Abstract
Spain has a large, species-rich bee fauna, but despite a long history of study, new species continue to be discovered at a rapid rate. New collections made during an expedition have revealed the existence of two additional species: Andrena (Taeniandrena) contracta spec. nov. is described from the high-altitude zone of the Sierra Nevada (Granada), and Nomada halophila spec. nov. is described from saline lagoons in Málaga province, where it is a parasite of the recently described Andrena (Notandrena) juliana Wood, 2021. These findings emphasise the need to investigate unusual or understudied habitats in order to fully document the rich Spanish bee fauna.
Highlights
The bee fauna of Spain has a long history of study, and contains almost 1,100 species (ORTIZ-SÁNCHEZ, 2020)
Andrena is a huge species-rich genus (GUSENLEITNER & SCHWARZ, 2002) that has recently been the focus of taxonomic study in Iberia (WOOD et al, 2020; WOOD et al, 2021), revealing the presence of seven overlooked or cryptic species; there is a strong possibility of undocumented endemism on the Sierra Nevada for this genus
As part of a collecting expedition in Spain during 2021 to study and better document the Iberian Andrena fauna, two new bee species were discovered in unusual habitats, one high in the alpine zone of the Sierra Nevada, and one in saline lagoons in the province of Málaga
Summary
The bee fauna of Spain has a long history of study, and contains almost 1,100 species (ORTIZ-SÁNCHEZ, 2020) Though it has received much attention in a general sense, several corners of the country are under-visited and understudied. As part of a collecting expedition in Spain during 2021 to study and better document the Iberian Andrena fauna, two new bee species were discovered in unusual habitats, one high in the alpine zone of the Sierra Nevada, and one in saline lagoons in the province of Málaga.
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