A revision of the Australian carpenter bees, genus Xylocopa Latreille, subgenera Koptortosoma Gribodo and Lestis Lepeletier & Serville (Hymenoptera : Apidae)

Abstract

The Australian carpenter bees, genusXylocopa Latreille, subgeneraKoptortosoma Gribodo, and LestisLepeletier & Serville, are revised. Six species of X.(Koptortosoma) are recognised after solving problems with the association of the sexes.Xylocopa (K.) waterhousei, sp. nov. andX. (K.) lieftincki, sp. nov. are described as new, and two previously recognised species, X. (K.) wallabiaLieftinck and X. (K.) xerophila Lieftinck are synonymised withX. (K.) parvula Rayment. Two species ofthe subgenus Lestis are recognised, while the threespecies-level names, X. (L.) gibbonsi Cockerell,X. (L.) violascens Cockerell, andX. (L.) australensis Kirby are synonymised withX. (L.) bombylans (Fabricius). A key for theidentification of the species is provided, and descriptions, information aboutmating behaviour, nesting substrates, flower records and distribution maps aregiven for all species.