Ultraconserved element phylogenomics of Dasypoda bees uncovers a new species from North Africa (Hymenoptera: Melittidae)

Among the six bee families recorded from the African continent, Melittidae is a species-poor group that includes the pantaloon bees of the genus Dasypoda Latreille. In this paper we provide an updated checklist of African Dasypoda that totals 12 species, including six species endemic to the continent, and an updated key to African members of the genus. We provide the description and diagnosis of a new bee species belonging to the subgenus Heterodasypoda, Dasypoda rosaella Ghisbain & Wood sp. nov., based on both morphology and Ultraconserved Elements (UCEs). This new species, presently recorded from Morocco and Tunisia, has been historically confused with the European species Dasypoda albimana Perez, 1905 that was described from northeastern Spain and is morphologically close to D. michezi Radchenko, 2017 described from southern Portugal. We designate a sequenced neotype for D. albimana Perez from southern France to decisively fix this name and to allow a proper comparison with both D. michezi and D. rosaella sp. nov. Examination of the type material of Dasypoda bolivari Quilis at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (Madrid, Spain) confirms that it is a junior synonym of D. albimana Perez, and examination of material in the Spinola collection (Turin, Italy) revealed that the lectotype designated for Dasypoda (Dasypoda) panzeri Spinola, 1838 is of uncertain geographic origin and is consequently best treated as a nomen dubium.