taxonID	type	description	language	source
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	diagnosis	Morphological diagnosis Osmia (Allosmia) species are non-metallic, slender and medium-sized bees (6 – 12 mm) with short-linear, in O. bischoffi Atanassov punctiform parapsidal lines and distinctly keeled to carinate hind coxae. The females are characterized by their yellowish-red metasomal scopa in combination with the coarsely punctate to rugose clypeus, whose apical zone is impunctate, polished, transversally weakly impressed behind its straight apical margin, and distinctly separated from the clypeal disc, often by a short transverse groove; O. bischoffi differs from all other species in that the apical zone of the clypeus is partly punctate along its base, less distinctly separated from the clypeal disc and apically emarginate. The males are characterized by two-toothed mandibles (indistinctly threetoothed in O. bischoffi) in combination with the shape of tergum 7, which is either predominantly flat and apically bifid or laterally distinctly curved downwards and apically rounded to truncate.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology Pollen hosts. The species of Osmia (Allosmia) are pollen generalists collecting pollen on up to 13 plant families (see species accounts for details). However, in all species, for which a reasonable number of pollen loads was available for study, flowers of the Fabaceae turned out to be the most important pollen hosts. Depending on the species, pollen of this plant family was recorded in 60.0 % to 90.9 % of the pollen samples analysed. The finding that 80.9 % of the 188 pollen loads analysed contained 2 – 7 different pollen types often belonging to different plant families suggests low flower constancy of pollen-collecting O. (Allosmia) females. Nesting biology. All species of O. (Allosmia), for which information on the nesting biology is available, utilize empty snail shells as exclusive nesting sites (see species accounts for details), indicating that snail shell nesting is a subgeneric trait (Figs 1 – 5) In contrast to all other obligate snail shell nesters among the osmiine bees, which build more than one brood cell per shell if the available space allows, species of O. (Allosmia) invariably construct only one cell per shell (Figs 4, 5; Müller et al. 2018). The nesting biology slightly differs among the different O. (Allosmia) species. Osmia rufohirta Latreille (and possibly also other representatives of the O. rufohirta species group) differs from representatives of the O. sybarita species group in that i) the nest plug is usually three-layered consisting of two partitions of leaf pulp enclosing a narrow space filled with small stones, earth crumbs, plant fibers or other foreign particles (Fig. 5), ii) the nest plug is usually more or less hidden inside the shell (Fig. 5), iii) the females cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp before and often also during cell provisioning (Figs 2, 5) and iv) the sealed nest is usually concealed under stones, below leaves or in grass tussocks (Fig. 2). In the representatives of the O. sybarita species group, the nest plug consists of a mixture of leaf pulp and mollusc shell fragments (Figs 3, 4), it is built at the shell opening (Figs 3, 4), the shell surface is not covered with leaf pulp patches (Figs 1, 3, 4) and the sealed nest is usually buried in loose soil (Fig. 3). The adaptive value of covering the shell surface with leaf pulp patches is not understood. This behaviour, which is also known from species of O. (Neosmia) and from O. (Helicosmia) aurulenta (Panzer) (Müller et al. 2018), has alternatively been interpreted as an evolutionary relict inherited from an ancestor that did not colonize preexisting cavities but constructed free standing brood cells (Bellmann 1981), as a camouflage strategy to reduce the optical conspicuousness of the white shells (Grozdanić 1969) or as a means to facilitate the movement of the shell (Malyshev 1937). Interestingly, instead of gluing patches of leaf pulp on the outer shell surface, some representatives of the O. sybarita species group, such as O. melanura Morawitz and O. rutila Erichson, attach portions of leaf pulp to the inner shell surface few millimeters behind the shell opening immediately after nest site selection (Müller 1992; Haeseler 1997). Experiments showed that this leaf pulp markings near the nest entrance allow the females to recognize their own nests (Haeseler 1997). Thus, covering the outer shell surface with patches of leaf pulp might possibly serve the same purpose, i. e. to individually mark the shell and to signal other females that the shell is already occupied.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	discussion	Taxonomy Michener (2007) included the representatives of the Osmia sybarita species group (see below) in the subgenus O. (Erythrosmia) Schmiedeknecht and recognized O. rufohirta and its closest relatives as the only members of the subgenus O. (Allosmia). However, this placement is neither supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses, which placed O. sybarita Smith as sister to O. rufohirta (Praz et al. 2008; Rightmyer et al. 2013), nor by morphology and biology, which both are more similar between O. sybarita and O. rufohirta than between O. sybarita and O. andrenoides Spinola, the type species of O. (Erythrosmia). Thus, in the present study, we consider O. sybarita and its relatives to belong to O. (Allosmia), following other European authors (e. g. Tkalců 1974; Zanden 1988 b; Ungricht et al. 2008).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. ALBANIA: Gjirokastra: Tepelena, 40 ° 17 ʹ 23 ʺN / 20 ° 01 ʹ 35 ʺE, 125 m, 24.4.2017, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Rey). BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Srpska: Ljubovo, 44.643 ° N / 15.492 ° E, 200 m, 2 ♀ (leg. M. Kafka). BULGARIA: Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci, 26.5.1983, 1 ♀ (leg. L. Norén). CROATIA: Lika-Senj: Baske Ostarie N Velebit, 26.5.2011, 1 ♀ (leg. Z. Jozan); Split-Dalmatia: 40 km N Split, 43 ° 47.9 ʹN / 16 ° 34.1 ʹE, 370 m, 29.5.2005, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada). GREECE: Central Greece: Tymfristos, 1990 m, 1 ♀ (leg. A. W. Ebmer); Eastern Macedonia and Thrace: Nomos Drama, Falakró, 41 ° 17 ʹ 40 ʺN / 24 ° 02 ʹ 05 ʺE, 1400 – 1800 m, 15. – 16.6.2012, 2 ♀ (leg. A. W. Ebmer); Epirus: Igoumenitsa, 200 m, 17.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. S. Becvar); 30 km W Ioannina, 16.5.2005, 2 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); N Tyria, 400 m, 1 ♀ (leg. A. W. Ebmer); Peloponnese: ancient Mykene, 27.4.2000, 1 ♀ (leg. W. Arens); ancient Korinth, 21.4.1995, 2 ♀ (leg. W. Arens); West Macedonia: Pentalofos pass, 1500 – 1700 m, 1 ♀ (leg. A. W. Ebmer). ROMANIA: Mehedinti: SW Orsova, 25.5.2002, 6 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek); Cozla, 50 km W Turnu Severin, 25. – 26.5.2002, 36 ♀ (leg. M. Halada, Z. Pedr). TURKEY: Bilecik: Bilecik, 4.4.1987, 1 ♂ (leg. Menrad); Erzurum: Basakli, 20.7.1979, 1 ♀ (leg. H. Özbek); Sutkans, Oltu, 2000 m, 10.6.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. L. Gültekin); 25 km SSW Oltu, 40.29 ° N / 41.47 ° E, 18.5.2002, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Rozen); 2 km NW Gecitköy, 5.7.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Ascher, J. Rozen, H. Özbek); Ilica, Agziacik Gecidi, 40 ° 16 ʹN / 40 ° 59 ʹE, 2295 m, 3.7.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Rozen, H. Özbek); Kütahya: Porsuk Baraji, 30 km N Kütahya, 22.5.1998, 2 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Sakarya: Adapazari, 12.5.1964, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Warncke); Tokat: Yolüstü, 40 ° 28.79 ʹN / 37 ° 16.86 ʹE, 1250 m, 20.5.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. W. - H. Liebig).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. From southeastern Europe (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria) to eastern Turkey. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 13 plant families): Fabaceae (Hedysareae, Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 15 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 9), Brassicaceae (n = 8), Monocots (n = 6), Convolvulaceae (n = 5), Cistaceae (n = 3), Caryophyllaceae (n = 2), Ranunculaceae (n = 2), Boraginaceae (n = 1), Dipsacoideae (n = 1), Lamiaceae (Nepetoideae; n = 1), Plantaginaceae (Plantago; n = 1) and Crassulaceae (n = 1) (based on 25 pollen loads from 14 different localities in Albania, Croatia, Greece, Romania and Turkey). Nesting biology. Osmia bischoffi nests in empty snail shells (Atanassov, 1938; A. W. Ebmer, personal communication). The females cover the surface of the nest shells with patches of leaf pulp.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	type_taxon	Type material: Holotype ♀, “ Kara-kala ” (Turkmenistan), Halada Collection (České Budějovice, Czech Republic).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known so far only from two localities in the Kopet Dag mountain range in southern Turkmenistan. Pollen hosts. Unknown. Nesting biology. Unknown. Note. Male unknown.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	discussion	The representatives of the O. rufohirta species group differ from those of the O. sybarita species group in both sexes by the distinctly wider head and in the male sex by the shape of tergum 7, which is laterally distinctly curved downwards and apically rounded to truncate, as well as the presence of a pyramidal or triangular projection on sternum 2. The two groups probably differ also in several characteristics of their nesting biology (see above).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Central District: Tel Yizhaq, 32 ° 14 ʹ 34 ʺN / 34 ° 51 ʹ 53 ʺE, 20 m, 13.2.2010, ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich. Paratypes. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Central District: Bnei Tsiyon, 32 ° 13 ʹ 16 ʺN / 34 ° 51 ʹ 25 ʺE, 35 m, 25.2.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin), 16.2.2010, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Harutsim, 32 ° 13 ʹ 47 ʺN / 34 ° 51 ʹ 35 ʺE, 35 m, 26.2. – 30.3.2009, 6 ♀, 11 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Netanya, 11.3. – 12.4.2009, 5 ♀, 2 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Tel Yizhaq, 32 ° 14 ʹ 34 ʺN / 34 ° 51 ʹ 53 ʺE, 20 m, 13.2. – 27.2.2010, 2 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Yakum, 19.3.2009, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Northern District: Gilboa Mt., 1 km N Gan Ner, 32.5478 ° N / 35.33924 ° E, 50 m, 24.2.2018, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Southern District: Fura NR, 6.3 km E Ruhama, 31 ° 29 ʹ 47 ʺN / 34 ° 46 ʹ 33 ʺE, 196 m, 18.3.2010, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin), 15.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin); Lakhish, 31.5562 ° N / 34.869 ° E, 18.2. – 9.3.2020, 1 ♀, 2 ♂ (leg. K. Levy). JORDAN: Dscharasch: 10 km N Jerash, 20.4.2002, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek); Alhuna, SW Jerash, 12.4.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek); Irbid: Tall al Arbatin, 20 km S North Shuna, 19.4.1996, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); North Shuna, 20. – 22.4.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); S Irbid, 13.4.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek). Deposited in the entomological collections of ETH Zurich, the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History Tel Aviv, the Hebrew University Jerusalem and the Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum Linz. Other records. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District: Judean Foothills, Lakhish, 6.3.2013, 1 ♂ (leg. T. Shapira); Lakhish, 31.5562 ° N / 34.869 ° E, 4.3.2016, 1 ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty); Lehavim, 31.370 ° N / 34.8257 ° E, 7.3.2015, 3 ♀ (leg. G. Pisanty); Tel Qeriyyot, 31.342 ° N / 35.125 ° E, 27.3.2015, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Osmia gemina is in both sexes morphologically very close to O. soror and O. rufohirta (Figs 6, 7). The females differ from O. soror by the shorter tergal hair bands, which surpass the apical margin of terga 2 – 4 by less than half of their length, and from O. rufohirta by the darker colour of the marginal zone of terga 1 – 5, which is predominantly black to narrowly dark reddish-brown; outside the southern Levant, where O. gemina does not occur, females of O. rufohirta may also have more or less darkened tergal margins. The males differ from O. rufohirta by the shaggy yellowish pilosity at the marginal zone of sterna 4 – 5 consisting of long and suberect hairs not forming bands (Figs 8, 9), by the polished, sparsely punctate and almost unhaired roundish preapical depression of sternum 6 (Figs 8, 9) and by the apically less broadened and less inwardly bent gonoforceps (Figs 10, 11). They differ from O. soror by the shorter pilosity along the inner margin of the apical half of the gonoforceps, which is distinctly less than half as long as the pilosity along the outer margin (Fig. 10), by the smaller length of the longest hairs on tergal discs 4 – 5, which are distinctly shorter than tarsal segment 2 of the hind leg, and often also by the dark rather than reddish marginal zone of terga 1 – 5.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	Description. Except for the characters given in the diagnosis and the identification key, both sexes of O. gemina are morphologically identical to the widespread and well-known O. rufohirta. Therefore, no detailed description of the new species is given here.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Central and northern Israel and northern Jordan. At five localities in Israel (Harutsim, Lakhish, Tel Yizhaq, Yakum) and Jordan (North Shuna), O. gemina was found to cooccur with O. rufohirta indicating syntopic occurrence of these two closely related species within the distribution range of O. gemina. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 4 plant families): Fabaceae (Hedysareae, Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 3 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 3), Brassicaceae (n = 1) and Plantaginaceae (Plantago; n = 1) (based on 3 pollen loads from 3 different localities in Israel and Palestine). Nesting biology. Unknown.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The scientific name refers to the close morphological similarity with the sister species O. rufohirta Latreille, 1811 (lat. “ geminus ” = twin).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. BULGARIA: Burgas: 5 km E Zvedec, 42 ° 05 ʹ 17 ʺN / 27 ° 29 ʹ 01 ʺE, 4.5.2006, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Smit); Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci, 22. – 26.5.1983, 6 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. L. Norén). CROATIA: Zadar: Biograd, 1.7.1966, 1 ♀ (leg. Hoffer). TURKEY: Adiyaman: Nemrut, 8.6.1992, 1 ♂ (leg. M. Hradsky); Kütahya: Porsuk Baraji, 30 km N Kütahya, 15.6.1997, 1 ♂ (leg. M. Halada).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. From southeastern Europe (Croatia, Bulgaria) to central Turkey. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 3 plant families): Fabaceae (Trifolieae; n = 1 pollen load with Fabaceae pollen), Convolvulaceae (n = 1) and Lamiaceae (Nepetoideae; n = 1) (based on 2 pollen loads from 2 different localities in Bulgaria). Nesting biology. Unknown. Note. Warncke (1986) treated O. nuda as junior synonym of Chelostoma ventrale Schletterer, which was correctly rejected by Özbek & Zanden (1992).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Syntypes ♀ ♀, “ France ” (France), “ Allemagne ” (Germany), type depository unknown. Type species of Allosmia Tkalců.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1974), “ Environs de Paris ” (France), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Synonymy in Dalla Torre (1896).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Syntypes ♂♂, “ Autriche ” (Austria), “ Carniole ” (Slovenia), “ Italie ” (Italy), “ Hongrie ” (Hungary), type depository unknown. Synonymy in Dalla Torre (1896).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	discussion	Literature records. ALBANIA (Tkalců 1974). AZERBAIJAN: Göygöl (Ducke, 1900). AUSTRIA: Gusenleitner et al. (2012). BELARUS: Prishchepchik (2000). BELGIUM: Pauly (1999), Pauly et al. (2018). CROATIA: Jozan (2009). CHINA: Xinjiang (Hetienkashentaxian) (Wu, 2006). CZECH REPUBLIC: Bogusch et al. (2007). FRANCE including Corsica (Benoist 1931). GEORGIA: Kirkitadze & Japoshvili (2015). GERMANY: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). HUNGARY: Józan (2011). IRAN: Alborz, East Azerbaijan, Mazandaran (Ascher & Pickering, 2020). ITALY including Sardinia and Sicily: Pagliano (1994, 1995). KAZAKHSTAN: Turkistan (Bairkum) (Morawitz, 1875). LIECHTENSTEIN: Bieri (2002). LUXEMBOURG: Rasmont et al. (1995). MALTA: Balzan et al. (2016). NORTH MACEDONIA: Vardar (Stobi) (Zanden (1984 a). PORTUGAL: Baldock et al. (2018). ROMANIA: Ban-Calefariu (2009). RUSSIA: Astrachan, North Caucasus (Ducke, 1900; Proshchalykin & Fateryga 2017). SERBIA: Mudri-Stojnić et al. (2021). SLOVAKIA: Bogusch et al. (2007). SLOVENIA: Gogala (1999). SPAIN: Ortiz-Sánchez (2020). SWITZERLAND: Amiet et al. (2004). TURKEY: Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Aydin, Denizli, Diyarbakar, Erzurum, Hatay, Izmir, Karaman (Özbek & Zanden 1992; Özbek 2013). UKRAINE including Crimea (Scheuchl & Willner, 2016; Fateryga et al., 2018).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. ARMENIA: Kotayk: Gekhard, 17.5.1978, ♀ (leg. M. Kocourek). AZERBAIJAN: Nakhichevan: Julfa, Gazanchi, 39 ° 13 ʹN / 45 ° 41 ʹE, 1300 m, 15.6.2019, ♀ (leg. M. Proshchalykin). BULGARIA: Burgas: Slancev brjag, 1.6.1972, f (leg. M. Kocourek); Haskovo: 5 km NE Harmanli, 41 ° 57 ʹN / 25 ° 57 ʹE, 200 m, 14.6.2008, 2 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kardschali: Balabanovo, 41 ° 34 ʹN / 25 ° 22 ʹE, 300 m, 22.6.2007, 4 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Stara Zagora: Galobovo, 1.7.1997, ♀ (leg. A. Zaykov); Vratsa: Voivodovo, 18.5.1996, ♀, ♂ (leg. A. Zaykov). GREECE: Aegean Islands: Lesvos, Eresos, 39.1771 ° N / 25.946 ° E, 8.4.2012, ♀ (leg. G. Nakas); Central Greece: 30 km S Lamia Bralos, 10.5.2005, 3 ♀ (leg. J. Halada); Epirus: 10 km NE Ioannina, 1.7.1996, ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Ionian Islands: Kefallonia, between Poros and Skala, 28.4.1996, ♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); Peloponnese: Mykene, 11.4.2000, 4 ♀, ♂ (leg. W. Arens); Thessaly: 40 km NE Larissa, Mt. Ossa, Kokino Nero, 13.5.2005, ♀ (leg. J. Halada); Western Macedonia: Kastoria, 8.6.1987, ♀ (leg. P. Thomas). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Central District: 0.75 km N Yaqum, 32 ° 15 ʹ 20 ʺN / 34 ° 50 ʹ 33 ʺE, 12 m, 5.3.2010, 2 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Haifa District: 850 m S Bet Oren, 32 ° 43 ʹ 18 ʺN / 35 ° 0 ʹ 20 ʺ'E, 256 m, 31.3.2012, 2 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin); Jerusalem District: Judean Foothills, Neve Shalom, 6.5.2009, ♀ (leg. G. Pisanty); Northern District: Dovev, 14.4.2016, ♂ (leg. O. Winberger); Southern District: 2 km NW Bet Nir, 31.658 ° N / 34.855 ° E, 5.4.2015, ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty). IRAN: Gilan: Rudsar-Ghazichak, 10.5.2010, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Nadimi); North Khorasan: Ziarat, 36.68 ° N / 54.563889 ° E, 5.7.2018, 1 ♀ (leg. W. - H. Liebig). JORDAN: Irbid: North Shuna, 22.4.1996, 6 ♀ (leg. M. Halada). LEBANON: Boustani et al. (2021). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès: Michlifene, 33 ° 24 ʹ 51 ʹʹN / 5 ° 04 ʹ 35.6 ʹʹW, 1900 m, 7.5.2015, 1 ♂ (leg. V. Soon). SYRIA: Idlib: Jisr ash Shughur, 26.5.1996, 2 ♀ (leg. M. Halada).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Osmia rufohirta is a widespread species distributed in northern Morocco (known so far only from a single locality at 1900 m a. s. l. in the Middle Atlas), in southern, central and eastern Europe northwards to about 52 o northern latitude (Albania, Austria, southern Belarus, southern Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, southern and central Germany, Greece including Aegean and Ionian Islands, Hungary, Italy including Sardinia and Sicily, Liechtenstein, Malta, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, southernmost Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine including Crimea), in Turkey eastwards over the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), and northern Iran to Central Asia (southern Kazakhstan) and China (Xinjiang) as well as in the Levant (Israel and Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 9 plant families): Fabaceae (Fabeae, Galegeae, Genisteae, Hedysareae, Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 28 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 19), Brassicaceae (n = 9), Lamiaceae (Lamioideae, Nepetoideae; n = 5), Boraginaceae (Echium; n = 3); Campanulaceae (n = 2), Convolvulaceae (n = 2), Caryophyllaceae (n = 1) and Cistaceae (n = 1) (based on 31 pollen loads from 23 different localities in France, Greece, Israel and Palestine, Italy, Jordan, Romania, Spain, Syria and Turkey. Flower records: Helianthemum nummularium, Hippocrepis comosa, Lotus corniculatus, Onobrychis viciifolia (Westrich 1989); Hedysarum tauricum (Fateryga 2017); Onobrychis viciifolia (Özbek 2013); Campanula spec., Centaurea pallescens, Chrysanthemum coronarium, Crepis aspera, Cynoglossum officinale, Echium judaeum, Diplotaxis erucoides, Genista hispanica, Lathyrus aphaca, Scorpiurus muricatus, Spartium junceum, Trifolium resupinatum, T. stellatum, Vicia tenuifolia, V. villosa, Salvia fruticosa, Thymus vulgaris (label records). Nesting biology. Osmia rufohirta nests in empty snail shells of small to medium size, e. g. of Candidula, Cernuella, Helicella, Pomatias, Rumina, Theba, Xerolenta, Xerophila or Zebrina (Figs 2, 5; Ferton 1894, 1897, 1905; Grandi 1961; Grozdanić 1969; Bonelli 1971, 1972; Bellmann 1981; Westrich 1989; Gogala 1999; G. Le Goff personal communication). After nest site selection, the females cover the surface of the nest shells with numerous small patches of leaf pulp (Figs 2, 5). The nests contain a single brood cell, which lacks a basal wall that seals the larval provisions against the rear end of the shell (Fig. 5). After provisioning, leaf pulp originating from leaves (e. g. Helianthemum) or occasionally petals (e. g. Lotus) is amassed in the area of the later cell partition, before an egg is laid and the accumulated leaf pulp is processed to a one-layered partition. Immediately in front of this partition, numerous small stones, earth crumbs, plant fibers or other foreign particles are piled up over a length of about 0.5 cm, before another wall of leaf pulp is constructed, resulting in a three-layered plug (Fig. 5). This plug is usually more or less hidden inside the snail shell (Fig. 5), but may also be built near the shell opening. In rare cases, the nest plug consists of four to five one-layered partitions of leaf pulp enclosing three to four spaces, which are 3 - 18 mm long and densely filled with foreign particles. After the nest has been sealed, it is rolled over a distance of up to more than 2 m to a previously selected protected place, such as the underside of a stone, below a withered leaf or among the dead blades of a grass tussock. To move the nest shell, the female grasps a plant stem with her mandibles and rolls the shell, which weighs seven to eight times her own weight (Ferton, 1894), with the help of her legs often through dense vegetation (Fig. 2). Regularly, the nest is also rolled to a more suitable place or turned into a favourable position before or during cell provisioning. In rare cases, the finished nests are buried very shallowly in loose soil. Nesting cycle: Osmia rufohirta overwinters as imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell (Bellmann, 1981). Brood parasites: Chrysura cuprea (Rossi), C. dichroa (Dahlbohm) and C. trimaculata (Förster) (Chrysididae) (Ferton 1905; Berland & Bernard 1938; Bellmann 1981; Kunz 1989). Male behaviour. The males check snail shells for hatching or nest-seeking females (Müller et al., 1997).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♀ (♀), (Algeria), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Osmia soror Pérez, 1896: 1. Nomen novum with same type specimen for preoccupied Osmia cognata Pérez, 1895 (not Osmia cognata Cresson). Literature records. ALGERIA: Tlemcen (Ghazaouet) (Ferton 1920, as O. rufohirta). MOROCCO: CasablancaSettat, Fès-Meknès, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (Lhomme et al. 2020, as O. rufohirta).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. ALGERIA: Tissemsilt: Tissemsilt, Cémitiaire, 35 ° 35 ʹ 39 ʺN / 1 ° 48 ʹ 00 ʺE, 12.5.2019, 1 ♀ (leg. Dermane). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès: Mulay Idriss, 26.3.1923, 1 ♂ (leg. A. von Schulthess); Meknès, 33 ° 50.9 ʹN / 5 ° 28.9 ʹW, 20.3.1992, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. H. - J. Flügel); Aghbalou Akourar, 33.8644 ° N / 4.6714 ° W, 626 m, 1.4.2019, 1 ♂ (leg. L. Hamroud); Ain Leuh, 33.3224 ºN, 5.3359 ºW, 1514 m, 12.3.2020, 1 ♂ (leg. Y. Ben Charki), 3.4.2020, 1 ♀ (leg. Y. Ben Charki); Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: Ouled Ben Hammadi, 34.246605 ° N / 5.854725 ° W, 42 m, 24.2.2021, 1 ♀ (leg. Y. Bencharki); Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima: Larache, 70 km S Tanger, 31.3.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. O. Niehuis). TUNISIA: Gabès: 10 km SE Matmata, 24.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz); Kairouan: 48 km S Kairouan, 9.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Kasserine: 20 km NW Kasserine, 4.4.2001, 2 ♀ (leg. J. Halada); Nabeul: Grombalia, 18.3.1996, 3 ♂ (leg. K. Denes); Sfax: 30 km SW Sfax, 10.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Gusenleitner); Sidi Bouzid: Sidi Bouzid, 12.4.1999, 3 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Sousse: M'saken, 21.4.1998, 2 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Zaghouan: Zaghouan, 18.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (Hedysareae; n = 1 pollen load with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Carduoideae; n = 1), Brassicaceae (n = 1), Caryophyllaceae (n = 1) and Convolvulaceae (n = 1) (based on 1 pollen load from Morocco). Flower record: Thymus serpyllum (label record). Nesting biology. Osmia soror nests in empty snail shells (Ferton 1920, as O. rufohirta; but see species account of O. rutila). Note. Osmia soror was treated as the North African subspecies of O. rufohirta Latreille, 1811 by Zanden (1988 b), Ungricht et al. (2008) and Scheuchl & Willner (2016). However, as O. soror differs from O. rufohirta by several morphological characters including the male genitalia (see identification key) and as its distribution appears to overlap with that of O. rufohirta in northern Morocco as suggested by a single record of a typical male of O. rufohirta from the Middle Atlas (Michlifene, 1900 m a. s. l.), it is considered here to represent a species of its own.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	discussion	The representatives of the O. sybarita species group differ from those of the O. rufohirta species group in both sexes by the distinctly narrower head and in the male sex by the predominantly flat and bifid tergum 7 as well as the lack of a projection on sternum 2. The two groups probably differ also in several characteristics of their nesting biology (see above).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1975), “ Égypte ” (Egypt), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1974), “ Alger ” (Algeria), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. New synonymy based on original description, Tkalců (1974) and a large quantity of O. (Allosmia) material from North Africa. Osmia duckei Friese, 1899: 27. Type material: Syntypes ♂♂, “ Alger ” (Algeria), Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Synonymy with Osmia fossoria Pérez in Friese (1911). Literature records. ALGERIA: Algiers (Algiers, Zéralda), Tipasa (Tipasa) (Ferton 1890; Tkalců 1975). MOROCCO: Drâa-Tafilalet, Fès-Meknès (Lhomme et al. 2020).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. ALGERIA: Mila: Redjas, 36 º 27 ʹN / 6 º 16 E, 30.4.2013, 2 ♀ (leg. Abderrezak); Oum El Bouaghi: Ain M'lila, 36 ° 20 ʹN / 6 ° 35 ʹE, 771 m, 1.5.2011, 1 ♀ (leg. G. Zineb). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Central District: 1.2 km NW Bene Ziyyon, 32 ° 13 ʹ 27 ʺN / 34 ° 51 ʹ 22 ʺE, 30 m, 16.2. – 14.4.2010, 12 ♀, 3 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Haifa District: 1.3 km N Tiv'on, 32 ° 44 ʹ 14 ʺN / 35 ° 07 ʹ 55 ʺE, 163 m, 23.3.2012, 3 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Jerusalem District: Judean Foothills, Neve Shalom, 12.2.2010, 1 ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty); Northern District: Ubeidiya, 7.3.2015, 1 ♀ (leg. T. Jumah); Southern District: Sede Boqer, 16.3.2015, 1 ♀ (leg. I. Zonstein); Tel Aviv District: Tel Aviv University, Botanical Garden, 32 ° 06 ʹ 50 ʺN / 34 ° 48 ʹ 31 ʺE, 2. – 5.4.2012, 4 ♀ (leg. J. S. Ascher); West Bank: 3.7 km W Pezael, 32 ° 03 ʹ 05 ʺN / 35 ° 23 ʹ 52 ʺE, - 30 m, 4.4.2017, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin). JORDAN: Amman: Wadi Shu'ayb, 20 km W Amman, 22.4.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Dscharasch: 10 km N Jerash, 20.4.2002, 12 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek); Karak: Wadi al Hasa S Al-Karak, 20.4.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Ma'an: AlShawbak, 18.4.2007, 9 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Madaba: Wadi Mujib, Kings Highway, 19.4.2007, 5 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès: Ifrane, 33 ° 31.14 ʹN / 05 ° 05.65 ʹW, 1680 m, 14.5.2002, 3 ♀ (leg. H. - J. Flügel). SYRIA: Al-Quneitra: Golan Heights, Yehudiya Reservoir, 28.6.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin); Aleppo: Marbij, 9.5.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada). TUNISIA: Gabès: 30 km N Gabès, 10.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Kef: 10 km SW Le Kef, 15.4.2001, 4 ♀ (leg. J. Halada); Medenine: Djerba, SE Houmt Souk, 33.52 ºN / 10.55 ºE, 19.3.2001, 22 ♀, 3 ♂ (leg. C. Saure, C. Schmid-Egger); Nabeul: Tazerka, 36 ° 30 ʹN / 10 ° 50 ʹE, 19.4.2004, 1 ♀ (leg. F. Amiet); Siliana: Makthar, 16. – 17.04.1998, 4 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Tunis: Carthage, 8.4.2000, 1 ♀ (leg. P. Hartmann).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. From the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) over Libya and Egypt to the Levant (Israel and Palestine, Jordan, Syria). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 10 plant families): Fabaceae (Genisteae, Hedysareae, Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 38 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 18), Boraginaceae (e. g. Echium; n = 11), Brassicaceae (n = 9), Monocots (n = 7), Caryophyllaceae (n = 5), Resedaceae (n = 5); Lamiaceae (Lamioideae, Nepetoideae; n = 4), Cistaceae (n = 2) and Apiaceae (n = 1) (based on 44 pollen loads from 20 different localities in Israel and Palestine, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia). Flower records: Alkanna tinctoria, Echium judaeum, Anthemis melampodina, Chrysanthemum coronarium, Senecio verna, Centaurea cyanoides, Silybum marianum, Crepis aculeata, Leontodon tuberosus, Arenaria leptoclados, Asphodelus ramosus, Campanula spec., Diplotaxis erucoides, Geranium robertianum, Ononis serrata, Trifolium philistaeum (label records). Nesting biology. Osmia lhotelleriei nests in empty snail shells of small size, e. g. of Theba pisana (Ferton 1890; O’Toole & Raw 1991; N. Vereecken personal communication). In contrast to O. bischoffi and O. rufohirta, the females do not cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp. The nests contain a single brood cell, which is closed with a one-layered partition of leaf pulp a few millimetres behind the shell opening; this partition forms the base of the 3 – 4 mm thick nest plug, which is built from broken pieces of gastropod shells embedded into a matrix of pulp consisting of chewed green leaves, occasionally also of chewed petals. After the nest has been sealed, it is rolled to a previously selected sandy place, where it is moved into a slanting burrow of 6 – 7 cm length and 1 – 1.5 cm depth excavated in loose sand, before it is completely covered with sand. Brood parasite: Chrysura osiris (Buysson) (Buysson 1887, 1908). Note. Tkalců (1974) treated O. fossoria Pérez, 1890 as subspecies of O. sybarita Smith, 1853, which is erroneous as the latter species does not occur in northern Africa.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♀ (♀), “ Calabria ” (Italy), type depository unknown.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♂ (♂), “ Talysch-Karabach-Jurdi ” (Azerbaijan), Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences St. Petersburg. New synonymy based on original description and topotypical specimens from Azerbaijan. Literature records. ITALY: Calabria, Puglia (Brindisi), Sicily (Siracusa) (Ducke 1900). NORTH MACEDONIA: Southwestern (Ohrid) (Zanden 1984 a). TURKEY: Antalya, Erzurum (Özbek & Zanden 1992; Özbek 2013). UKRAINE: Odessa: Odessa (Warncke, unpublished distribution maps).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. ARMENIA: Ararat: Chor Virap, 1000 m, 12.6.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. W. Schläfle); Sjunik: E Meghri, 12.6.2003, 1 ♀ (leg. Mücka). AZERBAIJAN: Nakhichevan: Goynuk, 39 ° 18 ʹN / 45 ° 40 ʹE, 1680 m, 12.6.2019, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Proshchalykin). BULGARIA: Blagoevgrad: SW Kresna, 41 ° 42 ʹN / 23 ° 11 ʹE, 150 m, 24.6.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Burgas: Nessebar, 28.6.1982, 1 ♂ (leg. M. Kocourek); Dobrich: Albena, 18. – 29.6.1986, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Halada). GREECE: Eastern Macedonia and Thrace: Thasos, Potos, 40.613 ºN / 24.6195 ºE, 11.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. M. de Courcy). ITALY: Puglia: Gargano, Varano, 0 m, 8.5. – 16.05.1990, 2 ♀ (leg. A. Müller); Gargano, M. S. Angelo, S. Barnabeo, 800 m, 4.7.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Müller); Sicily: Piazza Armerina, 35 km N Gela, 27. – 29.5.2002, 14 ♀ (leg. J. Halada). TURKEY: Ankara: Hacettepe University, Beytepe Campus, 17.5.2005, 1 ♂ (leg. E. Scheuchl); Antalya: 10 km S Kizilcadag, 26.5.2009, 1 ♂ (leg. J. Ascher, J. Rozen, H. Özbek); Bolu: 17 km S Seben, 17.6.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Halada); Erzurum: Kuslu, 10 km E Ispir, 12.6.2010, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Halada); Konya: Beysehir, around Sarkikaraagaç, 37 ° 45 ʹ 885 " N / 31 ° 40 ʹ 397 " E, 1140 m, 25.5.2005, 1 ♀ (leg. E. Scheuchl); Kütahya: Porsuk Baraji, 30 km N Kutahya, 15.6.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Van: 10 km N Muradiye, 27.6.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Sivas: Zara, 40 km E Sivas, 3.6.2002, 5 ♀ (leg. W. - H. Liebig); Yozgat: Bogazliyan, 39 ° 14.67 ʹN / 35 ° 12.376 ʹE, 7.6.2002, 1 ♀ (leg. W. - H. Liebig).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. From southern and eastern Italy including Sicily over North Macedonia, northern Greece and Bulgaria to southern Ukraine, Turkey and the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan). Rasmont et al. (1995) list O. melanura among the bee species occurring in France, which is most probably erroneous. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 7 plant families): Fabaceae (Galegeae, Hedysareae, Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 10 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Boraginaceae (e. g. Echium; n = 5), Asteraceae (Cichorioideae; n = 1), Cistaceae (n = 1), Lamiaceae (Lamioideae; n = 1), Brassicaceae and Caryophyllaceae (based on 11 pollen loads from 9 different localities in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Italy and Turkey and on Müller 1992). The importance of Fabaceae as pollen hosts is indicated by the finding that the percentage of Fabaceae pollen in four brood cells ranged from 89.7 – 96.4 % (Müller 1992). Flower records: Calystegia soldanella, Lotus creticus, Medicago marina (Müller 1992); Medicago sativa (Özbek 2013). Nesting biology. Osmia melanura nests in empty snail shells of small size, e. g. of Theba pisana (Fig. 1; Müller 1992). In contrast to O. bischoffi and O. rufohirta, the females do not cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp (Fig. 1), but - as in O. rutila - they attach leaf pulp to the inner shell surface few millimeters behind the shell opening immediately after they have selected a suitable nest shell; these leaf pulp markings are later extended to the cell partition. The nests contain a single brood cell, which lacks a basal wall that seals the larval provisions against the rear end of the shell. After provisioning and egg deposition, the cell is closed with a one-layered partition of leaf pulp 2 – 3 mm behind the shell opening in a considerable distance (0.6 – 0.8 shell whorls) from the larval provisions (Fig. 4); this partition forms the base of the 3 – 4.5 mm thick nest plug, which consists of broken pieces of gastropod shells embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp (Fig. 4). After the nest has been sealed, it is rolled over a distance of up to 50 cm to a previously selected sandy place, where it is moved into a 2 cm deep hole excavated among plant roots, before it is completely covered with sand. O. melanura is not strictly confined to sandy areas but occasionally also occurs in stony habitats, where the ground is too hard to dig; here, the females might possibly transport their nests to a protected place under vegetation or stones.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Central District: Karmei Yosef, 31.863594 ºN / 43.930752 ºE, 22.3.2018, 3 ♀ (leg. T. Roth); Haifa District: 1.3 km N Tiv'on, 32 ° 44 ʹ 14 ʺN / 35 ° 07 ʹ 55 ʺE, 163 m, 30.3.2012, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Jerusalem District: Judean Foothills, Ya'ar Adulam, 25.3.2015, 1 ♀ (leg. T. Chaprazaro); Northern District: Hermon, 15 km E Qiryat Shemona, 33 ° 15 ʹN / 35 ° 44 ʹE, 16.5.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); Southern District: Fura NR, 6.3 km E Ruhama, 31 ° 29 ʹ 47 ʺN / 34 ° 46 ʹ 33 ʺE, 196 m, 15.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin); West Bank: 3.7 km W Pezael, 32 ° 03 ʹ 05 ʺN / 35 ° 23 ʹ 52 ʺE, - 30 m, 4.4.2017, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin). JORDAN: Ajloun: Ajloun, 32 ° 23 ʹN / 35 ° 46 ʹE, 28.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Kafka); Dscharasch: 10 km N Jerash, 23.4.2007, 3 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Irbid: Pella, 32 ° 26 ʹN / 35 ° 36 ʹE, - 80 m, 29.4.2006, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Jordan Valley: Mubalath, 27.4.1996, 7 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Karak: 30 km S Al Karak, 30 ° 59 ʹN / 35 ° 44 ʹE, 27.4.2006, 1 ♀ (leg. Kantner). SYRIA: Al-Quneitra: Golan Heights, Nahal Mezar, 32.755 ° N / 35.69 ° E, 1.5.2015, 1 ♀ (leg. G. Pisanty).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Israel and Palestine, Jordan and southernmost Syria. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (Genisteae, Hedysareae, Loteae, Psoraleeae, Trifolieae; n = 14 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 12), Boraginaceae (Echium; n = 7); Brassicaceae (n = 3) and Lamiaceae (Lamioideae; n = 3) (based on 19 pollen loads from 14 different localities in Israel and Palestine and Jordan). Flower records: Centaurea, Lepidium (Mavromoustakis 1939 b); Trifolium purpureum, Crepis aculea, Picris altissima, Senecio verna, Diplotaxis erucoides, Nepeta curviflora, Stachys neurocalycina, Caylusea hexagyna, Scabiosa prolifera (label records). Nesting biology. Unknown.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. MOROCCO: Casablanca-Settat: El Jadida, 5.1964, 1 ♀ (leg. W. Schläfle); Souss-Massa: Cap Rhir-Tamri, 60 km N Agadir, 25 m, 14.4.2009, 5 ♀ (leg. A. Müller); Corniche Aglou, 65 km NE Sidi Ifni, 29 ° 48.499 ʹN / 09 ° 49.650 ʹW, 40 m, 16.4.2019, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Müller); Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima: Frideq, sand dunes, 35 ° 44.08 ʹN / 05 ° 20.49 ʹW, 14 m, 3.5.2002, 4 ♀ (leg. H. - J. Flügel). SPAIN: Cádiz: Andalucia, Punta Tarifa, 30 km SW Algeciras, 5.5.2003, 32 ♀, 18 ♂ (leg. Z. Pedr); Málaga: Estepona, 11.4.1985, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. H. Wolf); Murcia: 25 km SW Cartagena, 12.5.2003, 2 ♀ (leg. J. Halada).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. From southern Morocco along the coast to southern and southeastern Spain; one isolated record is from northeastern Spain near Barcelona. Ferton (1920) mentions several females of O. rufohirta from Nemours (= Ghazaouet) in northwesternmost Algeria, which were characterized by a red metasoma; these records possibly refer to O. rutila and suggest that this species might also occur at the Algerian Mediterranean coast. Osmia rutila seems to exhibit a clear or even exclusive preference for sand dunes or sandy strand walls in coastal areas. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 18 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Boraginaceae (Echium; n = 2), Brassicaceae (n = 2), Asteraceae and Oxalidaceae (based on 20 pollen loads from 10 different localities in Morocco and Spain and on Haeseler 1997). The importance of Fabaceae as pollen hosts is indicated by the finding that brood cells from several nests almost exclusively contained Fabaceae pollen (Haeseler 1997). Flower records: Lotus creticus, Lotus edulis, Medicago marina, Oxalis pes-caprae (Haeseler 1997). Nesting biology. Osmia rutila nests in empty snail shells of small size, e. g. of Helicella (Haeseler 1997). In contrast to O. bischoffi and O. rufohirta, the females do not cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp, but - as in O. melanura - they attach leaf pulp to the inner shell surface few millimeters behind the shell opening immediately after they have selected a suitable nest shell; these leaf pulp markings, which are later extended to the cell partition, allow the females to recognize their own nest and signal other females that the shell is already occupied (Haeseler 1997). The nests contain a single brood cell, which lacks a basal wall that seals the larval provisions against the rear end of the shell. After provisioning, which requires up to 34 foraging bouts, and egg deposition, the cell is closed with a one-layered partition of leaf pulp a few millimetres behind the shell opening in a considerable distance (about 0.6 shell whorls) from the larval provisions; this partition forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of up to 28 broken pieces of gastropod and mussel shells, sometimes also small stones, embedded in a matrix of leaf pulp; the construction of the nest plug including the basal partition requires up to 150 flights with leaf pulp or broken shell pieces. After the nest has been sealed, it is rolled over a distance of up to 3 m to a previously selected sandy place in the vicinity of plants, where it is moved into a 3 – 3.5 cm deep hole and turned in a vertical position with the nest plug directing towards the entrance of the excavated hole, before it is completely covered with sand. Even under good weather conditions, the nesting cycle from nest selection to nest burying lasts two days. Male behaviour. The males search for females in small areas of 10 – 15 m 2 around nesting sites and flower patches, where they patrol along flight routes regularly interrupted by short resting periods on the ground or on low vegetation (Haeseler 1997).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	description	New records. BULGARIA: Burgas: Sozopol, 8. – 22.6.1985, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Polacek). CYPRUS: North Cyprus: Besparmak, Gecitköy W Lapta, 300 m, 30.4.2011, 8 ♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller); South Cyprus: Agia Napa, 35 km E Larnaka, 34 ° 59 ʹ 14 ʺN / 33 ° 57 ʹ 45 ʺE, 12.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. G. Reder). GREECE: Aegean Islands: Chios, Emborios, 38.2048 ºN / 26.0218 ºE, 4.5.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Taylor); Ios, Kambos, 36.7518 ºN / 25.2921 ºE, 14.4.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. T. Petanidou); Karpathos, Avlona, 35.7689 ºN / 27.1849 ºE, 28.3.2012, 4 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. T. Petanidou); Kos, Psallidi, 36.8785 ºN / 27.3352 ºE, 7.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. S. Papakonstantinou, A. Kyriazis); Limnos, Ag. Sotira, 39.9903 ºN 25.3917 ºE, 6.4.2012, 1 ♂, (J. Devalez); Paros, Kamari, 37.0132 ºN / 25.1402 ºE, 13.5.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. I. Vavitsas); Rhodes, Archangelos, 9.5.2005, 2 ♀ (leg. A. Müller); Thasos, Astris, 40.5871 ºN / 24.6528 ºE, 11.4.2012, 4 ♀, 2 ♂ (leg. M. de Courcy); Attica: Aegina, Ag. Asomaton, 37.7502 ºN / 23.457 ºE, 28.3.2013, 3 ♀ (leg. S. Margaroni); Brauron, 7.4.2000, 3 ♀ (leg. W. Arens); Central Greece: S Delphi, 9.5.2005, 3 ♀ (leg. J. Halada); Central Macedonia: Pieria, Leptokarya, 11.6.1991, 1 ♀ (leg. Z. Pedr); Crete: Pitsidia, 35.01 ºN / 24.46 ºE, 20 m, 27.5.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. U. Frommer). Ionian Islands: Korfu, Linia, 10.5.1984, 2 ♀ (leg. L. Norén); Peloponnese: 50 km SW Patra, 22.4.2005, 30 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. J. Halada); Thessalia: Mt. Ossa, Kokino Nero, 40 km NE Larisa, 13.5.2005, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Kadlecova); Western Greece: Kaiaphas lake, Zacharo, 30.4.1995, 1 ♀ (leg. W. Arens). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Central District: 0.75 km N Yaqum, 32 ° 15 ʹ 20 ʺN / 34 ° 50 ʹ 33 ʺE, 12 m, 11.2.2010, 1 ♀, 4 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Haifa District: Mt. Carmel, Bet Oren, 13.3.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Rozen, M. S. Engel, A. Hefetz); Jerusalem District: Har Gillo, 12.5.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Rozen); Southern District: Negev, Wadi Loz, 7.5.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Rozen). JORDAN: Dscharasch: Jerash, 1.5.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Irbid: North Shuna, 30.4.1996, 7 ♀ (leg. M. Halada). LEBANON: Mount Lebanon: Batloun, 33.7000007629395 ° N / 35.6500015258789 ° E, 25.4.1981, 1 ♂ (leg. Othob). MONTENEGRO: Ulcinj, 41 ° 52.4 ʹN / 19 ° 21.1 ʹE, 27.5.2005, 1 ♀ (leg. Z. Pedr). SYRIA: Idlib: Jisr ash Shughur, 10.5.1996, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Latakia: 20 km NE Latakia, 25.5.1996, 2 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Tartus: Tartus, 25.5.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada). TURKEY: Ankara: Karakeçili, 39 ° 35.001 ʹN / 33 ° 24.672 ʹE, 760 m, 6.4.2005, 4 ♀ (leg. E. Scheuchl); Antalya: 60 km SEE Antalya, 10 km NWW Manavgat, 36 ° 49 ʹN / 31 ° 21 ʹE, 10.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. Geller-Grimm); Batman: 10 km N Gercüs, 5.6.1998, 2 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Elazig: Keban, 38 ° 45 ʹ 4 ʺN / 38 ° 46 ʹ 52 ʺE, 900 m, 16.5.2002, 1 ♀ (leg. H. Özbek); Mersin: Cornelek, 40 km E Mut, 29.5.1996, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Mugla: Yatagan, 37 ° 12.541 ʹN / 28 ° 20.108 ʹE, 625 m, 26.5.2005, 1 ♀ (leg. E. Scheuchl).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	distribution	Distribution. From southeastern Europe (Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece including Crete, Ionian and Aegean Islands) over Turkey and Cyprus to the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 7 plant families): Fabaceae (Fabeae, Genisteae, Hedysareae, Loteae, Psoraleeae, Trifolieae; n = 24 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 11), Boraginaceae (e. g. Echium; n = 8); Brassicaceae (n = 8), Resedaceae (n = 5), Lamiaceae (Nepetoideae; n = 1) and Monocots (n = 1) (based on 32 pollen loads from 27 different localities in Cyprus, Greece, Israel and Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Turkey). Flower records: Hymenocarpus, Onobrychis, Vicia (Mavromoustakis 1939 a, 1948 b); Alkanna tinctoria, Hymenocarpus circinnatus, Trifolium palaestinum, Crepis commutata, Echium angustifolium (label records). Nesting biology. Osmia sybarita nests in empty snail shells of small size, e. g. of Helicella, Pseudoxerophila, Trochoidea or Xeromunda (Fig. 3; Mavromoustakis 1939 a, 1948 b; O’Toole & Raw 1991; Haeseler 1997; Vereecken & Le Goff, 2012). In contrast to O. bischoffi and O. rufohirta, the females do not cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp (Fig. 3). The nests contain a single brood cell, which lacks a basal wall that seals the larval provisions against the rear end of the shell. After provisioning and egg deposition, the cell is closed with a one-layered partition of leaf pulp a few millimetres behind the shell opening; this partition forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of broken pieces of gastropod shells embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp (Fig. 3). After the nest has been sealed, the shell is rolled over a distance of up to 40 cm to a previously selected place, where it is shallowly buried into the sandy ground (Fig. 3), or - if the ground is too hard to dig - hidden under low vegetation (G. Le Goff personal communication). Brood parasites: Chrysura dichroa (Dahlbohm) (Mavromoustakis 1939 a).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	discussion	Key to species The male of Osmia imitatrix is unknown. Females	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF8634CFF0BC40B53BB5D04.taxon	discussion	Males	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	diagnosis	Morphological diagnosis Osmia (Neosmia) species are nonmetallic, robust and medium-sized bees (7.5 – 14 mm) with punctiform to shortlinear parapsidal lines. Both sexes differ from all other subgenera of Osmia by the extraordinary length of antennal segment 3, which is at least 2 x as long as apically wide, but mostly longer. The females are additionally characterized by the following characters: i) pilosity of head, mesosoma and metasoma including scopa foxy red to orange-red (except for O. bicolor (Schrank), whose head and mesosoma are covered with black hairs); ii) ventral inner margin of mandible without large median tooth, which is in contrast to O. (Hemiosmia), whose females often look very similar due to their foxy red body pilosity; iii) disc of clypeus partly rugose (except for O. bicolor and O. jason Benoist, whose clypeal disc is regularly punctured); and iv) apical margin of clypeus medially distinctly impressed or notched (except for O. bicolor and O. jason, whose clypeal margin is medially almost straight). Additional characters of the males are i) the well-developed foxy red to orange-red pilosity of the metasoma (except for O. bicolor, whose metasoma is covered with yellowish to whitish hairs); ii) the shape of tergum 7, which is two-toothed or medioapically more or less emarginate, and iii) peculiar properties of sternum 4, which – depending on the species – has a deep triangular incision, bears mediopreapically a roundish spot of short hairs, is covered with erect and stiff bristles on its apical half or has a convex apical margin.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology Pollen hosts. The species of Osmia (Neosmia) are pollen generalists collecting pollen on up to 17 plant families (Fig. 17; see species accounts for details). The distinct polylecty is also evident from the finding that pollen of Carex (Cyperaceae) and Plantago (Plantaginaceae), which is only exceptionally collected by osmiine bees, was found in several brood cell provisions of O. bicolor (Müller 1990, 1991). Moreover, 68 % of the 78 pollen loads analysed contained 2 – 7 different pollen loads, which suggests low flower constancy of pollen-collecting O. (Neosmia) females. Nesting biology. All species of O. (Neosmia), for which information on the nesting biology is available, utilize empty snail shells as exclusive nesting sites (see species accounts for details), indicating that snail shell nesting is a subgeneric trait (Figs 16, 18 – 21). Depending on the size of the selected shells, the nests contain one to several brood cells, which are separated from each other by one-layered partitions constructed from leaf pulp. The females of all species cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp before and often also during and after cell provisioning (Fig. 16; see section on the nesting biology of the subgenus Allosmia above for a discussion of possible functions of this behaviour). The nest plug is always three-layered, consisting of the outermost cell partition built from leaf pulp followed by a space filled with small pebbles, earth crumbs, plant fibers, fragments of mollusc shells or other foreign particles (Figs 18, 19) and the final partition, which is located at the shell opening or more or less hidden inside the shell. This final partition is either built from a mixture of leaf pulp and fragments of mollusc shells or — in the two representatives of the Osmia bicolor species group - from leaf pulp alone. In the latter two species, the central layer of the nest plug is often divided up by one to three additional partitions of leaf pulp. The sealed nests are rolled to a suitable place and either buried few centimetres deep into the sandy ground or hidden under vegetation. In the O. bicolor species group however, the sealed nests remain in place and are covered with hundreds of pine needles, dry grass blades or other plant material (Figs 20, 21); prior to the construction of the protective cover, the females may bury their nests partly or completely into the ground.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	discussion	Taxonomy The types of Osmia purpurata Ducke, 1899 are lost (Tkalců 1977; Peters 1977). According to Ducke (1900), the female of O. purpurata is morphologically very close to O. gracilicornis Pérez, 1895 and differs mainly by the darker reddish and sparser pilosity of the metasoma. The pronounced morphological similarity led Peters (1977) to suspect that O. purpurata and O. gracilicornis might be conspecific and that the differences in colour and density of the pilosity are due to different ages of the specimens Ducke had studied. As the types are lacking and the original description is not sufficient to clarify species identity, O. purpurata is treated here as a nomen dubium. Species accounts Osmia (Neosmia) cinnabarina Pérez, 1895 Osmia cinnabarina Pérez, 1895: 10. Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1977), “ Tlemcen ” (Algeria), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Literature records. ALGERIA: Algiers (Algiers) (Ducke 1900). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: West Bank (Jericho) (Tkalců 1977). MOROCCO: Drâa-Tafilalet, Fès-Meknès, Oriental, Souss-Massa, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (Lhomme et al. 2020). TUNISIA: Tunis (Tunis) (Tkalců 1977). New records. ALGERIA: Mila: Oulad Aziz, 36 º 27 ʹN / 6 º 16 ʹE, 16.4. – 16.5.2013, 7 ♀ (leg. Abderrezak); Tébessa: Bouchebka, 3.5.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Benarfa). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District: 1.6 km N Be'er Sheva, 31 ° 18 ʹ 13 ʺN / 34 ° 48 ʹ 20 ʺE, 352 m, 26.3.2017, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin). JORDAN: Dscharasch: 10 km N Jerash, 20.4.2002, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek); Ma ' an: Al-Shawbak, 18.4.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Madaba: 20 km N Madaba, 1.5.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. W. Schlaefle). MOROCCO: Casablanca-Settat: Oueled Sghir, 32.8226 ºN / 7.6221 ºW, 495 m, 8.4.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Sentil); Drâa-Tafilalet: 30 km E Midelt, 13.5.1995, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Fès-Meknès: Sefrou, 33 ° 50.3 ʹN / 4 ° 50.3 ʹW, 22.3.1992, 1 ♀ (leg. H. - J. Flügel); Guelmim-Oued Noun: Foum Assaka, 35 km SW Sidi Ifni, 29 ° 08 ʹ 22 ʺN / 10 ° 24 ʹ 38 ʺW, 0 m, 19.4.2017, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Müller); Oriental: 40 km S Guercif, 15. – 17.5.1995, 5 f (leg. M. Halada); Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: Rabat, 33.976444 ºN / 6.860639 ºW, 61 m, 1 ♀, 5.4.2018 (leg. D. Michez, P. Lhomme); Souss-Massa: Cap Rhir-Tamri, 60 km N Agadir, 4.4.2009, 2 ♀, 2 ♂ (leg. A. Müller). SPAIN: Canary Islands: Fuerteventura, Costa Calma, ENE Montana Pelada, 40 m, 30.3.2015, 3 ♀, 5 ♂ (leg. A. Müller); Lanzarote, La Caleta, 7.2.1998, 1 ♂ (leg. F. Amiet). TUNISIA: Gabès: 10 km SW Toujane, 24.4.2012, 2 ♀ (leg. C. Praz); Gafsa: 20 km N Metlaoui, 17.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Jendouba: Jendouba, 19.4.2001, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kairouan: Kairouan, 3.4.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kasserine: 10 km NNW Thelepte, 24.3.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); Kebili: Zaafrana, 6.4.1999, 1 ♂ (leg. K. Denes); Nabeul: 5 km NNW Grombalia, 11.4.2000, 1 ♀ (leg. P. Hartmann); Sidi Bouzid: Sidi Bouzid, 12.4.1999, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar, 35 ° 49 ʹN / 9 ° 06 ʹE, 21.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Sousse: Msaken, 20.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Tataouine: Ksar Hadada, 4.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes). Distribution. Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Lanzarote), Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) and southern Levant (Israel, Jordan). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (n = 18 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Resedaceae (Fig. 17; n = 16), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 4), Brassicaceae (n = 3), and Cistaceae (n = 3) (based on 31 pollen loads from 20 different localities in Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia). Flower records: Anthemis melampodina, Hippocrepis comosa, Reseda lanzerotae, Rosmarinus officinalis (label records). Nesting biology. Osmia cinnabarina nests in empty snail shells, e. g. of Theba (Fig. 19; A. Müller personal observation). The three nests discovered in Morocco (Takat, 2013) and on Fuerteventura (Costa Calma, 2015) were in shells of 15 ‒ 17 mm diameter. The females covered the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp. The nests contained 1 ‒ 3 brood cells. They lacked a basal wall that sealed the larval provisions of the innermost cell against the rear end of the shell. The cells were separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that sealed the outermost cell had a marginal thickness of about 3 mm and was thicker than the cell partitions. This partition formed the base of the nest plug, which consisted of a 0.5 ‒ 0.9 cm long space densely filled with small pebbles, fragments of snail shells or pieces of petals and stems (Fig. 19), followed by a final partition at or a few millimetres behind the shell opening built from mollusc shell fragments and small pebbles embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp. As the nests were discovered shortly before they were finished, it is unclear whether the females would have buried them into the sandy ground as e. g. O. (Neosmia) rufigastra Lepeletier does. Osmia (Neosmia) gracilicornis Pérez, 1895 Osmia gracilicornis Pérez, 1895: 10. Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1974), “ Tunis ” (Tunisia), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Type species of Neosmia Tkalců. Literature records. ALGERIA: Constantine (Constantine), El Bayadh (Chellala), Sétif (Sétif) (Tkalců 1977). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District (Ras Zuweita); West Bank (Wadi el Kelt, Jerusalem-Jericho) (Mavromoustakis 1948 a; Tkalců 1977). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès, Oriental (Melilla), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (Bou Knadel), Souss-Massa (Biougra-Tafraoute) (Mavromoustakis 1947; Zanden 1997; Lhomme et al. 2020). TUNISIA: Tunis (Tunis) (Ducke 1900; Tkalců 1977). New records. ALGERIA: Constantine: Ayn El Bey, 36.25 ºN / 6.61 ºE, 13.4.1999, 1 ♀ (leg. Bemou); Khenchela: Mtoussa, 10.4.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Maghni); Mila: Oulad Aziz, 36.27 ºN / 6.16 ºE, 9.4. – 11.5.2013, 7 ♀ (leg. Abderrezak); Tébessa: Bouchebka, 3.3.2008, 1 ♂ (leg. N. Benarfa). EGYPT: Matrouh: Ikingi Maryut, 18.3.1935, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Mochi). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District: 10 km W Dimona, 403 m, 20.3.2012, 4 ♀, 5 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); West Bank: En Perat, 630 m E Anatot, 31 ° 49 ʹ 57 ʺN / 35 ° 18 ʹ 26 ʺE, 265 m, 18.3.2012, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin). JORDAN: Karak: Al Karak, 22.3.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Kalabza); Ma ' an: Al-Shawbak, 18.4.2007, 2 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Madaba: Wadi Mujib, King’s Highway, 19.4.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Tafilah: 20 km SSE At Tafilah, 18.4.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès: 15 km SE Sefrou, 26.5.1995, 9 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Souss-Massa: Tifnite, 10 km S Agadir, 15.4.2014, 1 ♀ (leg. C. SchmidEgger). TUNISIA: Gabès: 10 km SW Toujane, 24.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz); Gafsa: 40 km NW Gafsa, 17.4.1994, 1 ♂ (leg. M. Schwarz); Jendouba: 10 km N Jendouba, 19.4.2001, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kairouan: 10 km W Sbikha, 12.4.2000, 1 ♀ (leg. P. Hartmann); Kasserine: 10 km NNW Thelepte, 3 ♀, 2 ♂ (leg. C. Saure, C. Schmid-Egger); Kef: 2 km SW El Kef, 28.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Medenine: Djerba, SE Houmt Souk, 19.3.2001, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. C. Saure, C. Schmid-Egger); Nabeul: Hammamet, 15.3.1996, 11 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Sfax: 30 km SW Sfax, 10.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar, 21.4.1994, 3 ♀ (leg. J. Gusenleitner). Distribution. From the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) over Libya and Egypt to the southern Levant (Israel and Palestine, Jordan). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 7 plant families): Brassicaceae (n = 20 pollen loads with Brassicaceae pollen), Cistaceae (n = 11), Fabaceae (Hedysareae, Loteae; n = 9), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 6), Boraginaceae (Echium; n = 2), Resedaceae (n = 2) and Dipsacoideae (n = 1) (based on 22 pollen loads from 11 different localities in Algeria, Israel and Palestine, Morocco and Tunisia). Flower records: Anthemis melampodina, Bellis annua, Senecio joppensis, Raphanus raphanistrum, Retama raetam, Rosmarinus officinalis, Zygophyllum dumosum (label records). Nesting biology. Unknown. Osmia (Neosmia) nigrocalcaribus spec. nov. Holotype. TUNISIA: Bizerte: Fretissa farm, 24.4.1983, ♀ (leg.?). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich. Paratypes. ALGERIA: Constantine: Ben badis, 23.5.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. S. Aguib). MOROCCO: Tanger-TétouanAl Hoceïma: 20 km E Targuist, 35 ° 01 ʹN / 5 ° 17 ʹW, 27.4.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. E. Hajdaj). TUNISIA: Bizerte: Fretissa farm, 18.4.1983, 1 ♀ (leg.?). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich. Diagnosis. Diagnostic characters of the female of O. nigrocalcaribus are the dark brown spurs of the hind tibia (Fig. 23), the brownish pilosity of the inner surface of the hind basitarsus (Fig. 24) and the black marginal zone of terga 1 ‒ 5. In the females of all other O. (Neosmia) species, the spurs of the hind tibia and the pilosity of the inner surface of the hind basitarsus are yellowish and the marginal zone of terga (1) 2 ‒ 5 are brownish to yellowish, distinctly contrasting with the black tergal discs. Description. FEMALE: Body length 9 – 10 mm. Head: Head about 0.9 x as long as wide. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital margin 2.0 – 2.2 x as long as ocellar diameter. Maximal width of genal area about 1.2 x as long as maximal width of compound eye. Proboscis rather short, reaching in repose till base of fore coxa; second segment of labial palpus about 1.7 x as long as first segment. Mandible three- to indistinctly four-toothed with the two basal teeth weakly separated from each other; lower inner margin of mandible without median tooth. Punctation of clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area and frons very dense with only linear interspaces. Anterior part of hypostomal area almost as densely punctured as posterior part. Clypeus with narrow polished impunctate apical zone, which is medially distinctly impressed, apically slightly emarginate and covered with two short lateral tufts of inwardly directed yellowish-red hairs on its underside. Face and vertex covered with long and erect foxy red pilosity. Antenna black, its third segment about twice as long as apically wide. Mesosoma: Parapsidal line 1.5 – 2 x as long as wide. Punctation of scutum, scutellum and mesepisternum very dense with interspaces rarely exceeding diameter of half a puncture. Metanotum medially without spine or distinct protuberance. Basal area of propodeum basally and medially shagreened, laterally and apically more or less polished. Propodeal pit polished and shiny. Mesosoma covered with long and erect foxy red pilosity except for its ventral side, which is covered with distinctly shorter and yellowish-red hairs. Tegula dark brown to black, its punctation dense on apical third and along outer margin. Stigma and veins of fore wing dark brown to black. Legs predominantly black. Pilosity at posterior margin of basitarsus of fore leg whitish and about twice as long as basitarsal width. Coxa of hind leg keeled. Tibial spurs of hind leg dark brown and straight except for their apex, which is bent upwards at an angle of 30 – 40 ° (Fig. 23). Pilosity of inner side of basitarsus of hind leg brownish (Fig. 24). Metasoma: Declivous basal part of tergum 1 polished and shiny. Punctation of tergal discs fine and dense except for median part of terga 1 – 3, where it is more scattered with interspaces reaching diameter of two to three punctures. Marginal zone of terga 1 – 5 black. Terga 1 – 5 with long and erect foxy red pilosity. Tergum 6 with appressed yellowish-red pilosity. Scopa foxy red. MALE: Unknown. Distribution. Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) Pollen hosts. The only pollen load available consisted of pollen of Fabaceae. Nesting biology. Unknown. Osmia (Neosmia) secunda Peters, 1977 Osmia (Neosmia) tkalcui secunda Peters, 1977: 25. Type material: Holotype ♂, “ Tripolitania, Garian, ca. 2500 Fuss ” (Libya), Natural History Museum London. New records. TUNISIA: Mahdi: El Jem, 6. – 13.4.1999, 2 ♂ (leg. K. Denes). Distribution. Known so far only from the type locality in northwestern Libya and from eastern Tunisia. Pollen hosts. Unknown. Nesting biology. Unknown. Notes. Female unknown. Peters (1977) treated O. secunda as subspecies of O. tingitana Benoist, 1969 (as O. tkalcui Peters 1977). Given the distinct differences in the pilosity of the male sterna (see identification key) and the sympatric occurrence with O. tingitana in Tunisia and Libya, O. secunda is considered here to represent a species of its own. Osmia (Neosmia) tingitana Benoist, 1969 Osmia tingitana Benoist, 1969: 243. Type material: Lectotype ♂, by designation of Zanden (1986), “ Tanger ” (Morocco), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Osmia (Neosmia) tkalcui Peters, 1977: 22. Type material: Holotype ♂, “ Cyrenaica ” (Libya), Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Frankfurt. Synonymy in Zanden (1986). Literature records. ALGERIA: Khenchela (Baghai), Muaskar (Mascara), Naâma (Mécheria), Saida (Saida), Saoura (Djebel Antar) (Peters 1977; Zanden 1983; Sihem et al. 2017). EGYPT: Matruh (Marsa Matruh) (Peters 1977). LIBYA: Al-Mardsch (Tocra), Al-Murgub (Leptis Magna), Al-Wahat (Agedabia), Surt (Sirte) (Peters 1977). MOROCCO: Oriental (Melilla), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (Oued Cherrat), Souss-Massa (Agadir), Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (Tanger) (Mavromoustakis 1947, as O. tunensis; Tkalců 1977; Zanden 1983; Lhomme et al. 2020). New records. ALGERIA: Khenchela: Touchnet, 20.2.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Maghni). MOROCCO: CasablancaSettat: Oueled Sghir, 32.8289 ºN / 7.6513 ºW, 481 m, 26.2.2019, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Sentil); Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: Rabat, 33.976444 ºN / 6.860639 ºW, 61 m, 5.4.2018, 1 m (leg. D. Michez, P. Lhomme). TUNISIA: Gafsa: Gafsa, 5.4.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kasserine: 15 km NW Sbeitla, 19.4.1994, 2 ♀ (leg. J. Gusenleitner); Sfax: Mahares, 7.4.1990, 1 ♀ (leg. R. Neumeyer); Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar, 35 ° 49 ʹN / 9 ° 06 ʹE, 21.4.1994, 27 ♀, 5 ♂ (leg. M. Schwarz). Distribution. Northern Africa from the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) over Libya to Egypt. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Cistaceae (n = 8 pollen loads with Cistaceae pollen), Fabaceae (Loteae; n = 8), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 7), Brassicaceae (n = 5) and Monocots (n = 1) (based on 12 pollen loads from 3 different localities in Tunisia). Nesting biology. Osmia tingitana nests in empty snail shells ranging in diameter from 18 ‒ 35 mm (Peters 1977; Sihem et al. 2017). The nests contain one to seven brood cells, which are separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that seals the outermost cell forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of a space densely filled with sand grains, small pebbles, earth crumbs, fragments of plants and snail shells, followed by a 0.25 ‒ 0.7 cm thick partition at the shell opening built from snail shell fragments embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp, e. g. of Pinus. The nests are probably turned after they have been sealed so that the shell opening is facing the ground. The nests described by Sihem et al. (2017) were found lying hidden under grasses and pine needles, but it is not known whether the females rolled them under the vegetation or whether they actively covered them with grasses and needles as O. (Neosmia) bicolor (Schrank) and O. (Neosmia) jason Benoist do. The information given by Ferton (1920, as O. tunensis), which probably refers to O. tingitana (see Peters 1977), suggests that the former explanation is more likely. Osmia tingitana overwinters as a fully developed imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell. Brood parasites: Chrysura barbata (Buysson) (Sihem et al. 2017). Note. Osmia tingitana was described as recently as 1969 although the species was already known to former authors (e. g. Ducke 1900), who erroneously assumed it to be O. tunensis being not aware that O. tunensis (Fabricius) is in fact a member of the subgenus Helicosmia (Peters 1977). Osmia scutispina species group The representatives of the O. scutispina species group are well characterized in both sexes by the median spine or protuberance of the metanotum and the partly or completely yellowish tibiae. The males additionally differ from all other O. (Neosmia) species by the scattered and coarse punctation of sternum 4 and the presence of long, erect and stiff bristles on the apical half of sternum 4. Osmia (Neosmia) rosea Friese, 1920 Osmia rosea Friese, 1920: 50. Type material: Lectotype ♂, by designation of Tkalců (1977), “ Tunis merid. ” (Tunisia), Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Synonymy with Osmia scutispina Gribodo, 1894 in Tkalců (1977), rejected based on type material. New records. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District: Wadi Yamin, 10 km NE Oron, 30 ° 57 ʹ 00 ʺN / 35 ° 04 ʹ 50 ʺE, 19.4.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. M. E. Irwin); Be'er Sheva, 8.3.2010, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Vereecken); 10 km W Dimona, 403 m, 20.3.2012, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); near Nizzana, 31.5 ° N / 34.8 ° E, 26.3.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. J. S. Ascher); 13.5 km NW Beer Milka, 31 ° 02 ʹ 29 ʺN / 34 ° 20 ʹ 09 ʺE, 165 m, 26.2.2013, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Horbat Mamshit, 31.0335 ° N / 35.073 ° E, 7.3.2015, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty); Distribution. Southern Tunisia and Negev desert in Israel. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 3 plant families): Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 2 pollen loads with Asteraceae pollen), Brassicaceae (n = 2) and Zygophyllaceae (n = 1) (based on 2 pollen loads from the same locality in Israel). Nesting biology. Osmia rosea nests in empty snail shells (based on photos by N. Vereecken; Fig. 16). The females cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp (Fig. 16) and pile up small stones and fragments of mollusc shells in front of the outermost brood cell. Note. Osmia rosea was synonymized with O. scutispina Gribodo, 1894 by Tkalců (1977) based on morphological similarities between the male holotype of O. rosea and females of O. scutispina. This synonymization turned out to be erroneous after true males of O. scutispina had been discovered, which morphologically clearly differ from O. rosea. Osmia (Neosmia) rufigastra Lepeletier, 1841 Osmia rufigastra Lepeletier, 1841: 324. Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1977), “ Oran ” (Algeria), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Literature records. ALGERIA: Algiers (Algiers, Zéralda), Oran (Oran), Tlemcen (Ghazaouet) (Ducke 1900; Ferton, 1920; Tkalců 1977). MOROCCO: Casablanca-Settat (Kasba Oualidia), Oriental (Melilla) (Mavromoustakis 1947, Lhomme et al. 2020). TUNISIA: Tunis (Tunis) (Ducke 1900). New records. ALGERIA: Algiers: Maison Carrée, 5.4.1928, 1 ♂ (leg. R. Meyer); Guyotville, 8.4.1950, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Aubert); Sidi Ferrouch, 7.6.1972, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Hoffer). Distribution. Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). Pollen hosts. Unknown. Nesting biology. Osmia rufigastra nests in empty snail shells, e. g. of Helix (Ferton 1920). The females cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp. The nests contain one to several brood cells. After provisioning and egg deposition, the outermost cell is closed with a one-layered partition of leaf pulp. This partition forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of a ca. 0.75 cm long space densely filled with sand grains, earth crumbs, blade and stem pieces and fragments of snail shells, followed by a final partition built from mollusc shell fragments cemented together with leaf pulp. The sealed nests are rolled to a suitable place and buried 6 ‒ 8 cm deep into the sandy ground often under grass tussocks or withered leaves, before the upper 2 ‒ 3 cm of the burrow are actively filled with sand. To move the nest shell, the female grasps a grass blade or a small stone with her mandibles and rolls the shell with the help of her legs, often crossing high obstacles. Osmia (Neosmia) scutispina Gribodo, 1894 Osmia scutispina Gribodo, 1894: 102. Type material: Syntypes ♀♀, “ Boghari, Ponteba ” (Algeria), Museo di Storia Naturale Genova. Literature records. TUNISIA: Nabeul (Hammamet), Sousse (Sousse), Tunis (Kartago) (Tkalců 1977). New records. LIBYA: Al-Wahat: Marsa el Brega, 30 º 25 ʹ 27 ʺN / 19 º 38 ʹ 25 ʺE, 15.3.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Haris). TUNISIA: Gabès: 5 km SE El-Hamma, 33 ° 50.890 ʹN / 9 ° 51.338 ʹE, 100 m, 12.3.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. H. Schwenninger); Gafsa: 20 km N Metlaoui, 26.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz); Kasserine: 5 km SW Foussana, 27.4.2012, 2 ♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Kef: 10 km SW Le Kef, 15.4.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Medenine: Djerba, SE Ht. Souk, 33 ° 52 ʹN / 10 ° 55 ʹE, 19.3.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); Nabeul: Cap Bon, El Haouaria, 28.3.1987, 1 ♂ (leg. M. Schwarz); Sfax: 30 km SW Sfax, 10.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Tataouine: Ksar Hadada, 4.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes). Distribution. Northern Africa from Algeria over Tunisia to Libya. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (Genisteae, Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 4 pollen loads and n = 12 brood cells with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 3 loads and n = 4 cells), Brassicaceae (n = 2 loads and n = 1 cell), Cistaceae (n = 6 cells) and Lamiaceae (Nepetoideae; n = 3 cells) (based on 5 pollen loads from 5 different localities in Tunisia and on 12 brood cells from two different nests from the same locality in Tunisia). Flower records: Chrysanthemum coronarium (label record). Nesting biology. Osmia scutispina nests in empty snail shells (A. Müller, C. Praz & C. Sedivy personal observation). The only two nests discovered so far (Foussana, Tunisia, 2012) were in shells with diameters of 18 mm and 19 mm, their surface was covered with patches of leaf pulp, they contained six brood cells each and they lacked a basal wall that sealed the larval provisions of the innermost cell against the rear end of the shell. The cells were separated from each other by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. In both nests, the one-layered leaf pulp partition that sealed the outermost cell was distinctly thicker than the cell partitions and formed the base of the thick nest plug, which consisted of a 12 mm long space very loosely filled with small pebbles, earth crumbs, leaflets or seeds, followed by a final partition of leaf pulp built at a distance of 2 mm and 8 mm from the shell opening. The two nests were neither buried into the ground nor turned in a protected position. Osmia bicolor species group The representatives of the O. bicolor species group are morphologically characterized by a longitudinal keel along the cutting edge of the female mandible, a roundish hair spot on male sternum 4 and a tuft of long hairs arising from the apex of the gonoforceps. In addition, they differ ethologically from the other O. (Neosmia) species by their habit to often compartmentalize the central layer of the nest plug with additional partitions, by building the final nest seal from leaf pulp alone and by actively covering the nest with plant material at the end of the nesting cycle. Osmia (Neosmia) bicolor (Schrank, 1781) Apis bicolor Schrank, 1781: 400. Type material: ♀ (♀), “ Viennae ” (Austria), presumed lost (Tkalců, 1977). Apis rustica Geoffroy, 1785: 451. Type material: ♀ (♀), “ Paris ” (France), presumed lost (Tkalců, 1977). Synonymy in Tkalců (1977). Apis fusca Christ, 1791: 182. Nomen praeoccupatum (not Apis fusca Scopoli). Type material: No original material known, (Germany). Synonymy in Warncke (1986). Apis hirundinaria Christ, 1791: 188. Type material: No original material known, (Germany). Synonymy in Warncke (1986). Osmia pyrenaea Lepeletier, 1841: 319. Type material: ♀ (♀), “ Pyrénées. Barèges ” (France), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Synonymy in Pérez (1879). Osmia fusca Gistel, 1857: 537. Nomen praeoccupatum (not Apis fusca Christ). Type material: No original material known, “ Monachii ” (Munich) (Germany). Synonymy in Schwarz et al. (1996). Osmia rufitarsis Smith, 1879: 61. Type material: Holotype ♀, “ Angara River, Siberia ” (Russia), Natural History Museum London. Synonymy in Tkalců (1995). Osmia monachiensis Strand, 1917: 98. Nomen novum with same type specimen for preoccupied Osmia fusca Gistel, 1857 (not Apis fusca Christ). Literature records. ALBANIA: Tkalců (1974). AUSTRIA: Gusenleitner et al. (2012). BELARUS: Prishchepchik (2000). BELGIUM: Pauly (1999), Pauly et al. (2018). BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). CZECH REPUBLIQUE: Bogusch et al. (2007). ESTONIA: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). FINLAND: Paukkunen et al. (2009). FRANCE: Benoist (1931). GEORGIA: Kirkitadze & Japoshvili (2015). GERMANY: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). GREAT BRITAIN: Else & Edwards (2018). HUNGARY: Józan (2011). ITALY: Pagliano (1994, 1995); the record from Sicily (Sichel 1860) is certainly wrong and most probably based on a confusion with Osmia kohli Ducke. LATVIA: Scheuchl & Willner (2016). LIECHTENSTEIN: Bieri (2002). LITHUANIA: Monsevicius (2004). LUXEMBOURG: Rasmont et al. (1995), Pauly et al. (2018). NETHERLANDS: Peeters et al. (1999). NORWAY: Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (2018). POLAND: Bogdanowicz et al. (2004). PORTUGAL: Baldock et al. (2018). ROMANIA: Ban-Calefariu (2009). RUSSIA: Central and eastern European Russia, North Caucasus, Western Siberia (Kemerovo province), Eastern Siberia (Irkutsk province) (Proshchalykin & Fateryga 2017; Fateryga et al. 2018). SERBIA: Mudri-Stojnić et al. (2021). SLOVAKIA: Bogusch et al. (2007). SLOVENIA: Gogala (1999). SPAIN: Ortiz-Sánchez (2020). SWEDEN: Janzon et al. (1991); Nilsson (2003). SWITZERLAND: Amiet et al. (2004). New records. BULGARIA: Plovdiv: Sredna Gora Mountains, Oborishte env., 550 - 600 m, 20.5.2004, 3 ♀ (leg. Hovorka); Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci, 25.5.1983, 1 ♀ (leg. L. Norén). CROATIA: Šibenik-Knin: 30 km SE Knin, 43 ° 51.4 ʹN / 16 ° 29.0 ʹE, 450 m, 25.5.2005, 1 ♀ (leg. Z. Pedr). GEORGIA: Abkhazia: Gudaut, 5.3.1910, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Prave). RUSSIA: Altai Republic: Artybash, Teletskoe Lake, 51 ° 47 ʹN / 87 ° 15 ʹE, 24.6.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. V. Mutin). Krasnodar: Lusaya Mt., near Anapa, 24.5.1918, 1 ♀ (leg. Skorikov). UKRAINE: Kiev: Vyelybitschi, 20.4.2003, 3 ♀, 7 ♂ (leg. Budaschkin); Yrpauna, Kiew Feofania, 18.4.2003, 4 ♂ (leg. Budaschkin). Distribution. Osmia bicolor is a widespread species and inhabits a rather narrow belt between about 41 o and 61 o northern latitude, extending from about 8 o western to 104 o eastern longitude. It is distributed from the northern parts of southern Europe (northern Portugal, northern Spain, southern France, northern Italy) to southeastern Europe (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania) and from western Europe (southern Great Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands) over central Europe (Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Czech Republique, Slovakia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary), northern Europe (southern Norway, southern Sweden, southern Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and eastern Europe (Belarus, Ukraine, Russia) to the Caucasus (Georgia) and western and eastern Siberia. The species is absent from the Mediterranean islands, Greece and Turkey and from large parts of the Iberian and Italian Peninsula. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 17 plant families): Apiaceae (Anthriscus), Asparagaceae (Scilla), Asteraceae (Taraxacum, Picris, Tussilago), Boraginaceae (Pulmonaria), Brassicaceae (Brassica), Caprifoliaceae (Viburnum, Lonicera), Cistaceae (Helianthemum), Cyperaceae (Carex), Fabaceae (Hippocrepis, Lotus, Vicia, Ononis, Cytisus), Lamiaceae (Ajuga, Salvia), Plantaginaceae (Plantago), Primulaceae (Primula), Ranunculaceae (Anemone, Hepatica, Pulsatilla, Ranunculus, Trollius), Rosaceae (Fragaria, Potentilla, Prunus, Rosa), Salicaceae (Salix), Saxifragaceae (Ribes) and Violaceae (Viola) (Westrich 1989; Müller 1990, 1991). Nesting biology. Osmia bicolor nests in empty snail shells of mostly medium size, e. g. of Arianta, Cepaea, Crepidula, Fruticicola, Helicella, Helix, Monacha or Xerolenta (Figs 18, 20; Friese 1897, 1923; Stöckhert 1933; Grozdanić & Vasic 1965; Bonelli 1972; Amiet 1973; Bellmann 1981; Westrich 1989; Müller 1990). After nest site selection, the shell is turned in a suitable position facilitating the subsequent provisioning process before its surface is covered with numerous small patches of leaf pulp; this behaviour is often repeated during and even after cell provisioning. The nests contain 1 ‒ 2, rarely up to 5 brood cells, which are separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp, e. g. from Potentilla, Fragaria, Sanguisorba, Rosa (all Rosaceae), Ononis, Vicia (both Fabaceae), Salix (Salicaceae), Polygonum (Polygonaceae) or Glaucium (Papaveracae). The innermost brood cell lacks a basal wall that seals the larval provisions against the rear end of the shell. After provisioning a cell, which was found in two cases to require 27 and 39 foraging bouts, leaf pulp is amassed in the area of the later cell partition before an egg is laid and the accumulated leaf pulp is processed to a partition. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that seals the outermost cell serves as the base of the nest plug, which consists of a 1 ‒ 2 cm long space densely packed with small pebbles, earth crumps, broken snail shells, pieces of chalk or wood particles (Fig. 18), followed by a final partition built from leaf pulp at some distance from, rarely at the shell opening. The space filled with foreign particles is often divided up by one to three additional leaf pulp partitions. After the nest has been sealed, it is turned so that the shell opening is directed towards the ground before it is covered with hundreds of pine needles, dry grass blades, fragments of dead leaves, scales from beech buds or wood particles (Figs 20, 21). Occasionally, the females sink the nest 1.5 cm deep into the ground prior to the construction of the protective cover by removing earth from below the shell. The females continue to control their finished nests as the shells were found to be covered again after repeated experimental removal of the protective cover, even after several days. Nesting cycle: O. bicolor overwinters as imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell (Bellmann, 1981). Brood parasites: Chrysura cuprea (Rossi), C. refulgens (Spinola) and C. trimaculata (Förster) (Chrysididae), Eulophus osmiarum Robineau- Desvoidy (Eulophidae), Sapyga quinquepunctata (Fabricius) (Sapygidae) (Berland & Bernard 1938; Kunz 1989; Bellmann 1981; Strumia 1997; Grissell 2007). Male behaviour. The males occupy small home ranges, to which they adhere during their entire flight period (Müller 1990, 1991). Within these home ranges, they search for females by patrolling both female host flowers and snail shells lying on the ground along more or less fixed circular flight routes in a rapid flight, which is interrupted by short resting periods on the ground. These flight routes are neither marked with pheromones nor defended against conspecifics but instead often widely overlap. The males sleep singly or in small groups within empty snail shells as do females that have not yet started their nesting activities (Bellmann 1991). Nesting females pass the night or periods of bad weather within their nests. Osmia (Neosmia) jason Benoist, 1929 Osmia Jason Benoist, 1929: 95. Type material: Holotype ♀, “ Comana Vlasca ” (Romania), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Literature records. GREECE: Aegean Islands (Rhodes) (Zanden 1994). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Northern District (Mt. Hermon) (Zanden 1989). NORTH MACEDONIA: Skopje (Katlanovska) (Zanden 1985). SERBIA: Grad Beograd (Belgrade) (Grozdanić 1971; Tkalců 1977). New records. BULGARIA: Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci, 26.5.1983, 1 ♀ (leg. L. Norén). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Haifa District: 2 km W Haifa University, 27.4.1995, 1 ♀ (leg.?); Jerusalem District: Ya'ar Kedoshim, 2.3. – 6.4.2014, 8 ♀, 3 ♂ (leg. N. Shamir, Y. Farago); Northern District: Ramot Naftali, 24.4.2014, 1 ♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Gliboa Mt., Nahal Zeviyya, 0.4 km E Merav, 32 ° 27 ʹ 22 ʺN / 35 ° 25 ʹ 53 ʺE, 663 m, 27.2.2016, 2 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Yiftach, 30.3.2016, 1 ♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Dishon, 7.4.2016, 1 ♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Har Addir, 33.033 ° N / 35.361 ° E, 22.4.2016, 1 ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty). Distribution. Southeastern Europe (Serbia, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Rhodes) and Israel. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 10 plant families): Cistaceae (n = 3 pollen loads with Cistaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 2), Fabaceae (Genisteae; n = 2), Lamiaceae (Lamioideae, Nepetoideae; n = 2), Zygophyllaceae (n = 2), Apiaceae (n = 1), Brassicaceae (n = 1), Dipsacoideae (n = 1), Monocots (n = 1) and Scrophulariaceae (n = 1) (based on 5 pollen loads from 5 different localities in Bulgaria and Israel). Flower records: Centaurea iberica, Crepis aculeata, Cistus creticus, Peganum harmala, Salvia fruticosa, Verbascum sinuatum (label records). Nesting biology. Osmia jason nests in empty snail shells, e. g. of Helix (Grozdanić, 1971). The females cover the surface of the nest shells with numerous small patches of leaf pulp. In the only nest described in detail by Grozdanić (1971), the inner whorls of the shell were filled with masticated green leaves prior to the provisioning of the first brood cell. The nest contained two brood cells, which were separated by one-layered partitions constructed from leaf pulp, e. g. of Crataegus. The outermost cell was also closed with a partition of leaf pulp followed by a space filled with sand, pebbles or earth crumbs and a final partition of leaf pulp at some distance from the shell opening, resulting in a three-layered nest plug. The central layer of nest plug was divided up by three additional leaf pulp partitions. The closed shell was buried into the ground and the place where the shell was buried was covered with dried plant matter. Nesting cycle: O. jason overwinters as imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell (Grozdanić, 1971). Key to species The female of Osmia secunda and the male of O. nigrocalcaribus are unknown. Females	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	New records. ALGERIA: Mila: Oulad Aziz, 36 º 27 ʹN / 6 º 16 ʹE, 16.4. – 16.5.2013, 7 ♀ (leg. Abderrezak); Tébessa: Bouchebka, 3.5.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Benarfa). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District: 1.6 km N Be'er Sheva, 31 ° 18 ʹ 13 ʺN / 34 ° 48 ʹ 20 ʺE, 352 m, 26.3.2017, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Dorchin). JORDAN: Dscharasch: 10 km N Jerash, 20.4.2002, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek); Ma ' an: Al-Shawbak, 18.4.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Madaba: 20 km N Madaba, 1.5.1997, 1 ♀ (leg. W. Schlaefle). MOROCCO: Casablanca-Settat: Oueled Sghir, 32.8226 ºN / 7.6221 ºW, 495 m, 8.4.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Sentil); Drâa-Tafilalet: 30 km E Midelt, 13.5.1995, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Fès-Meknès: Sefrou, 33 ° 50.3 ʹN / 4 ° 50.3 ʹW, 22.3.1992, 1 ♀ (leg. H. - J. Flügel); Guelmim-Oued Noun: Foum Assaka, 35 km SW Sidi Ifni, 29 ° 08 ʹ 22 ʺN / 10 ° 24 ʹ 38 ʺW, 0 m, 19.4.2017, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Müller); Oriental: 40 km S Guercif, 15. – 17.5.1995, 5 f (leg. M. Halada); Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: Rabat, 33.976444 ºN / 6.860639 ºW, 61 m, 1 ♀, 5.4.2018 (leg. D. Michez, P. Lhomme); Souss-Massa: Cap Rhir-Tamri, 60 km N Agadir, 4.4.2009, 2 ♀, 2 ♂ (leg. A. Müller). SPAIN: Canary Islands: Fuerteventura, Costa Calma, ENE Montana Pelada, 40 m, 30.3.2015, 3 ♀, 5 ♂ (leg. A. Müller); Lanzarote, La Caleta, 7.2.1998, 1 ♂ (leg. F. Amiet). TUNISIA: Gabès: 10 km SW Toujane, 24.4.2012, 2 ♀ (leg. C. Praz); Gafsa: 20 km N Metlaoui, 17.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Jendouba: Jendouba, 19.4.2001, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kairouan: Kairouan, 3.4.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kasserine: 10 km NNW Thelepte, 24.3.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); Kebili: Zaafrana, 6.4.1999, 1 ♂ (leg. K. Denes); Nabeul: 5 km NNW Grombalia, 11.4.2000, 1 ♀ (leg. P. Hartmann); Sidi Bouzid: Sidi Bouzid, 12.4.1999, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar, 35 ° 49 ʹN / 9 ° 06 ʹE, 21.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Sousse: Msaken, 20.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Tataouine: Ksar Hadada, 4.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Lanzarote), Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) and southern Levant (Israel, Jordan). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (n = 18 pollen loads with Fabaceae pollen), Resedaceae (Fig. 17; n = 16), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 4), Brassicaceae (n = 3), and Cistaceae (n = 3) (based on 31 pollen loads from 20 different localities in Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia). Flower records: Anthemis melampodina, Hippocrepis comosa, Reseda lanzerotae, Rosmarinus officinalis (label records). Nesting biology. Osmia cinnabarina nests in empty snail shells, e. g. of Theba (Fig. 19; A. Müller personal observation). The three nests discovered in Morocco (Takat, 2013) and on Fuerteventura (Costa Calma, 2015) were in shells of 15 ‒ 17 mm diameter. The females covered the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp. The nests contained 1 ‒ 3 brood cells. They lacked a basal wall that sealed the larval provisions of the innermost cell against the rear end of the shell. The cells were separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that sealed the outermost cell had a marginal thickness of about 3 mm and was thicker than the cell partitions. This partition formed the base of the nest plug, which consisted of a 0.5 ‒ 0.9 cm long space densely filled with small pebbles, fragments of snail shells or pieces of petals and stems (Fig. 19), followed by a final partition at or a few millimetres behind the shell opening built from mollusc shell fragments and small pebbles embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp. As the nests were discovered shortly before they were finished, it is unclear whether the females would have buried them into the sandy ground as e. g. O. (Neosmia) rufigastra Lepeletier does.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Lectotype ♀, by designation of Tkalců (1974), “ Tunis ” (Tunisia), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris. Type species of Neosmia Tkalců. Literature records. ALGERIA: Constantine (Constantine), El Bayadh (Chellala), Sétif (Sétif) (Tkalců 1977). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District (Ras Zuweita); West Bank (Wadi el Kelt, Jerusalem-Jericho) (Mavromoustakis 1948 a; Tkalců 1977). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès, Oriental (Melilla), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (Bou Knadel), Souss-Massa (Biougra-Tafraoute) (Mavromoustakis 1947; Zanden 1997; Lhomme et al. 2020). TUNISIA: Tunis (Tunis) (Ducke 1900; Tkalců 1977).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	New records. ALGERIA: Constantine: Ayn El Bey, 36.25 ºN / 6.61 ºE, 13.4.1999, 1 ♀ (leg. Bemou); Khenchela: Mtoussa, 10.4.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Maghni); Mila: Oulad Aziz, 36.27 ºN / 6.16 ºE, 9.4. – 11.5.2013, 7 ♀ (leg. Abderrezak); Tébessa: Bouchebka, 3.3.2008, 1 ♂ (leg. N. Benarfa). EGYPT: Matrouh: Ikingi Maryut, 18.3.1935, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Mochi). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District: 10 km W Dimona, 403 m, 20.3.2012, 4 ♀, 5 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); West Bank: En Perat, 630 m E Anatot, 31 ° 49 ʹ 57 ʺN / 35 ° 18 ʹ 26 ʺE, 265 m, 18.3.2012, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin). JORDAN: Karak: Al Karak, 22.3.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Kalabza); Ma ' an: Al-Shawbak, 18.4.2007, 2 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Madaba: Wadi Mujib, King’s Highway, 19.4.2007, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Tafilah: 20 km SSE At Tafilah, 18.4.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Snizek). MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès: 15 km SE Sefrou, 26.5.1995, 9 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Souss-Massa: Tifnite, 10 km S Agadir, 15.4.2014, 1 ♀ (leg. C. SchmidEgger). TUNISIA: Gabès: 10 km SW Toujane, 24.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz); Gafsa: 40 km NW Gafsa, 17.4.1994, 1 ♂ (leg. M. Schwarz); Jendouba: 10 km N Jendouba, 19.4.2001, 3 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kairouan: 10 km W Sbikha, 12.4.2000, 1 ♀ (leg. P. Hartmann); Kasserine: 10 km NNW Thelepte, 3 ♀, 2 ♂ (leg. C. Saure, C. Schmid-Egger); Kef: 2 km SW El Kef, 28.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Medenine: Djerba, SE Houmt Souk, 19.3.2001, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. C. Saure, C. Schmid-Egger); Nabeul: Hammamet, 15.3.1996, 11 ♀ (leg. K. Denes); Sfax: 30 km SW Sfax, 10.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar, 21.4.1994, 3 ♀ (leg. J. Gusenleitner).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. From the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) over Libya and Egypt to the southern Levant (Israel and Palestine, Jordan). Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 7 plant families): Brassicaceae (n = 20 pollen loads with Brassicaceae pollen), Cistaceae (n = 11), Fabaceae (Hedysareae, Loteae; n = 9), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 6), Boraginaceae (Echium; n = 2), Resedaceae (n = 2) and Dipsacoideae (n = 1) (based on 22 pollen loads from 11 different localities in Algeria, Israel and Palestine, Morocco and Tunisia). Flower records: Anthemis melampodina, Bellis annua, Senecio joppensis, Raphanus raphanistrum, Retama raetam, Rosmarinus officinalis, Zygophyllum dumosum (label records). Nesting biology. Unknown.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype. TUNISIA: Bizerte: Fretissa farm, 24.4.1983, ♀ (leg.?). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich. Paratypes. ALGERIA: Constantine: Ben badis, 23.5.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. S. Aguib). MOROCCO: Tanger-TétouanAl Hoceïma: 20 km E Targuist, 35 ° 01 ʹN / 5 ° 17 ʹW, 27.4.2009, 1 ♀ (leg. E. Hajdaj). TUNISIA: Bizerte: Fretissa farm, 18.4.1983, 1 ♀ (leg.?). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Diagnostic characters of the female of O. nigrocalcaribus are the dark brown spurs of the hind tibia (Fig. 23), the brownish pilosity of the inner surface of the hind basitarsus (Fig. 24) and the black marginal zone of terga 1 ‒ 5. In the females of all other O. (Neosmia) species, the spurs of the hind tibia and the pilosity of the inner surface of the hind basitarsus are yellowish and the marginal zone of terga (1) 2 ‒ 5 are brownish to yellowish, distinctly contrasting with the black tergal discs.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	Description. FEMALE: Body length 9 – 10 mm. Head: Head about 0.9 x as long as wide. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital margin 2.0 – 2.2 x as long as ocellar diameter. Maximal width of genal area about 1.2 x as long as maximal width of compound eye. Proboscis rather short, reaching in repose till base of fore coxa; second segment of labial palpus about 1.7 x as long as first segment. Mandible three- to indistinctly four-toothed with the two basal teeth weakly separated from each other; lower inner margin of mandible without median tooth. Punctation of clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area and frons very dense with only linear interspaces. Anterior part of hypostomal area almost as densely punctured as posterior part. Clypeus with narrow polished impunctate apical zone, which is medially distinctly impressed, apically slightly emarginate and covered with two short lateral tufts of inwardly directed yellowish-red hairs on its underside. Face and vertex covered with long and erect foxy red pilosity. Antenna black, its third segment about twice as long as apically wide. Mesosoma: Parapsidal line 1.5 – 2 x as long as wide. Punctation of scutum, scutellum and mesepisternum very dense with interspaces rarely exceeding diameter of half a puncture. Metanotum medially without spine or distinct protuberance. Basal area of propodeum basally and medially shagreened, laterally and apically more or less polished. Propodeal pit polished and shiny. Mesosoma covered with long and erect foxy red pilosity except for its ventral side, which is covered with distinctly shorter and yellowish-red hairs. Tegula dark brown to black, its punctation dense on apical third and along outer margin. Stigma and veins of fore wing dark brown to black. Legs predominantly black. Pilosity at posterior margin of basitarsus of fore leg whitish and about twice as long as basitarsal width. Coxa of hind leg keeled. Tibial spurs of hind leg dark brown and straight except for their apex, which is bent upwards at an angle of 30 – 40 ° (Fig. 23). Pilosity of inner side of basitarsus of hind leg brownish (Fig. 24). Metasoma: Declivous basal part of tergum 1 polished and shiny. Punctation of tergal discs fine and dense except for median part of terga 1 – 3, where it is more scattered with interspaces reaching diameter of two to three punctures. Marginal zone of terga 1 – 5 black. Terga 1 – 5 with long and erect foxy red pilosity. Tergum 6 with appressed yellowish-red pilosity. Scopa foxy red. MALE: Unknown.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) Pollen hosts. The only pollen load available consisted of pollen of Fabaceae. Nesting biology. Unknown.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known so far only from the type locality in northwestern Libya and from eastern Tunisia. Pollen hosts. Unknown. Nesting biology. Unknown. Notes. Female unknown. Peters (1977) treated O. secunda as subspecies of O. tingitana Benoist, 1969 (as O. tkalcui Peters 1977). Given the distinct differences in the pilosity of the male sterna (see identification key) and the sympatric occurrence with O. tingitana in Tunisia and Libya, O. secunda is considered here to represent a species of its own.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	New records. ALGERIA: Khenchela: Touchnet, 20.2.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Maghni). MOROCCO: CasablancaSettat: Oueled Sghir, 32.8289 ºN / 7.6513 ºW, 481 m, 26.2.2019, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Sentil); Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: Rabat, 33.976444 ºN / 6.860639 ºW, 61 m, 5.4.2018, 1 m (leg. D. Michez, P. Lhomme). TUNISIA: Gafsa: Gafsa, 5.4.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Kasserine: 15 km NW Sbeitla, 19.4.1994, 2 ♀ (leg. J. Gusenleitner); Sfax: Mahares, 7.4.1990, 1 ♀ (leg. R. Neumeyer); Siliana: 15 km SW Makthar, 35 ° 49 ʹN / 9 ° 06 ʹE, 21.4.1994, 27 ♀, 5 ♂ (leg. M. Schwarz).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Northern Africa from the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) over Libya to Egypt. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Cistaceae (n = 8 pollen loads with Cistaceae pollen), Fabaceae (Loteae; n = 8), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 7), Brassicaceae (n = 5) and Monocots (n = 1) (based on 12 pollen loads from 3 different localities in Tunisia). Nesting biology. Osmia tingitana nests in empty snail shells ranging in diameter from 18 ‒ 35 mm (Peters 1977; Sihem et al. 2017). The nests contain one to seven brood cells, which are separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that seals the outermost cell forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of a space densely filled with sand grains, small pebbles, earth crumbs, fragments of plants and snail shells, followed by a 0.25 ‒ 0.7 cm thick partition at the shell opening built from snail shell fragments embedded into a matrix of leaf pulp, e. g. of Pinus. The nests are probably turned after they have been sealed so that the shell opening is facing the ground. The nests described by Sihem et al. (2017) were found lying hidden under grasses and pine needles, but it is not known whether the females rolled them under the vegetation or whether they actively covered them with grasses and needles as O. (Neosmia) bicolor (Schrank) and O. (Neosmia) jason Benoist do. The information given by Ferton (1920, as O. tunensis), which probably refers to O. tingitana (see Peters 1977), suggests that the former explanation is more likely. Osmia tingitana overwinters as a fully developed imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell. Brood parasites: Chrysura barbata (Buysson) (Sihem et al. 2017). Note. Osmia tingitana was described as recently as 1969 although the species was already known to former authors (e. g. Ducke 1900), who erroneously assumed it to be O. tunensis being not aware that O. tunensis (Fabricius) is in fact a member of the subgenus Helicosmia (Peters 1977).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	discussion	The representatives of the O. scutispina species group are well characterized in both sexes by the median spine or protuberance of the metanotum and the partly or completely yellowish tibiae. The males additionally differ from all other O. (Neosmia) species by the scattered and coarse punctation of sternum 4 and the presence of long, erect and stiff bristles on the apical half of sternum 4.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Lectotype ♂, by designation of Tkalců (1977), “ Tunis merid. ” (Tunisia), Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Synonymy with Osmia scutispina Gribodo, 1894 in Tkalců (1977), rejected based on type material. New records. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Southern District: Wadi Yamin, 10 km NE Oron, 30 ° 57 ʹ 00 ʺN / 35 ° 04 ʹ 50 ʺE, 19.4.1996, 1 ♀ (leg. M. E. Irwin); Be'er Sheva, 8.3.2010, 1 ♀ (leg. N. Vereecken); 10 km W Dimona, 403 m, 20.3.2012, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); near Nizzana, 31.5 ° N / 34.8 ° E, 26.3.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. J. S. Ascher); 13.5 km NW Beer Milka, 31 ° 02 ʹ 29 ʺN / 34 ° 20 ʹ 09 ʺE, 165 m, 26.2.2013, 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Horbat Mamshit, 31.0335 ° N / 35.073 ° E, 7.3.2015, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty);	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Southern Tunisia and Negev desert in Israel. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 3 plant families): Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichorioideae; n = 2 pollen loads with Asteraceae pollen), Brassicaceae (n = 2) and Zygophyllaceae (n = 1) (based on 2 pollen loads from the same locality in Israel). Nesting biology. Osmia rosea nests in empty snail shells (based on photos by N. Vereecken; Fig. 16). The females cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp (Fig. 16) and pile up small stones and fragments of mollusc shells in front of the outermost brood cell. Note. Osmia rosea was synonymized with O. scutispina Gribodo, 1894 by Tkalců (1977) based on morphological similarities between the male holotype of O. rosea and females of O. scutispina. This synonymization turned out to be erroneous after true males of O. scutispina had been discovered, which morphologically clearly differ from O. rosea.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	New records. ALGERIA: Algiers: Maison Carrée, 5.4.1928, 1 ♂ (leg. R. Meyer); Guyotville, 8.4.1950, 1 ♀ (leg. J. Aubert); Sidi Ferrouch, 7.6.1972, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Hoffer).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). Pollen hosts. Unknown. Nesting biology. Osmia rufigastra nests in empty snail shells, e. g. of Helix (Ferton 1920). The females cover the shell surface with patches of leaf pulp. The nests contain one to several brood cells. After provisioning and egg deposition, the outermost cell is closed with a one-layered partition of leaf pulp. This partition forms the base of the thick nest plug, which consists of a ca. 0.75 cm long space densely filled with sand grains, earth crumbs, blade and stem pieces and fragments of snail shells, followed by a final partition built from mollusc shell fragments cemented together with leaf pulp. The sealed nests are rolled to a suitable place and buried 6 ‒ 8 cm deep into the sandy ground often under grass tussocks or withered leaves, before the upper 2 ‒ 3 cm of the burrow are actively filled with sand. To move the nest shell, the female grasps a grass blade or a small stone with her mandibles and rolls the shell with the help of her legs, often crossing high obstacles.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	New records. LIBYA: Al-Wahat: Marsa el Brega, 30 º 25 ʹ 27 ʺN / 19 º 38 ʹ 25 ʺE, 15.3.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. A. Haris). TUNISIA: Gabès: 5 km SE El-Hamma, 33 ° 50.890 ʹN / 9 ° 51.338 ʹE, 100 m, 12.3.2008, 1 ♀ (leg. H. Schwenninger); Gafsa: 20 km N Metlaoui, 26.4.2012, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Praz); Kasserine: 5 km SW Foussana, 27.4.2012, 2 ♀ (leg. C. Sedivy, A. Müller); Kef: 10 km SW Le Kef, 15.4.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Halada); Medenine: Djerba, SE Ht. Souk, 33 ° 52 ʹN / 10 ° 55 ʹE, 19.3.2001, 1 ♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); Nabeul: Cap Bon, El Haouaria, 28.3.1987, 1 ♂ (leg. M. Schwarz); Sfax: 30 km SW Sfax, 10.4.1994, 1 ♀ (leg. M. Schwarz); Tataouine: Ksar Hadada, 4.4.1998, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Denes).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Northern Africa from Algeria over Tunisia to Libya. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 5 plant families): Fabaceae (Genisteae, Loteae, Trifolieae; n = 4 pollen loads and n = 12 brood cells with Fabaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 3 loads and n = 4 cells), Brassicaceae (n = 2 loads and n = 1 cell), Cistaceae (n = 6 cells) and Lamiaceae (Nepetoideae; n = 3 cells) (based on 5 pollen loads from 5 different localities in Tunisia and on 12 brood cells from two different nests from the same locality in Tunisia). Flower records: Chrysanthemum coronarium (label record). Nesting biology. Osmia scutispina nests in empty snail shells (A. Müller, C. Praz & C. Sedivy personal observation). The only two nests discovered so far (Foussana, Tunisia, 2012) were in shells with diameters of 18 mm and 19 mm, their surface was covered with patches of leaf pulp, they contained six brood cells each and they lacked a basal wall that sealed the larval provisions of the innermost cell against the rear end of the shell. The cells were separated from each other by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp. In both nests, the one-layered leaf pulp partition that sealed the outermost cell was distinctly thicker than the cell partitions and formed the base of the thick nest plug, which consisted of a 12 mm long space very loosely filled with small pebbles, earth crumbs, leaflets or seeds, followed by a final partition of leaf pulp built at a distance of 2 mm and 8 mm from the shell opening. The two nests were neither buried into the ground nor turned in a protected position.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	discussion	The representatives of the O. bicolor species group are morphologically characterized by a longitudinal keel along the cutting edge of the female mandible, a roundish hair spot on male sternum 4 and a tuft of long hairs arising from the apex of the gonoforceps. In addition, they differ ethologically from the other O. (Neosmia) species by their habit to often compartmentalize the central layer of the nest plug with additional partitions, by building the final nest seal from leaf pulp alone and by actively covering the nest with plant material at the end of the nesting cycle.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♀ (♀), “ Viennae ” (Austria), presumed lost (Tkalců, 1977).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: ♀ (♀), “ Paris ” (France), presumed lost (Tkalců, 1977). Synonymy in Tkalců (1977).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: No original material known, (Germany). Synonymy in Warncke (1986).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: No original material known, (Germany). Synonymy in Warncke (1986).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: No original material known, “ Monachii ” (Munich) (Germany). Synonymy in Schwarz et al. (1996).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Holotype ♀, “ Angara River, Siberia ” (Russia), Natural History Museum London. Synonymy in Tkalců (1995).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	New records. BULGARIA: Plovdiv: Sredna Gora Mountains, Oborishte env., 550 - 600 m, 20.5.2004, 3 ♀ (leg. Hovorka); Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci, 25.5.1983, 1 ♀ (leg. L. Norén). CROATIA: Šibenik-Knin: 30 km SE Knin, 43 ° 51.4 ʹN / 16 ° 29.0 ʹE, 450 m, 25.5.2005, 1 ♀ (leg. Z. Pedr). GEORGIA: Abkhazia: Gudaut, 5.3.1910, 1 ♀ (leg. K. Prave). RUSSIA: Altai Republic: Artybash, Teletskoe Lake, 51 ° 47 ʹN / 87 ° 15 ʹE, 24.6.2013, 1 ♀ (leg. V. Mutin). Krasnodar: Lusaya Mt., near Anapa, 24.5.1918, 1 ♀ (leg. Skorikov). UKRAINE: Kiev: Vyelybitschi, 20.4.2003, 3 ♀, 7 ♂ (leg. Budaschkin); Yrpauna, Kiew Feofania, 18.4.2003, 4 ♂ (leg. Budaschkin).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Osmia bicolor is a widespread species and inhabits a rather narrow belt between about 41 o and 61 o northern latitude, extending from about 8 o western to 104 o eastern longitude. It is distributed from the northern parts of southern Europe (northern Portugal, northern Spain, southern France, northern Italy) to southeastern Europe (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania) and from western Europe (southern Great Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands) over central Europe (Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Czech Republique, Slovakia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary), northern Europe (southern Norway, southern Sweden, southern Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and eastern Europe (Belarus, Ukraine, Russia) to the Caucasus (Georgia) and western and eastern Siberia. The species is absent from the Mediterranean islands, Greece and Turkey and from large parts of the Iberian and Italian Peninsula. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 17 plant families): Apiaceae (Anthriscus), Asparagaceae (Scilla), Asteraceae (Taraxacum, Picris, Tussilago), Boraginaceae (Pulmonaria), Brassicaceae (Brassica), Caprifoliaceae (Viburnum, Lonicera), Cistaceae (Helianthemum), Cyperaceae (Carex), Fabaceae (Hippocrepis, Lotus, Vicia, Ononis, Cytisus), Lamiaceae (Ajuga, Salvia), Plantaginaceae (Plantago), Primulaceae (Primula), Ranunculaceae (Anemone, Hepatica, Pulsatilla, Ranunculus, Trollius), Rosaceae (Fragaria, Potentilla, Prunus, Rosa), Salicaceae (Salix), Saxifragaceae (Ribes) and Violaceae (Viola) (Westrich 1989; Müller 1990, 1991). Nesting biology. Osmia bicolor nests in empty snail shells of mostly medium size, e. g. of Arianta, Cepaea, Crepidula, Fruticicola, Helicella, Helix, Monacha or Xerolenta (Figs 18, 20; Friese 1897, 1923; Stöckhert 1933; Grozdanić & Vasic 1965; Bonelli 1972; Amiet 1973; Bellmann 1981; Westrich 1989; Müller 1990). After nest site selection, the shell is turned in a suitable position facilitating the subsequent provisioning process before its surface is covered with numerous small patches of leaf pulp; this behaviour is often repeated during and even after cell provisioning. The nests contain 1 ‒ 2, rarely up to 5 brood cells, which are separated by one-layered partitions of leaf pulp, e. g. from Potentilla, Fragaria, Sanguisorba, Rosa (all Rosaceae), Ononis, Vicia (both Fabaceae), Salix (Salicaceae), Polygonum (Polygonaceae) or Glaucium (Papaveracae). The innermost brood cell lacks a basal wall that seals the larval provisions against the rear end of the shell. After provisioning a cell, which was found in two cases to require 27 and 39 foraging bouts, leaf pulp is amassed in the area of the later cell partition before an egg is laid and the accumulated leaf pulp is processed to a partition. The one-layered leaf pulp partition that seals the outermost cell serves as the base of the nest plug, which consists of a 1 ‒ 2 cm long space densely packed with small pebbles, earth crumps, broken snail shells, pieces of chalk or wood particles (Fig. 18), followed by a final partition built from leaf pulp at some distance from, rarely at the shell opening. The space filled with foreign particles is often divided up by one to three additional leaf pulp partitions. After the nest has been sealed, it is turned so that the shell opening is directed towards the ground before it is covered with hundreds of pine needles, dry grass blades, fragments of dead leaves, scales from beech buds or wood particles (Figs 20, 21). Occasionally, the females sink the nest 1.5 cm deep into the ground prior to the construction of the protective cover by removing earth from below the shell. The females continue to control their finished nests as the shells were found to be covered again after repeated experimental removal of the protective cover, even after several days. Nesting cycle: O. bicolor overwinters as imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell (Bellmann, 1981). Brood parasites: Chrysura cuprea (Rossi), C. refulgens (Spinola) and C. trimaculata (Förster) (Chrysididae), Eulophus osmiarum Robineau- Desvoidy (Eulophidae), Sapyga quinquepunctata (Fabricius) (Sapygidae) (Berland & Bernard 1938; Kunz 1989; Bellmann 1981; Strumia 1997; Grissell 2007). Male behaviour. The males occupy small home ranges, to which they adhere during their entire flight period (Müller 1990, 1991). Within these home ranges, they search for females by patrolling both female host flowers and snail shells lying on the ground along more or less fixed circular flight routes in a rapid flight, which is interrupted by short resting periods on the ground. These flight routes are neither marked with pheromones nor defended against conspecifics but instead often widely overlap. The males sleep singly or in small groups within empty snail shells as do females that have not yet started their nesting activities (Bellmann 1991). Nesting females pass the night or periods of bad weather within their nests.	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	description	New records. BULGARIA: Varna: Zlatni Pjasaci, 26.5.1983, 1 ♀ (leg. L. Norén). ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Haifa District: 2 km W Haifa University, 27.4.1995, 1 ♀ (leg.?); Jerusalem District: Ya'ar Kedoshim, 2.3. – 6.4.2014, 8 ♀, 3 ♂ (leg. N. Shamir, Y. Farago); Northern District: Ramot Naftali, 24.4.2014, 1 ♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Gliboa Mt., Nahal Zeviyya, 0.4 km E Merav, 32 ° 27 ʹ 22 ʺN / 35 ° 25 ʹ 53 ʺE, 663 m, 27.2.2016, 2 ♂ (leg. A. Dorchin); Yiftach, 30.3.2016, 1 ♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Dishon, 7.4.2016, 1 ♀ (leg. O. Winberger); Har Addir, 33.033 ° N / 35.361 ° E, 22.4.2016, 1 ♂ (leg. G. Pisanty).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
D32A87C2FFF66359FF0BC4A053BB5E1E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Southeastern Europe (Serbia, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Rhodes) and Israel. Pollen hosts. Polylectic (at least 10 plant families): Cistaceae (n = 3 pollen loads with Cistaceae pollen), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae; n = 2), Fabaceae (Genisteae; n = 2), Lamiaceae (Lamioideae, Nepetoideae; n = 2), Zygophyllaceae (n = 2), Apiaceae (n = 1), Brassicaceae (n = 1), Dipsacoideae (n = 1), Monocots (n = 1) and Scrophulariaceae (n = 1) (based on 5 pollen loads from 5 different localities in Bulgaria and Israel). Flower records: Centaurea iberica, Crepis aculeata, Cistus creticus, Peganum harmala, Salvia fruticosa, Verbascum sinuatum (label records). Nesting biology. Osmia jason nests in empty snail shells, e. g. of Helix (Grozdanić, 1971). The females cover the surface of the nest shells with numerous small patches of leaf pulp. In the only nest described in detail by Grozdanić (1971), the inner whorls of the shell were filled with masticated green leaves prior to the provisioning of the first brood cell. The nest contained two brood cells, which were separated by one-layered partitions constructed from leaf pulp, e. g. of Crataegus. The outermost cell was also closed with a partition of leaf pulp followed by a space filled with sand, pebbles or earth crumbs and a final partition of leaf pulp at some distance from the shell opening, resulting in a three-layered nest plug. The central layer of nest plug was divided up by three additional leaf pulp partitions. The closed shell was buried into the ground and the place where the shell was buried was covered with dried plant matter. Nesting cycle: O. jason overwinters as imago in a self-spun cocoon within the brood cell (Grozdanić, 1971).	en	Müller, Andreas (2022): Palaearctic Osmia bees of the subgenera Allosmia and Neosmia (Megachilidae Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species. Zootaxa 5188 (3): 201-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.3.1
