Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Aspidosmiini
Genus: Aspidosmia Brauns, 1926
Subgenera: none
Common name: none
Aspidosmia are dark, non-metallic, robust bees with long hair throughout their bodies and without apical fasciae on their terga. They range in body length from 8–10 mm (Michener 2007).
(modified from Michener 2007 unless otherwise stated)
Aspidosmia resembles Plesianthidium due to the lack of yellow markings except on the clypeus; however, this similar feature likely evolved independently and is superficial (Michener 2007).
Aspidosmia males can be differentiated from Plesianthidium because Aspidosmia lacks marginal combs on all sterna and have a bilobed or bidentate T7. Aspidosmia females can be readily distinguished from most Megachilidae genera by the presence of scopa-like hairs on the hind tibia.
There are no known invasives.
Host associations are not well known. Aspidosmia arnoldi has been observed visiting Lebeckia sericea (Fabaceae) and Lycium spp. (Solanaceae) (Struck 1994).
Aspidosmia occurs in Namibia and Cape Province, South Africa (Michener 2007).
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