Paleomelitta, ENGEL, 2001

ENGEL, MICHAEL S., 2001, A Monograph Of The Baltic Amber Bees And Evolution Of The Apoidea (Hymenoptera), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2001 (259), pp. 1-1 : 1-

Paleomelitta , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Paleomelitta nigripennis Engel , new species.

DIAGNOSIS: As for the family (see above). Paleomelitta has the general habitus of Dasypoda species and the forewing venation of the two genera is somewhat similar in many respects (except in dasypodaines 1m­cu is not strongly apicad the second abscissa of Rs). Paleomelitta can be separated from Dasypoda by the above familial characters as well as those presented below in the generic description (most notably the absence of a metabasitibial plate in Dasypoda is significantly different from Paleomelitta where this structure is large and well developed).

DESCRIPTION: As for the family with the following additions: Labrum with two short, medial tubercles on basal surface (fig. 17), about 2.5 times wider than long, without distal process. Mandible broad at base and tapering rapidly to apex, strongly bent inward near midpoint, with strong subapical tooth (fig. 17). Malar space short, much shorter than basal mandibular width. Clypeus slightly concave medially on central disc, apical margin with distinct medial tubercle laterally bordered by tufts of elongate, erect setae (tufts composed of three setae each: fig. 17); epistomal sulcus forming an obtuse angle; apical quarter of clypeus set below lower tangent of compound eyes. Inner margins of compound eyes approximately parallel. F1 longer than F2 (fig. 17); F3 slightly longer than F2. Vertex short, ca. 1.5 OD in length (fig. 18). Posterior margin of scutellum with fringe of elongate, simple setae (fig. 18); scutellum rising well above metanotum then abruptly curving behind posterior fringe to meet metanotal basal border, not projecting over metanotum. Metabasitibial plate present, large, and strongly bordered on all edges; scopal setae simple; claws with short inner tooth (fig. 19); arolium present and large (fig. 19). Marginal cell apex set away from wing margin by approximately three­quarters of pterostigma width, feebly appendiculate (fig. 20). Margin of pterostigma inside of marginal cell slightly convex; pterostigma longer than wide; r­rs arising in apical half of pterostigma. Two submarginal cells; second abscissa of Rs approximately orthogonal to M, strongly basad of 1m­cu (fig. 20).

ETYMOLOGY: The new genus­group name is a combination of palaios (Greek, meaning ‘‘ancient’’) and melitta (Greek, meaning ‘‘bee’’). The name is feminine.