Osmia (Hoplosmia) pinguis Pérez 1895

Müller, Andreas, 2018, Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenus Hoplosmia (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 4415 (2), pp. 297-329 : 308

Osmia (Hoplosmia) pinguis Pérez 1895

Osmia pinguis Pérez 1895: 12 . Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1974a), “La Calle” (Algeria), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris.

Osmia indivisa Benoist 1928: 214 . Type material: Holotype ♂, “ Marrakech ” ( Morocco), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Synonymy in Zanden (1985).

Literature records. SPAIN: Ornosa et al. (2006).

New records. MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès: Ifkern , 25 km E Boulemane, 24– 25.5.1995 (leg. M. Halada) ; Oriental: Figuig, Jbel el Klakh , 30.5.1996 (leg. M. Terzo) ; Casablanca-Settat : El Jadida, 5.1964 (leg. W. Schläfle) ; Marrakesch-Safi: Sidi-Moktar , 17.3.1992 (leg. H.J. Flügel) ; Drâa-Tafilalet: 700m S Tagounite , 17.4.2014 (leg. R. Prosi) ; Souss-Massa: 31 km SE Ait Baha , 4.3.2003 (leg. Ø. Berg) ; 20 km N Tafraoute , 14.4.2017 (leg. A. Müller) ; 33 km SW Sidi-Ifni , 18.4.2017 (leg. A. Müller) . ALGERIA: M’Sila: 18 km E Bow-Saada , 25.4.1986 (leg. Gerstmeier) ; Guelma : Guelma, Campus , 4.5.2008 (leg. S. Aguib) ; Mila: Thleghma , 5.5.2008 (leg. S. Aguib) ; Tebessa: Hammamet , 26.4.2002 (leg. N. Benarfa) . TUNISIA: Bizerta: 20 km W Mateur , 30.4.2012 (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Nabeul: 5 km NW Grombalia , 11.4.2000 (leg. P. Hartmann) ; Kef: 2 km SW El Kef , 28.4.2012 (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Kairouan: 48 km S Kairouan , 9.4.1994 (leg. M. Schwarz) ; Kasserine: 10 km NW Thelepte , 27.4.2012 (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Sidi Bouzid : Sidi Bouzid, 12.4.1999 (leg. K. Denes) ; Gafsa : Gafsa, 14.4.2001 (leg. M. Halada) ; Tozeur: Tamerza , 23.3.2001 (leg. C. Schmid-Egger) ; Gabes: 20 km N Metlaoui , 26.4.2012 (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Medenine: Djerba, 3.3.2008 (leg. H. Schwenninger) ; 10 km S Zarzis , 22.4.2012 (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller) ; Tataouine: 56 km S Tataouine , 11.4.1994 (leg. M. Schwarz) .

Distribution. Southernmost Spain and Maghreb ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia).

Pollen hosts. Oligolectic on Asteraceae (based on 19 pollen loads from 14 different localities in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and on field observations). The species exhibits a near exclusive preference for Cichorioideae and Asteroideae as pollen hosts ( Fig. 4 ): 15 pollen loads exclusively consisted of pollen of Cichorioideae (n = 11) or Asteroideae (n = 4), while four were mixed loads of pollen of both subfamilies. Flower records: Chrysanthemum coronarium , Leontodon spec., Pallenis spinosa (label records).

Nesting biology. The nests are built in empty snail shells of small to medium size with a diameter of 15–30 mm, e.g. Otala lactea (Helicidae) ; nests were also found in elongate conical shells of Rumina sp. ( Subulinidae ) with a length of 24–32 mm and a diameter of 9–12 mm (Ferton 1920, A. Müller unpublished data). Eighteen nests from Morocco (n = 12) and Tunisia (n = 6) contained two (n = 6), three (n = 9) or four (n = 3) brood cells ( Fig. 7 ). The brood cells are separated from each other by one-layered partitions consisting of leaf pulp. An additional wall of leaf pulp seals the shell at or few millimetres behind its opening. The empty vestibule between the outermost cell and the nest plug varies in length from one fourth to five sixth of one shell whorl. As in O. spinulosa , the nests are not sealed against their rear end with a basal wall and the outermost cell partition is distinctly more robust than all the other cell partitions and the nest plug, probably acting as a barrier against parasites and predators. In contrast to O. spinulosa , the shells are never turned after they have been sealed.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Flower-visiting females of Osmia (Hoplosmia). 1: Osmia spinulosa on Buphthalmum salicifolium (Asteroideae). 2: Osmia spinigera on Centaurea spec. (Carduoideae; photo H. Wiesbauer). 3: Osmia bidentata on Centaurea spec.(Carduoideae; photo A. Gogala).4: Osmia pinguison Inula spec.(Asteroideae).

FIGURES 5–10. Nesting behaviour of Osmia (Hoplosmia). 5: Female of Osmia spinulosa entering her nest in an empty shell of Xerolenta obvia. 6: Female of Osmia spinulosa turning her nest in an empty shell of Zebrina detrita in a protected position. 7: Opened nest of Osmia pinguis inan empty snail shell containing three brood cells.8: Females of Osmia distinguenda at their nests in small rock cavities (photo G. Pisanty). 9: Opened nest of Osmia ligurica in a preexisting burrow in a dead stem of Scolymushispanicus (photo G. LeGoff).10: Female of Osmia ligurica at the entranceof her nest in a hollow plant stem (photo H. Wiesbauer).