Anthidium (Nivanthidium)

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Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: Nivanthidium Pasteels, 1969
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Nivanthidium) are robust, shiny, black bees with limited markings on the abdomen (Michener 2007). Along the lateral margin of the abdomen, there are dense areas of white hairs. They range in body length from 9–14 mm (Michener 2007).

Diagnostic characteristics

(modified from Michener 2007)

• Scutellum large and nearly flat in profile.
• Abdomen with dense areas of white hairs along the lateral margins.
• Axillar suture weak.
• Pronotal lobe carinate or lamellate.
• Scuto-scutellar suture shallow.
• Male T4 to T6 have strong lateral spines.
• Male T7 bidentate, with long hairs in between the spines.

May be confused with

Anthidium (Nivanthidium) are superficially similar to bees within the genus Serapista because they are both large, robust black bees with dense white hairs on the abdomen (Michener 2007). However, A. (Nivanthidium) can be differentiated from Serapista due to the weak axillar suture, carinate pronotal lobe, and large, flat scutellum (Michener 2007).

Host associations

Floral associations are unknown.

Nesting behavior

Nesting behavior is unknown.

Diversity

Anthidium (Nivanthidium) consists of one species, A. niveocinctum, which is not known to occur in the U.S. or Canada (Michener 2007).

Known invasives

There are no known invasives.

Distribution

Anthidium (Nivanthidium) occur in eastern and southern Africa (Michener 2007).

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