A bee from the middle Miocene Hindon Maar of southern New Zealand (Hymenoptera, Colletidae)

Abstract

The first fossil bee from Zealandia is described and figured from an excellent compression recovered from the middle Miocene Hindon Maar Fossil Lagerstätte of southern New Zealand. Leioproctus (Otagocolletes) barrydonovani n. subgen., n. sp. is represented by an impression of a nearly complete bee in dorsal view. The palaeohabitat of L. barrydonovani n. subgen., n. sp. was a Nothofagus/podocarp/mixed broadleaf forest and the species may have visited flowers of the araliaceous genus Pseudopanax K. Koch, today common throughout New Zealand. The fossil is compared with its modern congeners known in New Zealand.