Taxonomy of the African large carpenter bees of the genus Xylocopa Latreille, 1802, subgenus Xenoxylocopa Hurd & Moure, 1963 (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Abstract

The taxonomy of the genus Xylocopa Latreille, 1802, subgenus Xenoxylocopa Hurd & Moure, 1963, is reviewed. There is a single valid species in this subgenus, Xylocopa (Xenoxylocopa) inconstans Smith, 1874, which is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to northern Republic of South Africa. Synonyms of X. inconstans include X. abyssinica Radoszkowski, 1899, proposed for a male specimen from Ethiopia, as well as three names proposed for females with yellow (rather than white) dorsal pubescence: Mesotrichia chiyakensis Cockerell, 1908 (new synonym), X. inconstans var. flavescens Vachal, 1899, and X. inconstans var. flavocincta Friese, 1909. Quantitative analyses of body measurements and examination of male reproductive structures support the new synonymy of Mesotrichia chiyakensis with X. inconstans. Males and females of X. (X.) inconstans are illustrated, along with male reproductive structures, and diagnostic characters and keys are provided to separate the males and females of X. (X.) inconstans from those of species in other closely-allied African subgenera of the genus Xylocopa.