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.