A new ground-nesting genus of xeromelissine bees from Argentina, and the tribal classification of the subfamily (Hymenoptera, Colletidae). American Museum novitates ; no. 3281

Abstract

"A new genus of the bee subfamily Xeromelissinae from Argentina is proposed as Geodiscelis (type species, Geodiscelis megacephala, new species). Geodiscelis possesses a mixture of characters from both of the previously recognized tribes of Xeromelissinae. The tribes Chilicolini and Xeromelissini therefore merge and are no longer recognized, the five genera being united in the subfamily without tribal classification. Prior reports of nests of xeromelissines describe series of cells in burrows in stems or abondoned burrows of beetles in twigs. Geodiscelis, however, nests in loose sand, and cells are isolated at the ends of lateral burrows. It is a probable specialist visitor to flowers of Heliotropium, and its unusual glossa may be related to use of this floral resource"--P. [1].