The family Andrenidae is a large and diverse family although is absent from Australia, New Zealand, the Oriental region and Madagascar. The most distinctive character is the possession of two subantennal sutures below each antennal socket. Other characters include a pointed glossa, the episternal groove is absent below the scrobal groove (except Panurginae).
The subfamily Andreninae can be distinguished from the other subfamilies as:
- Stigma present in forewing; the apex of marginal cell point of narrowly rounded on or near the wing margin.
In Oxaeinae the wing stigma is absent.
In Alocandreninae apex of marginal cell is truncate and point away from the wing margin;
In the Panurginae facial fovea are shining and glabrous.
Source: Michener, C.D. (2007). Bees of the World. John Hopkins University Press.
