Eremocolletes Engel, 2022

Engel, Michael S. & Gonzalez, Victor H., 2022, A new bee genus from the pampas of eastern Argentina, with appended notes on the classification of “ paracolletines ” (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), Journal of Melittology 2022 (109), pp. 1-39 : 37-38

Eremocolletes Engel , new genus

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:863FE09A-AC03-4875-8154-472A31C74179

TYPE SPECIES: Leioproctus (Leioproctus) eremites Houston, 1990 .

DIAGNOSIS: This genus is noteworthy for its elongate labial palpi, whereby they are 1.3–3.0× as long as the maxillary palpi and in which the apical palpomere is compressed, lanceolate, and typically 0.5–1.2× as long as the antennal scape. In addition, the inner metatibial spur of females is densely pectinate, the protibial calcar has a finely pectinate malus, flagellomere I slightly longer than wide, metanotum without medial tubercle, propodeum with steeply sloping subhorizontal area not separated posteriorly by a carina. This genus corresponds to the capito species group of Houston (1990), who also provided a revision and key to the species.

ETYMOLOGY: The new generic name is a combination of the Ancient Greek adjective erêmos (ἐρῆμος, meaning, “lonely”), as a reference to their host plants of the genus Eremophila R.Br. ( Scrophulariaceae ), and kollitís (κολλητής, meaning, "gluer" or "one who glues"). The gender of the name is masculine.