The oldest fossil of a melittid bee (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) from the early Eocene of Oise (France)

Phylogenetic relationships among and within major groups of bees are still poorly resolved. The main gap is the identification of the basal branch of bee phylogeny. In this context, more information is needed about the early fossil record of bees. Here, we describe Palaeomacropis eocenicus gen. nov. sp. nov., discovered in early Eocene amber of Oise (France). It is the oldest record of Melittidae and the fourth oldest fossil bee. The remarkable state of preservation of the specimen allows a detailed description of the cuticle and the setae. A cladistic analysis supports the classification of this species among the Macropidinae (Melittidae). Together with the existing records on a Maastrichtian Apidae and a Palaeocene Megachilidae, the discovery of an early Eocene Melittidae supports the hypothesis that Melittidae could constitute the basal branch of bee phylogeny. Moreover, the morphology and disposition of the setae of P. eocenicus are similar to those of the contemporary oil-collecting bee Macropis. The presence of a bee with such specialized structures would support the hypothesis that a close relationship existed between bees and oil flowers since the early Eocene. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 150, 701–709.