A revision of Anthophora (Caranthophora) Brooks with a remarkable new species from the Afrotropical region (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

The subgenus Anthophora (Caranthophora) Brooks, 1988 is a small lineage of Anthophora Latreille, 1803 bees, but despite its small size several problems and a lack of clarity exist. Based on revision of type and non-type material, several advances in understanding can be made, producing a final total of six species. Anthophora (Caranthophora) iole Bingham, 1898 (described from northern India) is found to have a range extending through southern Iran into Oman and the United Arab Emirates, and the mysterious taxon Anthophora albopicta Cockerell, 1917, syn. nov. is synonymised under it.

A neotype is designated for Anthophora (Caranthophora) tarsalis Priesner, 1957 which is recognised as a member of subgenus Caranthophora and not subgenus Heliophila Klug, 1807, and Anthophora spinacoxa Brooks, 1988, syn. nov. is synonymised under it. Anthophora (Caranthophora) calcarispina sp. nov. is described from the Ethiopian highlands. This extends the range of this subgenus into the Afrotropical region from its previous strictly Palaearctic distribution, again highlighting Ethiopia as hosting a unique bee fauna containing elements from both biogeographical regions.