Andrena ghisbaini, Ghisbain's mining bee, is a species of solitary bee from the family Andrenidae. It was described in 2023 based on specimens collected in southern Spain.[1]

Andrena ghisbaini
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Andrenidae
Genus: Andrena
Species:
A. ghisbaini
Binomial name
Andrena ghisbaini
Wood, 2023

Description edit

Andrena ghisbaini is a medium-size, solitary bee from the family Andrenidae, a diversified family of Hymenoptera.[2] The specimens of Andrena ghisbaini known to date were collected in the Málaga province, in southern Spain.[1] Recently collected females of the species were visiting Cistus albidus (Cistaceae) in sympatry with males and females of Dasypoda radchenkoi.[3] The species is active at least from February to May.[1]

Taxonomy edit

Andrena ghisbaini belongs to the mining bee subgenus Truncandrena. According to the diagnosis presented as part of the original description, the species shows morphological similarity with Andrena villipes but the body size of the latter is distinctly smaller.[1] Phylogenetic analyses also confirmed the separation of both species.[1]

Etymology edit

The species is dedicated to the Belgian bee taxonomist Guillaume Ghisbain.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wood, Thomas J. "The genus Andrena Fabricius, 1775 in the Iberian Peninsula (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae)". Journal of Hymenoptera Research: 241–484. doi:10.3897/jhr.96.101873. ISSN 1314-2607.
  2. ^ Michener, CD (2007). The bees of the world, second edition. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
  3. ^ Ghisbain, Guillaume; Michez, Denis; Rosa, Paolo; Ferreira, Sonia; Wood, Thomas J. (2023-07-24). "Unexpected discovery of a near cryptic Dasypoda species from southern Spain (Hymenoptera: Melittidae)". Osmia. 11: 27–38. doi:10.47446/OSMIA11.6.