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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #310357
Title: A revision of the subgenus Osmia (Diceratosmia), with descriptions of three new species (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)

Author
item Griswold, Terry
item RIGHTMYER, MOLLY - Retired Non ARS Employee

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2017
Publication Date: 10/17/2017
Citation: Griswold, T.L., Rightmyer, M.G. 2017. A revision of the subgenus Osmia (Diceratosmia), with descriptions of three new species (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). Zootaxa. 4337(1):1-37. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4337.1.1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4337.1.1

Interpretive Summary: The mason bees of the genus Osmia, subgenus Diceratosmia, a small group of bees restricted to North America including the Caribbean and Central America, have not been studied for more than 65 years. This group includes species that have been demonstrated to be effective pollinators of alfalfa in hot climates. Four new species are described and ways to accurately identify all eleven known species are presented. Summaries of the nesting biology, flowering plants visited and the geographic range are provided for all species.

Technical Abstract: We revise the eleven species of the North American subgenus Osmia (Diceratomsia), and newly describe three species: Osmia (Diceratosmia) exquisita, n. sp., from Honduras; Osmia (Diceratomia) gonzalezi, n. sp. and Osmia (Diceratomia) spinulifera, n. sp., from Mexico; and Osmia (Diceratomsia) lacunosa, n. sp., from the Bahamas. We provide diagnoses for the remaining seven species and a key to the known males and females of all species. In addition, we review the known nesting biology, floral hosts, and geographic range of the species.