000, 1♀ (leg. P. Hartmann) ; Sidi Bouzid: Sidi Bouzid, 12.4.1999, 1♀ (leg. K. Denes) ; Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar , 35°49ʹN / 9°06ʹE, 21.4.1994, 1♀ (leg. M. Schwarz) ; Sousse: Msaken , 20.4.1998, 1♀ (leg. K. Denes) ; Tataouine: Ksar Hadada , 4.4.1998, 1♀ (leg. K. Denes) .

Distribution. Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Lanzarote), Maghreb ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) and southern Levant ( Israel, Jordan).

Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (n = 18 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Resedaceae ( Fig. 17 ; n = 16), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 4), Brassicaceae (n = 3), and Cistaceae (n = 3) (based on 31 pollen loads from 20 different localities in Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia). Flower records: Anthemis melampodina , Hippocrepis comosa , Reseda lanzerotae , Rosmarinus officinalis (label records).

Nesting biology. Osmia cinnabarina nests in empty snail shells, e.g. of Theba ( Fig. 19 ; A. Müller personal observation). The three nests discovered in Morocco (Takat, 2013) and on Fuerteventura (Costa Calma, 2015) were in shells of 15‒17 mm diameter. The females covered the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp. The nests contained 1‒3 brood cells. They lacked a basal wall that sealed the larval provisions of the innermost cell against the rear end of the shell. The cells were separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that sealed the outermost cell had a marginal thickness of about 3 mm and was thicker than the cell partitions. This partition formed the base of the nest plug, which consisted of a 0.5‒0.9 cm long space densely filled with small pebbles, fragments of snail shells or pieces of petals and stems ( Fig. 19 ), followed by a final partition at or a few millimetres behind the shell opening built from mollusc shell fragments and small pebbles embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp. As the nests were discovered shortly before they were finished, it is unclear whether the females would have buried them into the sandy ground as e.g. O. (Neosmia) rufigastra Lepeletier does.

Osmia (Neosmia) gracilicornis Pérez, 1895

Osmia gracilicornis Pérez, 1895: 10 .

Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1974), “ Tunis ” ( Tunisia), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Type species of Neosmia Tkalců .

Literature records. ALGERIA: Constantine (Constantine), El Bayadh (Chellala), Sétif (Sétif) ( Tkalců 1977). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District (Ras Zuweita); West Bank (Wadi el Kelt, Jerusalem-Jericho) ( Mavromoustakis 1948a; Tkalců 1977). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès, Oriental (Melilla), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (Bou Knadel), Souss-Massa (Biougra-Tafraoute) ( Mavromoustakis 1947; Zanden 1997; Lhomme et al. 2020). TUNISIA: Tunis (Tunis) ( Ducke 1900; Tkalců 1977).

New records. ALGERIA: Constantine: Ayn El Bey , 36.25ºN / 6.61ºE, 13.4.1999, 1♀ (leg. Bemou) ; Khenchela: Mtoussa , 10.4.2008, 1♀ (leg. N. Maghni) ; Mila: Oulad Aziz , 36.27ºN / 6.16ºE, 9.4. – 11.5.2013, 7♀ (leg. Abderrezak) ; Tébessa: Bouchebka , 3.3.2008, 1♂ (leg. N. Benarfa) . EGYPT: Matrouh: Ikingi Maryut , 18.3.1935, 1♀ (leg. A. Mochi) . ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District : 10km W Dimona, 403 m, 20.3.2012, 4♀, 5♂ (leg. A. Dorchin) ; West Bank: En Perat , 630m E Anatot, 31°49ʹ57ʺN / 35°18ʹ26ʺE, 265 m, 18.3.2012, 1♀, 1♂ (leg. A. Dorchin) . JORDAN: Karak: Al Karak, 22.3.2009, 1♀ (leg. M. Kalabza) ; Ma ' an: Al-Shawbak , 18.4.2007, 2♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Madaba: Wadi Mujib, King’s Highway , 19.4.2007, 1♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Tafilah: 20 km SSE At Tafilah , 18.4.2009, 1♀ (leg. M. Snizek) . MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès : 15 km SE Sefrou, 26.5.1995, 9♀ (leg. M. Halada) ; Souss-Massa: Tifnite , 10 km S Agadir, 15.4.2014, 1♀ (leg. C. SchmidEgger) . TUNISIA: Gabès: 10 km SW Toujane , 24.4.2012, 1♀ (leg. C. Praz) ; Gafsa: 40 km NW Gafsa , 17.4.1994, 1♂ (leg. M. Schwarz) ; Jendouba: 10km N Jendouba , 19.4.2001, 3♀ (leg. M. Halada) ; Kairouan: 10 km W Sbikha , 12.4.2000, 1♀ (leg. P. Hartmann) ; Kasserine: 10 km NNW Thelepte , 3♀, 2♂ (leg. C. Saure, C. Schmid-Egger) ; Kef: 2 km SW El Kef , 28.4.2012, 1♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Medenine: Djerba, SE Houmt Souk , 19.3.2001, 2♀, 1♂ (leg. C. Saure, C. Schmid-Egger) ; Nabeul: Hammamet , 15.3.1996, 11♀ (leg. K. Denes) ; Sfax: 30 km SW Sfax , 10.4.1994, 1♀ (leg. M. Schwarz) ; Siliana: 15km SW Makthar , 21.4.1994, 3♀ (leg. J. Gusenleitner) .

Distribution. From the Maghreb ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) over Libya and Egypt to the southern Levant ( Israel and Palestine, Jordan).

Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 7 plant families): Brassicaceae (n = 20 pollen loads with Brassicaceae pollen), Cistaceae (n = 11), Fabaceae ( Hedysareae , Loteae ; n = 9), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 6), Boraginaceae ( Echium ; n = 2), Resedaceae (n = 2) and Dipsacoideae (n = 1) (based on 22 pollen loads from 11 different localities in Algeria, Israel and Palestine, Morocco and Tunisia). Flower records: Anthemis melampodina , Bellis annua , Senecio joppensis , Raphanus raphanistrum , Retama raetam , Rosmarinus officinalis , Zygophyllum dumosum (label records).

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Osmia (Neosmia) nigrocalcaribus spec. nov.

Holotype. TUNISIA: Bizerte: Fretissa farm, 24.4.1983, ♀ (leg.?). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.

Paratypes. ALGERIA: Constantine: Ben badis, 23.5.2008, 1♀ (leg. S. Aguib) . MOROCCO: Tanger-TétouanAl Hoceïma: 20 km E Targuist , 35°01ʹN / 5°17ʹW, 27.4.2009, 1♀ (leg. E. Hajdaj) . TUNISIA: Bizerte: Fretissa farm, 18.4.1983, 1♀ (leg.?). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich .

Diagnosis. Diagnostic characters of the female of O. nigrocalcaribus are the dark brown spurs of the hind tibia ( Fig. 23 ), the brownish pilosity of the inner surface of the hind basitarsus ( Fig. 24 ) and the black marginal zone of terga 1‒5. In the females of all other O. ( Neosmia ) species, the spurs of the hind tibia and the pilosity of the inner surface of the hind basitarsus are yellowish and the marginal zone of terga (1)2‒5 are brownish to yellowish, distinctly contrasting with the black tergal discs.

Description. FEMALE: Body length 9–10 mm. Head: Head about 0.9x as long as wide. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital margin 2.0–2.2x as long as ocellar diameter. Maximal width of genal area about 1.2x as long as maximal width of compound eye. Proboscis rather short, reaching in repose till base of fore coxa; second segment of labial palpus about 1.7x as long as first segment. Mandible three- to indistinctly four-toothed with the two basal teeth weakly separated from each other; lower inner margin of mandible without median tooth. Punctation of clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area and frons very dense with only linear interspaces.Anterior part of hypostomal area almost as densely punctured as posterior part. Clypeus with narrow polished impunctate apical zone, which is medially distinctly impressed, apically slightly emarginate and covered with two short lateral tufts of inwardly directed yellowish-red hairs on its underside. Face and vertex covered with long and erect foxy red pilosity. Antenna black, its third segment about twice as long as apically wide. Mesosoma: Parapsidal line 1.5–2x as long as wide. Punctation of scutum, scutellum and mesepisternum very dense with interspaces rarely exceeding diameter of half a puncture. Metanotum medially without spine or distinct protuberance. Basal area of propodeum basally and medially shagreened, laterally and apically more or less polished. Propodeal pit polished and shiny. Mesosoma covered with long and erect foxy red pilosity except for its ventral side, which is covered with distinctly shorter and yellowish-red hairs. Tegula dark brown to black, its punctation dense on apical third and along outer margin. Stigma and veins of fore wing dark brown to black. Legs predominantly black. Pilosity at posterior margin of basitarsus of fore leg whitish and about twice as long as basitarsal width. Coxa of hind leg keeled. Tibial spurs of hind leg dark brown and straight except for their apex, which is bent upwards at an angle of 30–40° ( Fig. 23 ). Pilosity of inner side of basitarsus of hind leg brownish ( Fig. 24 ). Metasoma: Declivous basal part of tergum 1 polished and shiny. Punctation of tergal discs fine and dense except for median part of terga 1–3, where it is more scattered with interspaces reaching diameter of two to three punctures. Marginal zone of terga 1–5 black. Terga 1–5 with long and erect foxy red pilosity. Tergum 6 with appressed yellowish-red pilosity. Scopa foxy red.

MALE: Unknown.

Distribution. Maghreb ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia)

Pollen hosts. The only pollen load available consisted of pollen of Fabaceae .

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Osmia (Neosmia) secunda Peters, 1977

Osmia (Neosmia) tkalcui secunda Peters, 1977: 25 . Type material: Holotype ♂, “ Tripolitania , Garian, ca. 2500 Fuss ” ( Libya), Natural History Museum London.

New records. TUNISIA: Mahdi: El Jem, 6.– 13.4.1999, 2♂ (leg. K. Denes) .

Distribution. Known so far only from the type locality in northwestern Libya and from eastern Tunisia.

Pollen hosts. Unknown.

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Notes. Female unknown. Peters (1977) treated O. secunda as subspecies of O. tingitana Benoist, 1969 (as O. tkalcui Peters 1977 ). Given the distinct differences in the pilosity of the male sterna (see identification key) and the sympatric occurrence with O. tingitana in Tunisia and Libya, O. secunda is considered here to represent a species of its own.

Osmia (Neosmia) tingitana Benoist, 1969

Osmia tingitana Benoist, 1969: 243 . Type material: Lectotype ♂, by designation of Zanden (1986), “ Tanger ” ( Morocco), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris.

Osmia (Neosmia) tkalcui Peters, 1977: 22 . Type material: Holotype ♂, “Cyrenaica” ( Libya), Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Frankfurt. Synonymy in Zanden (1986).

Literature records. ALGERIA: Khenchela (Baghai), Muaskar (Mascara), Naâma (Mécheria), Saida (Saida), Saoura (Djebel Antar) ( Peters 1977; Zanden 1983; Sihem et al. 2017). EGYPT: Matruh (Marsa Matruh) ( Peters 1977). LIBYA: Al-Mardsch (Tocra), Al-Murgub (Leptis Magna), Al-Wahat (Agedabia), Surt (Sirte) ( Peters 1977). MOROCCO: Oriental (Melilla), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (Oued Cherrat), Souss-Massa (Agadir), Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (Tanger) ( Mavromoustakis 1947, as O. tunensis ; Tkalců 1977; Zanden 1983; Lhomme et al. 2020).

New records. ALGERIA: Khenchela: Touchnet , 20.2.2008, 1♀ (leg. N. Maghni) . MOROCCO: CasablancaSettat: Oueled Sghir , 32.8289ºN / 7.6513ºW, 481 m, 26.2.2019, 1♂ (leg. A. Sentil) ; Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: Rabat , 33.976444ºN / 6.860639ºW, 61 m, 5.4.2018, 1m (leg. D. Michez, P. Lhomme) . TUNISIA: Gafsa: Gafsa, 5.4.2001, 1♀ (leg. M. Halada) ; Kasserine: 15 km NW Sbeitla , 19.4.1994, 2♀ (leg. J. Gusenleitner) ; Sfax: Mahares , 7.4.1990, 1♀ (leg. R. Neumeyer) ; Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar , 35°49ʹN / 9°06ʹE, 21.4.1994, 27♀, 5♂ (leg. M. Schwarz) .

Distribution. Northern Africa from the Maghreb ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) over Libya to Egypt.

Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Cistaceae (n = 8 pollen loads with Cistaceae pollen), Fabaceae ( Loteae ; n = 8), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 7), Brassicaceae (n = 5) and Monocots (n = 1) (based on 12 pollen loads from 3 different localities in Tunisia).

Nesting biology. Osmia tingitana nests in empty snail shells ranging in diameter from 18‒35 mm ( Peters 1977; Sihem et al. 2017). The nests contain one to seven brood cells, which are separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that seals the outermost cell forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of a space densely filled with sand grains, small pebbles, earth crumbs, fragments of plants and snail shells, followed by a 0.25‒0.7 cm thick partition at the shell opening built from snail shell fragments embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp, e.g. of Pinus . The nests are probably turned after they have been sealed so that the shell opening is facing the ground. The nests described by Sihem et al. (2017) were found lying hidden under grasses and pine needles, but it is not known whether the females rolled them under the vegetation or whether they actively covered them with grasses and needles as O. (Neosmia) bicolor (Schrank) and O. (Neosmia) jason Benoist do. The information given by Ferton (1920, as O. tunensis ), which probably refers to O. tingitana (see Peters 1977), suggests that the former explanation is more likely. Osmia tingitana overwinters as a fully developed imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell. Brood parasites: Chrysura barbata (Buysson) ( Sihem et al. 2017) .

Note. Osmia tingitana was described as recently as 1969 although the species was already known to former authors (e.g. Ducke 1900), who erroneously assumed it to be O. tunensis being not aware that O. tunensis (Fabricius) is in fact a member of the subgenus Helicosmia ( Peters 1977) .

Osmia scutispina species group

The representatives of the O. scutispina species group are well characterized in both sexes by the median spine or protuberance of the metanotum and the partly or completely yellowish tibiae. The males additionally differ from all other O. ( Neosmia ) species by the scattered and coarse punctation of sternum 4 and the presence of long, erect and stiff bristles on the apical half of sternum 4.

Osmia (Neosmia) rosea Friese, 1920

Osmia rosea Friese, 1920: 50 .

Type material: Lectotype ♂, by designation of Tkalců (1977), “ Tunis merid.” ( Tunisia), Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Synonymy with Osmia scutispina Gribodo, 1894 in Tkalců (1977), rejected based on type material.

New records. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District : Wadi Yamin , 10 km NE Oron , 30°57ʹ00ʺN / 35°04ʹ50ʺE, 19.4.1996, 1♀ (leg. M. E. Irwin); Be'er Sheva, 8.3.2010, 1♀ (leg. N. Vereecken); 10 km W Dimona, 403 m, 20.3.2012, 2♀, 1♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); near Nizzana, 31.5°N / 34.8°E, 26.3.2012, 1♀ (leg. J. S. Ascher); 13.5 km NW Beer Milka, 31°02ʹ29ʺN / 34°20ʹ09ʺE, 165 m, 26.2.2013, 2♀, 1♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Horbat Mamshit, 31.0335°N / 35.073°E, 7.3.2015, 1♀, 1♂ (leg. G. Pisanty) ;

Distribution. Southern Tunisia and Negev desert in Israel.

Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 3 plant families): Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 2 pollen loads with Asteraceae pollen), Brassicaceae (n = 2) and Zygophyllaceae (n = 1) (based on 2 pollen loads from the same locality in Israel).

Nesting biology. Osmia rosea nests in empty snail shells (based on photos by N. Vereecken; Fig. 16 ). The females cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp ( Fig. 16 ) and pile up small stones and fragments of mollusc shells in front of the outermost brood cell.

Note. Osmia rosea was synonymized with O. scutispina Gribodo, 1894 by Tkalců (1977) based on morphological similarities between the male holotype of O. rosea and females of O. scutispina . This synonymization turned out to be erroneous after true males of O. scutispina had been discovered, which morphologically clearly differ from O. rosea .

Osmia (Neosmia) rufigastra Lepeletier, 1841

Osmia rufigastra Lepeletier, 1841: 324 . Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1977), “ Oran ” ( Algeria), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris.

Literature records. ALGERIA: Algiers (Algiers, Zéralda), Oran (Oran), Tlemcen (Ghazaouet) ( Ducke 1900; Ferton, 1920; Tkalců 1977). MOROCCO: Casablanca-Settat (Kasba Oualidia), Oriental (Melilla) ( Mavromoustakis 1947, Lhomme et al. 2020). TUNISIA: Tunis (Tunis) ( Ducke 1900).

New records. ALGERIA: Algiers: Maison Carrée , 5.4.1928, 1♂ (leg. R. Meyer); Guyotville, 8.4.1950, 1♀ (leg. J. Aubert); Sidi Ferrouch, 7.6.1972, 1♀ (leg. A. Hoffer) .

Distribution. Maghreb ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia).

Pollen hosts. Unknown.

Nesting biology. Osmia rufigastra nests in empty snail shells, e.g. of Helix ( Ferton 1920) . The females cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp. The nests contain one to several brood cells. After provisioning and egg deposition, the outermost cell is closed with a one-layered partition of leaf pulp. This partition forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of a ca. 0.75 cm long space densely filled with sand grains, earth crumbs, blade and stem pieces and fragments of snail shells, followed by a final partition built from mollusc shell fragments cemented together with leaf pulp. The sealed nests are rolled to a suitable place and buried 6‒8 cm deep into the sandy ground often under grass tussocks or withered leaves, before the upper 2‒3 cm of the burrow are actively filled with sand. To move the nest shell, the female grasps a grass blade or a small stone with her mandibles and rolls the shell with the help of her legs, often crossing high obstacles.

Osmia (Neosmia) scutispina Gribodo, 1894

Osmia scutispina Gribodo, 1894: 102 . Type material: Syntypes ♀♀, “Boghari, Ponteba” ( Algeria), Museo di Storia Naturale Genova .

Literature records. TUNISIA: Nabeul (Hammamet) , Sousse (Sousse), Tunis (Kartago) ( Tkalců 1977).

New records. LIBYA: Al-Wahat: Marsa el Brega, 30º25ʹ27ʺN / 19º38ʹ25ʺE, 15.3.2013, 1♀ (leg. A. Haris) . TUNISIA: Gabès: 5 km SE El-Hamma , 33°50.890ʹN / 9°51.338ʹE, 100 m, 12.3.2008, 1♀ (leg. H. Schwenninger) ; Gafsa: 20 km N Metlaoui , 26.4.2012, 1♀ (leg. C. Praz) ; Kasserine: 5km SW Foussana , 27.4.2012, 2♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Kef: 10 km SW Le Kef , 15.4.2001, 1♀ (leg. M. Halada) ; Medenine: Djerba , SE Ht. Souk, 33°52ʹN / 10°55ʹE, 19.3.2001, 1♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger) ; Nabeul: Cap Bon , El Haouaria, 28.3.1987, 1♂ (leg. M. Schwarz) ; Sfax: 30 km SW Sfax , 10.4.1994, 1♀ (leg. M. Schwarz) ; Tataouine: Ksar Hadada , 4.4.1998, 1♀ (leg. K. Denes) .

Distribution. Northern Africa from Algeria over Tunisia to Libya.

Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae ( Genisteae , Loteae , Trifolieae ; n = 4 pollen loads and n = 12 brood cells with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 3 loads and n = 4 cells), Brassicaceae (n = 2 loads and n = 1 cell), Cistaceae (n = 6 cells) and Lamiaceae ( Nepetoideae ; n = 3 cells) (based on 5 pollen loads from 5 different localities in Tunisia and on 12 brood cells from two different nests from the same locality in Tunisia). Flower records: Chrysanthemum coronarium (label record).

Nesting biology. Osmia scutispina nests in empty snail shells (A. Müller, C. Praz & C. Sedivy personal observation). The only two nests discovered so far (Foussana, Tunisia, 2012) were in shells with diameters of 18 mm and 19 mm, their surface was covered with patches of leaf pulp, they contained six brood cells each and they lacked a basal wall that sealed the larval provisions of the innermost cell against the rear end of the shell. The cells were separated from each other by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. In both nests, the one-layered leaf pulp partition that sealed the outermost cell was distinctly thicker than the cell partitions and formed the base of the thick nest plug, which consisted of a 12 mm long space very loosely filled with small pebbles, earth crumbs, leaflets or seeds, followed by a final partition of leaf pulp built at a distance of 2 mm and 8 mm from the shell opening. The two nests were neither buried into the ground nor turned in a protected position.

Osmia bicolor species group

The representatives of the O. bicolor species group are morphologically characterized by a longitudinal keel along the cutting edge of the female mandible, a roundish hair spot on male sternum 4 and a tuft of long hairs arising from the apex of the gonoforceps. In addition, they differ ethologically from the other O. ( Neosmia ) species by their habit to often compartmentalize the central layer of the nest plug with additional partitions, by building the final nest seal from leaf pulp alone and by actively covering the nest with plant material at the end of the nesting cycle.

Osmia (Neosmia) bicolor ( Schrank, 1781)

Apis bicolor Schrank, 1781: 400 .

Type material: ♀ (♀), “Viennae” ( Austria), presumed lost ( Tkalců, 1977).

Apis rustica Geoffroy, 1785: 451 .

Type material: ♀ (♀), “Paris” ( France), presumed lost ( Tkalců, 1977). Synonymy in Tkalců (1977).

Apis fusca Christ, 1791: 182 . Nomen praeoccupatum (not Apis fusca Scopoli ).

Type material: No original material known, ( Germany). Synonymy in Warncke (1986).

Apis hirundinaria Christ, 1791: 188 .

Type material: No original material known, ( Germany). Synonymy in Warncke (1986).

Osmia pyrenaea Lepeletier, 1841: 319 .

Type material: ♀ (♀), “Pyrénées. Barèges” ( France), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Synonymy in Pérez (1879).

Osmia fusca Gistel, 1857: 537 . Nomen praeoccupatum (not Apis fusca Christ ).

Type material: No original material known, “Monachii” (Munich) ( Germany). Synonymy in Schwarz et al. (1996).

Osmia rufitarsis Smith, 1879: 61 .

Type material: Holotype ♀, “Angara River, Siberia” ( Russia), Natural History Museum London. Synonymy in Tkalců (1995).

Osmia monachiensis Strand, 1917: 98 . Nomen novum with same type specimen for preoccupied Osmia fusca Gistel, 1857 (not Apis fusca Christ ).

Literature records. ALBANIA: Tkalců (1974). AUSTRIA: Gusenleitner et al. (2012). BELARUS: Prishchepchik (2000). BELGIUM: Pauly (1999), Pauly et al. (2018). BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). CZECH REPUBLIQUE: Bogusch et al. (2007). ESTONIA: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). FINLAND: Paukkunen et al. (2009). FRANCE: Benoist (1931). GEORGIA: Kirkitadze & Japoshvili (2015). GERMANY: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). GREAT BRITAIN: Else & Edwards (2018). HUNGARY: Józan (2011). ITALY: Pagliano (1994, 1995); the record from Sicily ( Sichel 1860) is certainly wrong and most probably based on a confusion with Osmia kohli Ducke. LATVIA: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). LIECHTENSTEIN: Bieri (2002). LITHUANIA: Monsevicius (2004). LUXEMBOURG: Rasmont et al. (1995), Pauly et al. (2018). NETHERLANDS: Peeters et al. (1999). NORWAY: Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (2018). POLAND: Bogdanowicz et al. (2004). PORTUGAL: Baldock et al. (2018). ROMANIA: Ban-Calefariu (2009). RUSSIA: Central and eastern European Russia, North Caucasus, Western Siberia (Kemerovo province), Eastern Siberia (Irkutsk province) ( Proshchalykin & Fateryga 2017; Fateryga et al. 2018). SERBIA: Mudri-Stojnić et al. (2021). SLOVAKIA: Bogusch et al. (2007). SLOVENIA: Gogala (1999). SPAIN: Ortiz-Sánchez (2020). SWEDEN: Janzon et al. (1991); Nilsson (2003). SWITZERLAND: Amiet et al. (2004).

New records. BULGARIA: Plovdiv: Sredna Gora Mountains, Oborishte env., 550-600 m, 20.5.2004, 3♀ (leg. Hovorka) ; Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci , 25.5.1983, 1♀ (leg. L. Norén) . CROATIA: Šibenik-Knin : 30 km SE Knin, 43°51.4ʹN / 16°29.0ʹE, 450 m, 25.5.2005, 1♀ (leg. Z. Pedr) . GEORGIA: Abkhazia: Gudaut , 5.3.1910, 1♀ (leg. K. Prave) . RUSSIA: Altai Republic: Artybash, Teletskoe Lake , 51°47ʹN / 87°15ʹE, 24.6.2013, 1♀ (leg. V. Mutin) . Krasnodar: Lusaya Mt., near Anapa , 24.5.1918, 1♀ (leg. Skorikov) . UKRAINE: Kiev: Vyelybitschi , 20.4.2003, 3♀, 7♂ (leg. Budaschkin); Yrpauna , Kiew Feofania , 18.4.2003, 4♂ (leg. Budaschkin) .

Distribution. Osmia bicolor is a widespread species and inhabits a rather narrow belt between about 41 o and 61 o northern latitude, extending from about 8 o western to 104 o eastern longitude. It is distributed from the northern parts of southern Europe (northern Portugal, northern Spain, southern France, northern Italy) to southeastern Europe ( Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania) and from western Europe (southern Great Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands) over central Europe ( Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Czech Republique, Slovakia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary), northern Europe (southern Norway, southern Sweden, southern Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and eastern Europe ( Belarus, Ukraine, Russia) to the Caucasus (Georgia) and western and eastern Siberia. The species is absent from the Mediterranean islands, Greece and Turkey and from large parts of the Iberian and Italian Peninsula.

Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 17 plant families): Apiaceae (Anthriscus) , Asparagaceae (Scilla) , Asteraceae ( Taraxacum , Picris , Tussilago ), Boraginaceae (Pulmonaria) , Brassicaceae (Brassica) , Caprifoliaceae ( Viburnum , Lonicera ), Cistaceae (Helianthemum) , Cyperaceae (Carex) , Fabaceae ( Hippocrepis , Lotus , Vicia , Ononis , Cytisus ), Lamiaceae ( Ajuga , Salvia ), Plantaginaceae (Plantago) , Primulaceae (Primula) , Ranunculaceae ( Anemone , Hepatica , Pulsatilla , Ranunculus , Trollius ), Rosaceae ( Fragaria , Potentilla , Prunus , Rosa ), Salicaceae (Salix) , Saxifragaceae (Ribes) and Violaceae (Viola) ( Westrich 1989; Müller 1990, 1991).

Nesting biology. Osmia bicolor nests in empty snail shells of mostly medium size, e.g. of Arianta, Cepaea, Crepidula, Fruticicola , Helicella , Helix, Monacha or Xerolenta ( Figs 18, 20 ; Friese 1897, 1923; Stöckhert 1933; Grozdanić & Vasic 1965; Bonelli 1972; Amiet 1973; Bellmann 1981; Westrich 1989; Müller 1990). After nest site selection, the shell is turned in a suitable position facilitating the subsequent provisioning process before its surface is covered with numerous small patches of leaf pulp; this behaviour is often repeated during and even after cell provisioning. The nests contain 1‒2, rarely up to 5 brood cells, which are separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp, e.g. from Potentilla , Fragaria , Sanguisorba , Rosa (all Rosaceae ), Ononis , Vicia (both Fabaceae ), Salix (Salicaceae) , Polygonum (Polygonaceae) or Glaucium (Papaveracae) . The innermost brood cell lacks a basal wall that seals the larval provisions against the rear end of the shell. After provisioning a cell, which was found in two cases to require 27 and 39 foraging bouts, leaf pulp is amassed in the area of the later cell partition before an egg is laid and the accumulated leaf pulp is processed to a partition. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that seals the outermost cell serves as the base of the nest plug, which consists of a 1‒2 cm long space densely packed with small pebbles, earth crumps, broken snail shells, pieces of chalk or wood particles ( Fig. 18 ), followed by a final partition built from leaf pulp at some distance from, rarely at the shell opening. The space filled with foreign particles is often divided up by one to three additional leaf pulp partitions. After the nest has been sealed, it is turned so that the shell opening is directed towards the ground before it is covered with hundreds of pine needles, dry grass blades, fragments of dead leaves, scales from beech buds or wood particles ( Figs 20, 21 ). Occasionally, the females sink the nest 1.5 cm deep into the ground prior to the construction of the protective cover by removing earth from below the shell. The females continue to control their finished nests as the shells were found to be covered again after repeated experimental removal of the protective cover, even after several days. Nesting cycle: O. bicolor overwinters as imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell ( Bellmann, 1981). Brood parasites: Chrysura cuprea (Rossi) , C. refulgens (Spinola) and C. trimaculata (Förster) (Chrysididae) , Eulophus osmiarum Robineau- Desvoidy ( Eulophidae ), Sapyga quinquepunctata (Fabricius) (Sapygidae) ( Berland & Bernard 1938; Kunz 1989; Bellmann 1981; Strumia 1997; Grissell 2007).

Male behaviour. The males occupy small home ranges, to which they adhere during their entire flight period ( Müller 1990, 1991). Within these home ranges, they search for females by patrolling both female host flowers and snail shells lying on the ground along more or less fixed circular flight routes in a rapid flight, which is interrupted by short resting periods on the ground. These flight routes are neither marked with pheromones nor defended against conspecifics but instead often widely overlap. The males sleep singly or in small groups within empty snail shells as do females that have not yet started their nesting activities (Bellmann 1991). Nesting females pass the night or periods of bad weather within their nests.

Osmia (Neosmia) jason Benoist, 1929

Osmia Jason Benoist, 1929: 95 . Type material: Holotype ♀, “ Comana Vlasca ” ( Romania), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris.

Literature records. GREECE: Aegean Islands (Rhodes) ( Zanden 1994). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Northern District (Mt. Hermon) ( Zanden 1989). NORTH MACEDONIA: Skopje (Katlanovska) ( Zanden 1985). SERBIA: Grad Beograd (Belgrade) ( Grozdanić 1971; Tkalců 1977).

New records. BULGARIA: Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci , 26.5.1983, 1♀ (leg. L. Norén) . ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Haifa District: 2 km W Haifa University, 27.4.1995, 1♀ (leg.?); Jerusalem District : Ya'ar Kedoshim , 2.3.– 6.4.2014, 8♀, 3♂ (leg. N. Shamir, Y. Farago); Northern District : Ramot Naftali , 24.4.2014, 1♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Gliboa Mt. , Nahal Zeviyya , 0.4 km E Merav , 32°27ʹ22ʺN / 35°25ʹ53ʺE, 663 m, 27.2.2016, 2♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Yiftach, 30.3.2016, 1♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Dishon, 7.4.2016, 1♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Har Addir, 33.033°N / 35.361°E, 22.4.2016, 1♂ (leg. G. Pisanty) .

Distribution. Southeastern Europe ( Serbia, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Rhodes) and Israel.

Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 10 plant families): Cistaceae (n = 3 pollen loads with Cistaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 2), Fabaceae ( Genisteae ; n = 2), Lamiaceae ( Lamioideae , Nepetoideae ; n = 2), Zygophyllaceae (n = 2), Apiaceae (n = 1), Brassicaceae (n = 1), Dipsacoideae (n = 1), Monocots (n = 1) and Scrophulariaceae (n = 1) (based on 5 pollen loads from 5 different localities in Bulgaria and Israel). Flower records: Centaurea iberica , Crepis aculeata , Cistus creticus , Peganum harmala , Salvia fruticosa , Verbascum sinuatum (label records).

Nesting biology. Osmia jason nests in empty snail shells, e.g. of Helix ( Grozdanić, 1971) . The females cover the surface of the nest shells with numerous small patches of leaf pulp. In the only nest described in detail by Grozdanić (1971), the inner whorls of the shell were filled with masticated green leaves prior to the provisioning of the first brood cell. The nest contained two brood cells, which were separated by one-layered partitions constructed from leaf pulp, e.g. of Crataegus . The outermost cell was also closed with a partition of leaf pulp followed by a space filled with sand, pebbles or earth crumbs and a final partition of leaf pulp at some distance from the shell opening, resulting in a three-layered nest plug. The central layer of nest plug was divided up by three additional leaf pulp partitions. The closed shell was buried into the ground and the place where the shell was buried was covered with dried plant matter. Nesting cycle: O. jason overwinters as imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell ( Grozdanić, 1971).

Key to species

The female of Osmia secunda and the male of O. nigrocalcaribus are unknown.

Females

1 Tibia of hind leg entirely or largely yellowish-red. Metanotum medially with spine or distinct protuberance.............. 2

- Tibia of hind leg predominantly black. Metanotum medially without spine or distinct protuberance.................... 4

2 Metanotum medially with long pointed spine. Tibia of middle leg usually partly blackish. (Body length 10–11.5 mm; northern Africa)................................................................................ Osmia scutispina

- Metanotum medially with short angular protuberance. Tibia of middle leg usually entirely yellowish-red................ 3

3 Terga and sterna predominantly black except for yellowish-red marginal zones. Tibia of fore leg usually partly blackish. (Body length 9–11.5 mm; Tunisia, Israel).............................................................. Osmia rosea

- Terga and sterna predominantly yellowish-red except for black base of tergum 1 and reddish-brown mediobasal spots on terga 2–4(5). Tibia of fore leg usually entirely yellowish-red. (Body length 9.5–11 mm; Maghreb)............. Osmia rufigastra

4 Declivous basal part of tergum 1 densely shagreened and completely dull except for specimens of O. gracilicornis from Egypt and the Levant, where the shagreenation is reduced or lacking. Basal area and posterior surface of propodeum densely shagreened and completely dull; propodeal pit shagreened except sometimes for its lower half, which is more or less shiny. Antennal segment 3 almost half as long as antennal scapus.Anterior part of hypostomal area only with a few scattered punctures, distinctly contrasting with the more densely punctured posterior part............................................. 5

- Declivous basal part of tergum 1 polished and shiny. Basal area and posterior surface of propodeum less densely shagreened and with partly shiny areas, although often only to small extent; propodeal pit polished and shiny. Antennal segment 3 about one third as long as antennal scapus. Anterior part of hypostomal area almost as densely punctured as posterior part....... 7

5 Apical margin of clypeus medially with narrow and deep impression. Upper half of mandible without longitudinal keel along cutting edge. Antennal segment 3 as long as or slightly longer than total length of segments 4–6. (Body length 10–13 mm; northern Africa, Levant)................................................................. Osmia gracilicornis

- Apical margin of clypeus medially more or less straight or with wide and shallow impression. Upper half of mandible with distinct longitudinal keel along cutting edge. Antennal segment 3 slightly shorter than total length of segments 4–6........ 6

6 Pilosity of head and mesosoma black, strongly contrasting with yellowish-red pilosity of metasoma. Cutting edge of upper half of mandible parallel-sided. (Body length 9–10.5 mm; Europe, Caucasus, western and eastern Siberia)....... Osmia bicolor

- Pilosity of entire body yellowish-red. Cutting edge of upper half of mandible apically widened. (Body length 11–13 mm; southeastern Europe, Israel)................................................................... Osmia jason

7 Tibial spurs of hind leg dark brown ( Fig. 23 ). Pilosity of inner surface of basitarsus of hind leg brownish ( Fig. 24 ). Marginal zone of terga 1‒5 black as tergal disc. Pilosity at posterior margin of basitarsus of fore leg whitish and about twice as long as basitarsal width. Tegula dark brown. (Body length 9–10 mm; Maghreb)........................ Osmia nigrocalcaribus

- Tibial spurs of hind leg yellowish. Pilosity of inner surface of basitarsus of hind leg yellowish. Marginal zone of terga 1‒5 yellowish, distinctly contrasting with black tergal disc. Pilosity at posterior margin of basitarsus of fore leg yellowish and almost three times as long as basitarsal width. Tegula dark brown or yellowish..................................... 8

8 Head about 0.85x as long as wide. Second segment of labial palpus at most half as long as compound eye. Upper surface of mandible with loose yellowish pilosity not concealing cuticular surface. Tegula yellowish except for inner black margin.Apical margin of clypeus medially evenly impressed lacking narrow and deep impression. (Body length 7.5–10 mm; Canary Islands, Maghreb, Levant)...................................................................... Osmia cinnabarina

- Head about 0.95x as long as wide. Second segment of labial palpus more than 0.6x as long as compound eye. Upper surface of mandible with dense yellowish pilosity completely concealing cuticular surface. Tegula partly blackish. Apical margin of clypeus medially with narrow and deep impression. (Body length 10.5–12.5 mm; northern Africa)........ Osmia tingitana

Males

1 Tibia of hind leg entirely or partly yellowish-red. Metanotum medially with spine or distinct protuberance. Sternum 4 with scattered and coarse punctation, its apical half with numerous long, erect and stiff bristles............................ 2

- Tibia of hind leg black. Metanotum medially without spine or distinct protuberance. Sternum 4 with dense and fine punctation, its apical half without long, erect and stiff bristles............................................................ 4

2 Metanotum medially with long pointed spine. Tibia of hind leg usually partly blackish. Haired apical part of gonoforceps almost straight to weakly curved inwards. (Body length 10.5–11.5 mm; northern Africa)..................... Osmia scutispina

- Metanotum medially with short angular protuberance. Tibia of hind leg usually entirely yellowish-red. Haired apical part of gonoforceps distinctly curved inwards..................................................................... 3

3 Terga and sterna predominantly black except for yellowish-red marginal zones. Apical margin of clypeus crenulate. Teeth at apical margin of tergum 7 narrower and more widely spaced, interspace almost twice as wide as length of tooth. (Body length 11–12.5 mm; Tunisia, Israel).................................................................. Osmia rosea

- Terga and sterna predominantly yellowish-red except for black base of tergum 1 and reddish-brown mediobasal spots on terga 2–6. Apical margin of clypeus medially shallowly emarginate. Teeth at apical margin of tergum 7 wider and less widely spaced, interspace slightly wider than length of tooth. (Body length 11 mm; Maghreb)........................ Osmia rufigastra

4 Apical margin of sternum 4 rounded, straight or medially very slightly emarginate. Antennal segment 3 almost half as long as antennal scapus....................................................................................... 5

- Apical margin of sternum 4 with deep triangular incision. Antennal segment 3 about one third as long as antennal scapus... 7

5 Sternum 4 mediopreapically without roundish spot of short hairs.Apical margin of tergum 7 shallowly to triangularly emarginate without distinct teeth. Gonoforceps apically rounded and with short triangular tooth on ventral side; its apicalmost part devoid of long hairs. (Body length 10–14 mm; northern Africa, Levant)................................ Osmia gracilicornis

- Sternum 4 mediopreapically with roundish spot of short yellowish to brownish hairs. Apical margin of tergum 7 with two distinct teeth. Gonoforceps apically obliquely truncate or pointed; its apicalmost part covered with long hairs............ 6

6 Emargination at apical margin of sternum 3 narrow, extending over one third to one fourth of sternal width and covered with short yellowish hairs, which do not surpass sternal margin. Sternum 6 devoid of long, erect and stiff bristles. Apex of gonoforceps obliquely truncate and with dense tuft of long yellowish hairs. (Body length 8–10 mm; Europe, Caucasus, western and eastern Siberia)........................................................................ Osmia bicolor

- Emargination at apical margin of sternum 3 wide, extending over almost entire sternal width and covered with very long yellowish hairs, which distinctly surpass sternal margin. Sternum 6 medioapically with numerous long, erect and stiff bristles. Apex of gonoforceps pointed and with loose tuft of long yellowish hairs. (Body length 9.5–12 mm; southeastern Europe, Israel).................................................................................... Osmia jason

7 Incision at apical margin of sternum 4 roundish triangular in shape, extending over about two fifths of sternal width; margin of incision on each side with row of claws, which decrease in length towards sternal centre. Apical margin of sternum 5 straight to slightly rounded. Gonoforceps sparsely haired. (Body length 7.5–10.5 mm; Canary Islands, Maghreb, Levant).............................................................................................. Osmia cinnabarina

- Incision at apical margin of sternum 4 widely triangular in shape, extending over almost entire sternal width; margin of incision normally haired.Apical margin of sternum 5 widely emarginate. Gonoforceps with dense tuft of very long and curved yellowish hairs along its outer margin............................................................................. 8

8 Sterna 1–2 covered with dense yellowish-white pilosity largely concealing cuticular surface; hairs on middle part of sternum 2 much longer than tarsal segment 2 of hind leg. (Body length 12 mm; northern Africa)................... Osmia secunda

- Sterna 1–2 covered with moderately dense yellowish-white pilosity not concealing cuticular surface except for marginal zone of sternum 2, where the hairs form a dense band; hairs on middle part of sternum 2 about as long as tarsal segment 2 of hind leg. (Body length 12.5–14 mm; northern Africa)................................................ Osmia tingitana

Figures

FIGURES 16–21: Osmia (Neosmia). 16: Female of O. rosea at the entrance of her nest, which is covered with numerous patches of leaf pulp (photo N. Vereecken). 17: Female of O. cinnabarina visiting Reseda lanzerotae. 18: Opened nest of O. bicolor with one brood cell and a nest plug composed of densely packed small pebbles and earth crumbs followed by a final partition of leaf pulp at some distance from the shell opening (photo A. Krebs). 19: Opened nest of O. cinnabarina with nest plug consisting of densely packed small pebbles. 20: Female of O. bicolor covering her nest with plant stalks (photo A. Krebs). 21: Nest of O. bicolor completely hidden under a dense pile of pine needles and plant stalks (photo A. Krebs).

FIGURES 22–24: Osmia (Neosmia) nigrocalcaribus. 22: Female. 23: Tibial spurs of female hind leg. 24: Basitarsus of female hind leg.