Author: Isensee, 1927

Type species: Anthidium siculum Spinola, 1838, by original designation.
Subgenera: Asianthidium Popov, 1950; Rhodanthidium s.str. Isensee, 1927.
Synonyms: Axillanthidium Pasteels, 1969; Bellanthidium Pasteels, 1969; Meganthidium (Oxyanthidium) Mavromoustakis, 1963.
Clade: Anthophila
Family: Megachilidae
SubF: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Distinctive traits
  • black and yellow or light brown cuticle
  • 2 submarginal cells
  • 2nd recurrent vein reaching beyond submarginal cell 2.
  • females with ventral scopa
  • Presence of arolium
  • scutellum rounded
  • posterior tibia with apical teeth on the dorso-apical plate.
  • male tergite 7 with 3 strong apical spines
  • pronotal lobe with an anterior toothlike or lamella projection
Pictures of distinctive traits.
Morphologically close genera and how to distinguish them
  • Rhodanthidium - Trachusa
Rhodanthidium species have at least one apical tooth on the dorso-apical plate of the posterior tibia.
Trachusa species have a rounded dorso-apical plate of the posterior tibia.
  • Rhodanthidium - Afranthidium, Anthidium, Icteranthidium & Pseudoanthidium
Rhodanthidium species do have an arolium between their claws.
Afranthidium, Anthidium, Icteranthidium & Pseudoanthidium species don't have an arolium between their claws.
  • Rhodanthidium - Anthidiellum
Rhodanthidium species have a rounded scutellum and are larger.
Anthidiellum species have a subrectangular, posteriorly extended scutellum and are much smaller.
  • Rhodanthidium - Eoanthidium
Rhodanthidium species don't have a carina at their antennal fossa.
Eoanthidium species have a carinate antennal fossa.
  • Rhodanthidium - Stelis
Rhodanthidium species have rounded axillae, males have one apical tooth (sometimes bifid) on their anterior and median tibiae and females have a ventral scopa.
Stelis species may have pointed axillae, males have two widely separated apical teeth on their anterior and median tibiae and females have no ventral scopa.
  • Rhodanthidium - Melitturga
Rhodanthidium species have a pointed marginal cell, a second recurrent vein anteriorly connecting after the second submarginal cell, males have normal eyes and females have a ventral brush.
Melitturga species have a truncated marginal cell, a second recurrent vein anteriorly connecting at the second submarginal cell, males with enlarged eyes and females without a ventral brush.
General comments on Rhodanthidium species identification
Among other criteria, species can be diagnosed on the basis of the teeth and spines on sternites.
Sorry, but the species identification tool is not yet available for Rhodanthidium. 
Please check the reference(s) below for traditional keys.
List of the 7 Rhodanthidium species found in Europe (Ghisbain et al.  2023):
Rhodanthidium (Asianthidium) caturigense (Giraud, 1863)
Rhodanthidium (Rhodanthidium) acuminatum (Mocsáry, 1884)
Rhodanthidium (Rhodanthidium) infuscatum (Erichson, 1835)
Rhodanthidium (Rhodanthidium) rufocinctum (Alfken, 1930)
Rhodanthidium (Rhodanthidium) septemdentatum (Latreille, 1809)
Rhodanthidium (Rhodanthidium) siculum (Spinola, 1838)
Rhodanthidium (Rhodanthidium) sticticum (Fabricius, 1787)
References with identification keys for some of the species:
  • Kasparek, M. (2019). Bees in the genus Rhodanthidium, a review and identification guide. Entomofauna Supplement 24: 1-123.
  • Warncke, K. 1980. Die Bienengattung Anthidium Fabricius, 1804 in der Westpaläarktis und im turkestanischen Becken. Entomofauna 1(10): 119-210.
Online resources:
Exotic Bee ID (World)
WestPalBees (West Palearctic)
Page contributors:
  • Adrien Perrard (Dec. 2023)
  • Adrien Perrard (Dec. 2019)

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References used to write this page:
  • Ghisbain, G., Rosa, P., Bogusch, P., Flaminio, S., Le Divelec, R., Dorchin, A., Kasparek, M., Kuhlmann, M., Litman, J., Mignot, M., Müller, A., Praz, C., Radchenko, V.G., Rasmont, P., Risch, S., Roberts, S.P.M., Smit, J., Wood, T.J., Michez, D. & Reverte, S. (2023). The new annotated checklist of the wild bees of Europe (Hymenoptera: Anthophila). Zootaxa, 5327(1), 1-147.
  • Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World, 2nd Edition. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
  • Michez D., Rasmont P., Terzo, M., Vereecken, N. 2019. Abeilles d'Europes. Hymenoptères d'Europes, Volume 1. N.A.P. Editions.
  • Nieto, A., Roberts, S. P., Kemp, J., Rasmont, P., Kuhlmann, M., García Criado, M., ... & Michez, D. 2014. European red list of bees. Luxembourg: Publication Office of the European Union, 98.
  •  Rasmont, P., Devalez, Jelle, Pauly, A., Michez, D. & Radchenko, V.G. 2017. Addition to the checklist of IUCN European wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Annales de la Société entomologique de France 53: 17-32.