Morphometric and molecular analyses support the species status of Amegilla teneriffensis (Cockerell, 1930) and A. maderae (Sichel, 1868) (Anthophila: Apidae: Anthophorinae)

Amegilla quadrifasciata (Villers, l789) has been recorded as a widespread bee species across the Mediterranean basin, including the Madeira Archipelago and the Canary Islands. Until now, these island populations have been differentiated from mainland populations as two subspecies: Amegilla quadrifasciata maderae (Sichel, 1868) and A. quadrifasciata teneriffensis (Cockerell, 1930), respectively. We now show, using DNA sequences and multivariate morphometric and morphological analyses, that these former subspecies most likely represent two distinct species: A. maderae (Sichel, 1868) status resurrected and Amegilla teneriffensis (Cockerell, 1930) stat. nov., upgraded to species rank and sister species to A. quadrifasciata.

Mainland populations of A. quadrifasciata across its range are genetically and morphometrically largely homogeneous and differentiated from A. maderae and A. teneriffensis. In comparison to A. quadrifasciata, A. maderae and A. teneriffensis have larger body size in females, but not in males, whilst A. maderae females exhibit dark polymorphic hair colour forms.