A new species of the previously monotypic Neotropical cleptoparasitic bee genus <i>Rhynostelis</i>, with notes on <i>Rhynostelis multiplicata</i> (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Abstract

A new species of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Rhynostelis Moure &amp; Urban (Megachilidae: Anthidiini) from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil is described and figured. Until now, Rhynostelis multiplicata (Smith) was the only known species in the genus. Females of R. xavieri Mahlmann, new species, can be easily recognized by the larger protuberance on the base of each mandible and the basal projection of the clypeus, which is larger and flat, resembling a bird’s upper beak. Taxonomic notes are also provided for R. multiplicata and an update of occurrence records for the genus is given.

Revision of the rare anthidiine bee genus Rhynostelis Moure & Urban (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

“…Although the holotype of the new species has not been directly examined, it is illustrated in the original paper by four photographs with good quality, showing different angles of the specimen. The illustrations and the diagnostic characters presented by Mahlmann (2020) leave no doubt that Rhynostelis xavieri is a synonym of Rhynostelis multiplicata. Also, the type localities of the two taxa are relatively close to each other in the western portion of the Amazonas state, being only about 150 km apart in a straight line.…”

“…While this article was on production, a paper dealing with the genus Rhynostelis was published by Mahlmann (2020), in which the author proposes a new species, Rhynostelis xavieri, based on a single female collected in Benjamin Constant, Amazonas, Brazil. Although the holotype of the new species has not been directly examined, it is illustrated in the original paper by four photographs with good quality, showing different angles of the specimen.…”