Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2015-03-20
Page range: 408–420
Abstract views: 22
PDF downloaded: 1

Palaearctic Chelostoma bees of the subgenus Gyrodromella (Megachilidae,    Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species

ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Biocommunication and Entomology, Schmelzbergstrasse 9/LFO, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Apiformes Campanula host-plant choice Hymenoptera nesting behaviour

Abstract

Gyrodromella represents a subgenus of the osmiine bee genus Chelostoma (Megachilidae) containing eight species, which are confined to the Palaearctic region. Analysis of female pollen loads, field observations and literature data suggest that all C. (Gyrodromella) species are oligolectic harvesting pollen exclusively on flowers of Campanula and possibly also closely related Campanulaceae genera. Preexisting linear cavities in dead wood or stems serve as nesting sites and mud partly combined with pebbles is used for the construction of cell partitions and nest plug. The taxonomic revision of C. (Gyrodromella) revealed the existence of two undescribed species: C. clypeale spec. nov. from central and eastern Turkey, and C. tonsum spec. nov. from eastern Turkey. Chelostoma confusum (Benoist, 1934) and C. proximum Schletterer, 1889 are newly synonymized with C. rapunculi (Lepeletier, 1841), and a lectotype of C. handlirschi Schletterer, 1889 is designated. Keys for the identification of all C. (Gyrodromella) species are given.