A CLASSIFICATION OF THE BEES OF THE SUBFAMILY XEROMELISSINAE (MYLMENOPTERA, COLLETIDAE)

The subfamily Xeromelissinae is here divided into two tribes, the Chil icolini for the genera Chilicola and Xenochilicola and the Xeromelissi ni for the genera Xeromelissa and Chilimelissa. In the genus Chilicola seven subgenera are recognized, some of which have been considered as genera; they are: Anoediscelis, Chilicola s. str., Chilioediscelis, H ylaeosoma, Oediscelis, Prosopoides, and Pseudiscelis. The Xeromelissin ae are found in South America, especially in xeric regions, with the g reatest number and diversity in Chile. Two subgenera of Chilicola, how ever, also occur in Central America and Mexico and one of them occurs in the Lesser Antilles. Keys are provided to the tribes, genera, and s ubgenera.