A note on the subgeneric placement of Leioproctus idiotropoptera Packer, 2006 (Hymenoptera, Colletidae, Neopasiphaeinae)

When it was described, the Australian bee Leioproctus idiotropoptera Packer, 2006 could not be placed to subgenus. Since then, several subgenera of Leioproctus Smith, 1853 from that region have been revised, and for some the diagnoses have broadened and the taxon concepts have been redefined, though this species remained unplaced. More recently, L. idiotropoptera was made the type species for the monotypic Packercolletes Engel, 2022, one of two genera recognized within subtribe Baeocolletina Engel, 2022 though little evidence was provided to support this placement, or to justify recognizing the genus-group name based on modern taxon concepts of Australian Leioproctus.

Despite its morphological uniqueness, especially in the male specimen, L. idiotropoptera is here considered an atypical member of Leioproctus (Colletellus) Michener, 1965 based on revised diagnostic characters for that taxon; Packercolletes is considered a syn. nov. of Leioproctus (Colletellus).