Species of the Western Palaearctic Genus Tetralonia Spinola, 1838 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) with Atypical Pollen Hosts, with a Key to the pollinosa-Group, Description of New Species, and Neotype Designation for Apis malvae Rossi, 1790 †

peer reviewedThe long-horn bee genus Tetralonia consists of 35 Western Palaearctic species that are associated mostly with the family Asteraceae as host plants. A minority of the species are, however, exclusively associated with other host plants that have particularly large pollen grains, such as those in the plant families Caprifoliaceae, Malvaceae, and Onagraceae. This work presents a taxonomic account and morphological description of the assemblages of Tetralonia species with atypical (non-Asteraceae) host plants. It includes a key to the pollinosa-group, which contains most of the species, a description of three regionally restricted new species, namely T. eoacinctella Dorchin sp. nov., T. epilobii Dorchin sp. nov., and T. stellipilis Dorchin sp. nov., a lectotype designation for Eucera cinctella Saunders, 1908 [=Tetralonia cinctella (Saunders, 1908)], and a neotype designation for Apis malvae Rossi, 1790 [=Tetralonia malvae (Rossi, 1790)]. In addition, the name Eucera macroglossa Illiger, 1806 is confirmed as a synonym of Apis malvae Rossi, 1790; Tetralonia macroglossa ssp. xanthopyga Alfken, 1936 is officially placed in synonymy with Apis malvae Rossi, 1790; and Macrocera confusa Pérez, 1902 is listed as a doubtful synonym of Tetralonia scabiosae Mocsàry, 1879 (syn. nov.).5530 - Call for Tender_ENV/2020/OP/0042 -- ORBIT - Taxonomic resources for EU Pollinator Monitoring - Sources publiques européennes15. Life on lan

The Megachilidae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apiformes) of the Democratic Republic of Congo curated at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA, Belgium)

peer reviewedAbstractNatural history collections (NHCs) are a cornerstone of entomology, and the conservation of specimens is the essential prerequisite for the development of research into systematics, biogeography, ecology, evolution and other disciplines. Yet, specimens collected during decades of entomological research conducted in less developed countries across Sub-Saharan Africa on pests, beneficial insects and insect biodiversity in general have largely been exported to be permanently preserved in developed countries, primarily in South Africa, Europe and the United States of America.This is particularly true for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) diverse wild bee fauna, which has been investigated throughout the colonial period by visiting or resident entomologists and missionaries who have then transferred their collected material primarily to Belgium as part of a wider legacy of scientific exploration and colonialism. Digitizing NHC is one way to mitigate this current bias, by making samples accessible to researchers from the target post-colonial countries as well as to the wider international scientific community.In this study, we compiled and digitized 6,490 specimens records relevant to 195 wild bee species grouped in 18 genera within the biodiverse family Megachilidae, essentially from the colonial era (i.e., mostly between 1905-1960, with additional records up to 1978), and curated at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) in Belgium. We provide a detailed catalogue of all records with updated locality and province names, including 26 species only available as type specimens. We also explore the historical patterns of diversity and distribution across DRC, and we provide a list of the research entomologists involved. This study is an important first step that uses digital technologies to democratize and repatriate important aspects of DRC’s natural heritage of insect biodiversity, to stimulate more contemporary field surveys, as well as to identify and characterize research gaps and biodiversity shortfalls in little-explored regions of Sub-Saharan Africa

Ochreriades fasciatus.

18 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm.Herein we present information on the nesting behavior of Ochreriades fasciatus (Friese) found occupying beetle galleries in dead trunks and branches of certain trees and shrubs in Israel. We also describe the pre- and postdefecating larvae thereby making known the mature larva for this uncommon Old World genus. Females of O. fasciatus build linear nests in existing burrows in dead wood; depending on the length of the burrow, 1-5 cells are placed in one nest. The cell partitions are made of hardened mud, while the nest plug consists of pebbles fixed together with mud. Ochreriades fasciatus is oligolectic on Lamiaceae and probably strongly associated with the two related genera Ballota and Moluccella. It is hoped that information concerning its nesting biology, host-plant relationships, as well as larval development and anatomy will eventually prove valuable in determining the phylogenetic position of this genus relative to other megachiline bees

Diversity and Relative Abundance of Insect Pollinators in Moroccan Agroecosystems

peer reviewedAgroecosystems are often impoverished ecosystems, but they can host diverse communities of insects which provide ecosystem services. Specifically, crops may benefit from insect pollinators that increase their quantity and quality of yields. Basic knowledge is still needed regarding the identity, diversity, abundance, and ecology of insect pollinators in many parts of the world, especially in low and middle-income countries. In this study we investigate the potential of agroecosystems and crops in Morocco to host a high diversity of insect pollinators. We sampled insects in four eco-climatic regions encompassing a total of 22 crops for 2 years (2018–2019). After describing the general pattern of diversity and abundance of insect pollinators, we focused our comparative analyses on bees as they are known to be the most efficient and abundant group of insect pollinators. We recorded a total of 53,361 insect pollinators in all agroecosystems among which 37,091 were visiting crop flowers. Bees were by far the most abundant group visiting crops. Honeybees represented 49% of crop visitors followed by wild bees representing 33% of relative abundance. Three genera (Lasioglossum, Andrena, and Xylocopa) represented 53% of the total abundance of wild bees visiting crops. We identified a total of 213 species visiting crops (22% of national wild bee species richness). A comparison of the abundance, species richness, and community composition of wild bees visiting the same crops showed significant inter-regional differences for zucchini, faba bean, and eggplant. This study highlights the high diversity of pollinators in Moroccan agroecosystems and represents an important step toward exploring the Moroccan pollinator fauna. It provides basic information for future studies on pollinator conservation and pollination services.3922 - EOS-Michez - CliPS - Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles15. Life on lan

The new annotated checklist of the wild bees of Europe (Hymenoptera: Anthophila)

peer reviewedAt a time when nature conservation has become essential to ensure the long-term sustainability of our environment, it is widely acknowledged that conservation actions must be implemented within a solid taxonomic framework. In preparation for the upcoming update of the IUCN Red List, we here update the European checklist of the wild bees (sensu the IUCN geographical framework). The original checklist, published in 2014, was revised for the first time in 2017. In the present revision, we add one genus, four subgenera and 67 species recently described, 40 species newly recorded since the latest revision (including two species that are not native to Europe), 26 species overlooked in the previous European checklists and 63 published synonymies. We provide original records for eight species previously unknown to the continent and, as original taxonomic acts, we provide three new synonyms, we consider two names as nomina nuda, ten names as nomina dubia, three as species inquirenda, synonymize three species and exclude 40 species from the previous checklist. Around a hundred other taxonomic changes and clarifications are also included and discussed. The present work revises the total number of genera for IUCN Europe to 77 and the total number of species to 2,138. In addition to specifying the taxonomic changes necessary to update the forthcoming Red List of European bees, we discuss the sampling and taxonomic biases that characterise research on the European bee fauna and highlight the growing importance of range expansions and species invasions.  5454 - H2020 SAFEGUARD - Safeguarding European wild pollinators - Sources publiques européenne

National records of 3000 European bee and hoverfly species: A contribution to pollinator conservation

peer reviewedPollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access. As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non-native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups. After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies. Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation

Revision of the historical type collections of long-horn bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Eucerini) preserved in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris

peer reviewedSummary. This work presents a first taxonomic revision of the historical type collections of West Palaearctic bees in the tribe Eucerini (Apidae) that are preserved in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris. A total of 72 species names are revised, 147 type specimens are recognised, and 33 synonyms are newly proposed. Unexpectedly, some of the oldest bee names were found to be misinterpreted and have been incorrectly used for a period of nearly 200 years, demonstrating a substantial lack of knowledge. Actions are taken to settle the taxonomy of these and many other species, the names of which are continuously being used in biodiversity studies and databases. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Tetralonia Spinola, 1838 is reestablished as a valid genus and not as a subgenus of Eucera Scopoli, 1770 (based on F. Freitas, in litt.) (stat. rev.); Eucera speculifera Pérez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera aeolopus Pérez, 1910; Eucera conspersa Pérez, 1895 n. syn. of Eucera algira Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera dentipes Saunders, 1908 n. syn. of Eucera algira Lepeletier, 1841; Tetralonia atroalba Pérez, 1895 n. syn. of Tetralonia brachycera Gribodo, 1893 [Eucera (Synhalonia) brachycera (Gribodo)]; Eucera wahrmani Benoist, 1950 n. syn. of Eucera cinnamomea Alfken, 1935; Eucera fasciatella Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera clypeata Erichson, 1835; Eucera decolorata Gribodo, 1924 n. syn. of Eucera confinis Pérez, 1895; Eucera bolivari Dusmet y Alonso, 1926 n. syn. of Eucera confinis Pérez, 1895; Tetralonia mucida Pérez, 1895 n. syn. of Eucera (Synhalonia) cuniculina Klug, 1845; Eucera fulvescens Walker, 1871 (and its replacement name E. aegyptiaca Dalla Torre, 1896) n. syn. of Eucera dimidiata Brullé, 1832; Eucera gracilipes Pérez, 1910 (and its replacement name E. duplicata Dusmet y Alonso, 1926) n. syn. of Eucera furfurea Vachal, 1907; Eucera bicolor Lepeletier, 1841 (as well as its replacement name E. algeriensis Dalla Torre, 1896) n. syn. of Eucera hispana Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera ephippia Dours, 1873 n. syn. of Eucera hispana Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera hispaliensis Pérez, 1902 n. syn. of Apis longicornis Linnaeus, 1758 [Eucera longicornis (Linnaeus)]; Eucera fallax Dusmet y Alonso, 1926 n. syn. of Apis longicornis Linnaeus, 1758 [Eucera longicornis (Linnaeus)]; Eucera subvillosa Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera nigra Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera contigua Dusmet y Alonso, 1928 n. syn. of Eucera nigrifacies Lepeletier, 1841; Tetralonia lucasi Gribodo, 1893 [Eucera (Synhalonia) lucasi (Gribodo)] n. syn. of Macrocera obscura Brullé, 1832 [Eucera (Synhalonia) obscura (Brullé)]; Eucera grisea var. effasciata Alfken 1926 n. syn. of Eucera oraniensis Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera aciculata Pérez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera polita Pérez, 1895; Eucera bipartita Pérez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera proxima Morawitz, 1875; Eucera sulamita Vachal, 1907 n. syn. of Eucera syriaca Dalla Torre, 1896; Eucera kervillei Pérez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera syriaca Dalla Torre, 1896; Eucera maxima Tkalců, 1987 n. syn. of Eucera taurea Vachal, 1907; Eucera obsoleta Pérez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera terminata Pérez, 1895 (as also the latter’s replacement name E. xanthura Pérez, 1895); Eucera unicincta Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera vidua Lepeletier, 1841; Tetralonia carbonaria Pérez, 1895 n. syn. of Eucera atrata Klug, 1845 [Tetralonia atrata (Klug)]. In addition, Eucera eucnemidea Dours, 1873 is confirmed as a synonym, and formally synonymised with Eucera grisea Fabricius, 1793 (n. syn.). The following species-group names are synonymised, despite having precedency, under the principle of name stability: Eucera trivittata Brullé, 1832 n. syn. of Eucera bidentata Pérez, 1887; Eucera distincta Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera pollinosa Smith, 1854; Macrocera alternans Brullé, 1832 [Eucera (Synhalonia) alternans (Brullé)] n. syn. of Macrocera rufa Lepeletier, 1841 [Eucera (Synhalonia) rufa (Lepeletier)]; and Eucera subfasciata Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera taurica Morawitz, 1871. Eucera impressiventris Pérez, 1895 stat. rev. is resurrected from synonymy with Eucera punctatissima Pérez, 1895, and reestablished as a valid species. In addition to 43 lectotypes, neotypes are designated for two species, Tetralonia coangustata Dours, 1873, and T. nigrifacies Dours, 1873 (syn. Eucera commixta Dalla Torre & Friese, 1895)

Taxonomic revision of the aequata - group of the subgenus Eucera s. str. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Eucerini)

Dorchin, Achik (2019): Taxonomic revision of the aequata - group of the subgenus Eucera s. str. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Eucerini). Zootaxa 4652 (3): 457-472, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4652.3.

Megachile (Pseudomegachile) blepharis Dorchin & Praz 2018, sp. nov.

Megachile (Pseudomegachile) blepharis Dorchin & Praz, sp. nov. Distribution: Israel. Pollen hosts: All specimens of the type series were collected on Blepharis (Acanthaceae) in Israel (Sedivy & Praz, per. obs.). Nesting biology: unknown. Diagnosis: This newly described species closely resembles Megachile incana and even more so M. plumigera sp. nov. from the Arabian Peninsula. The female can be differentiated from females of these species by the combination of uniform silvery-white vestiture (Figs 113, 114), robust 6-toothed mandible (Fig. 8), and facial comb of unbranched, apically curved golden hairs covering the clypeus, supraclypeal area, and frons (Fig. 116). Megachile incana is larger and darker, at least hairs on T6 and tarsi are dark brown and the scopa reddish-brown to dark brown; furthermore, the mandible of this species has 5 to 6 blunt teeth (Fig. 7); M. plumigera sp. nov. lacks a facial comb of unbranched hairs and its face is covered with ordinary, light, appressed or semi-erect branched hairs (Fig. 125); Megachile incana has unbranched golden-brown hairs on the clypeus, but the hairs vary in length and are not curved apically, and the clypeus is slightly shorter (Fig. 7). In addition, the supraclypeal area of females of the new species is not bulging, and the vertex shorter and more sparsely punctate than in M. incana females (ocelloccipital distance equals 2 compared to 2.33 lateral ocellus diameters in the latter species). The male can be separated from that of M. incana by the following combination of characteristics: uniform silvery-white vestiture (Figs 120, 121); preapical carina of T6 with 10–11 teeth conspicuously varying in size and median symmetrical emargination (Fig. 123); apicomedian spine of T7 about equal in length to distance from base of spine to anterior margin of external surface of T7 as seen in ventral view (cf. Fig. 129); preapical carina of S4 produced into a small submedial spine at each side (Fig. 162); S5 weakly emarginate and depressed medially (Fig. 163); S8 tapering apically to a point with weak posterior submedial depressions (Fig. 167); gonoforceps with short and broad basal dorsolateral projection (Fig. 168); penis valve with lateral angles not produced anteriorly (Fig. 168). It is slightly smaller and has lighter tarsal hairs compared to males of M. incana, in which teeth in the preapical carina of T6 and the apicomedian spine of T7 are longer (the latter apically truncate and longer than the described above as seen in ventral view), preapical carina of S4 stronger (Fig. 159), S5 deeply emarginate and strongly depressed (Fig. 160), S8 apically rounded (Fig. 165), gonoforceps with longer basal dorsolateral projection, and lateral angles of penis valves produced anterolaterally (Fig. 166). The male is very similar to that of M. plumigera sp. nov., and differs only by the weaker posterior submedial depressions of S8 (compare Figs 167 and 169), and more rounded basomedial spine and basolateral angle of penis valve (compare Figs 168 and 170). Description: Female: body length 12–13 mm; forewing length 8.5–10 mm; head 1.1 times broader than long; inner margins of compound eye weakly converging below, slightly sloping mesad above (Fig. 117); interocellar distance 2.85 lateral ocellus diameters; ocellocular distance 2.1 lateral ocellus diameters; vertex relatively short, ocelloccipital distance 2 lateral ocellus diameters, about 0.7 times as long as interocellar distance (Fig. 115), concave in frontal view; compound eye about 2.5 times longer than wide in profile; mandible 6-toothed, short and broad, coarsely reticulate and shiny, with smooth, premarginal area along apical margin relatively long, at least half as long as minimum width of first flagellomere; all teeth comparably sharp, teeth 5 and 6 smallest, tooth 3 distinctly shorter than 4 (Fig. 8); clypeus about 1.5 times broader than long, weakly convex and elevated along midline with weakly elevated medial ridge seen in some angles, and small but conspicuous apicomedial protuberance obscuring truncate anterior margin (Fig. 8); clypeus weakly depressed near base, basally at same level as supraclypeal area; scape about three times longer than broad; first flagellomere 1.3 times as long as broad, slightly broader than pedicle; subsequent flagellomeres subequal in length, slightly shorter than first, terminal flagellomere longest, about 1.4 times longer than broad. Omaulus obtusely angular, weakly carinate only at uppermost margin; pronotal lobe sharply carinate and concealed by dense hairs; scutellum convex but without median protuberance; all femora and tibiae robust, broadly rounded on dorsal surface; hind femur with dorp-shaped fovea about half way along upper posterior margin, occupying about 1/5 of total length of femur; hind basitarsus oval, weakly convex, about 2.35 times as long as broad (cf. Fig. 133). Metasomal tergites 2–5 regularly rounded, sinuate in lateral view, depressed at base and elevated posteriorly. Integument color black on head, mesosoma and dorsal side of metasoma (Fig. 113), reddish-amber on underside of antennae and most parts of sternites and leg segments; marginal zones of both tergites and sternites changing from reddish amber to ocherous or fulvous; tegulae mostly ocherous; wings hyaline yellow, veins black to reddish amber, papillate distally beyond veins. Integument surface uniformly smooth and shiny at most with inconspicuous microreticulation, finely shagreened on propodeal triangle and medially on metanotum. Vertex irregularly punctate with moderately dense deep punctures, the largest punctures about twice as large as smallest punctures, with some interspaces more than one large puncture diameter wide (Fig. 115); clypeus densely punctate with irregular, confluent, deep punctures and few small interspaces on disc, with smooth, apical margin approximately two puncture diameters long; lower gena and hypostomal area sparsely punctate with very large, irregular, deep punctures forming interrupted ridges; mesonotum with confluent, irregular punctures forming interrupted ridges (Fig. 118); surface of metasomal tergites strongly irregularly punctured, concealed by hairs, comprising intermixed large and twice as small punctures separated by some large interspaces, more than one large puncture diameter wide. Vestiture uniform with white or light silvery hairs, comprising semi-erect, moderately dense, fine, branched hairs on sides of head, mesosoma, and T1, and appressed, short, scale-like hairs on following tergites (Figs 113, 114); clypeus, supraclypeal area and frons densely covered with modified, unbranched, apically curved golden hairs (Fig. 116); unbranched, golden hairs present on vertex, throughout mid-underside of thorax, coxae, trochanters, and posterior of T6, and appearing as thickened, long setae on clypeal edge, labrum, lower gena, underside of mandibles, and comprising two dense raws of hairs along grooves of inner side of mandible; tibiae and tarsi with ordinary, short, stiff golden setae; metasomal tergites 2–6 with comparable sparse, semi-erect, short setae; scopa made of long golden hairs (Fig. 114). Male: description as female except for the following. Body length about 12–14 mm; forewing length about 8 mm; inner margins of compound eyes converging below but not sloping mesad above (Fig. 124); interocellar distance 2.7 lateral ocellus diameters; ocellocular distance 1.9 lateral ocellus diameters; ocelloccipital distance 2.1 lateral ocellus diameters, 0.78 interocellar distance; compound eye 2.35 times longer than wide in profile; mandible weakly 5-toothed, third tooth small and sharp, basal tooth broad, divided in two (Fig. 124); mandible without basal inferior projection; clypeus roundly convex, completely hidden with hairs (Fig. 124); scape broaden apically, 2.3 times as long as broad apically; first flagellomere 1.2 times as long as broad, broader than pedicle, subsequent flagellomeres subequal in length, about as long as first, terminal flagellomere longer, about 1.9 times longer than broad; coxae without anterior spine; dorsal surface of front femur glabrous with tuft of long hairs originating on basal third (Fig. 121); front tarsi unmodified, front and middle basitarsi with long, snow-white posterior hair fringe, about 1.6 and 1.3 times as long as maximal width of basitarsus, respectively (Fig. 121); metasomal tergites 2–5 sinuate in lateral view, less conspicuously so than in female; hind femoral fovea larger than in female, occupying about 1/4 of total length of femur; hind basitarsus regularly slender. Preapical carina of T6 broad, more or less evenly dentate with 10–11 teeth largely varying in size, the longest teeth on both sides of wide median emargination; T7 produced into long, robust apicomedian spine, about equal in length to distance from base of spine to anterior margin of external surface of T7 as seen in ventral view, deeply emarginated below as seen in ventral or posterior view (Fig. 123); S1 weakly emarginate between short, rounded lateral lobes; S2 with elevated preapical carina on both sides forming comparable lateral lobes to S1; S3 with lower and longer preapical carina than on S2; S4 preapical carina absent laterally, weaker medially compared to M. incana, developed to submedial short spines (Fig. 162); S5 reminding that of M. incana but only weakly emarginate and depressed medially (Fig. 163); S6 reminding that of members of the cyanipennis species group: with lateral swollen lobes, the disc bare medially, with modified, sclerotized hairs along far lateral margins, growing in size apically (as also in M. incana) (Fig. 164); S8 broad and rounded, strongly tapering and pointed apically, with abundant, finely branched, long hairs apicomedially and along margins (Fig. 167); genitalia robust, gonoforceps with basal dorsolateral quadrate projection shorter than in M. incana, arms slender reminding those found in members of the cyanipennis species group: strongly angular in cross section, apically compressed in dorsal view with long branched hairs, especially on inner surface, the basal-most hairs thickened and sclerotized (Fig. 168); penis valve reminding M. incana but basomedial spine longer and closer to midline, and lateral angles blunt, less strongly produced (Fig. 168). Integument and wing color as in female, integument predominantly black, marginal zones of tergites reddish amber, marginal zones of sternites lighter ocherous or fulvous. Surface sculpture much as in female but vertex with smaller punctures and lower gena and hypostomal area with denser smaller punctures; metasomal tergites 3–5 highly irregularly sparsely punctured with some interspaces more than two large puncture diameters wide. Vestiture as in female but modified, unbranched or apically curved hairs absent except ordinary, stiff setae on inner side of tarsi; face completely covered with dense, long light hairs (Fig. 124); branched hairs slightly longer on base of tergites 2–5 and unbranched thickened setae longer on discs of tergites 4–6; T7 with long, unbranched golden hairs (Fig. 123); sternites 2–5 with abundant, finely branched hairs, longest apicolaterally (Figs 162, 163). Etymology: The new species is named after its known host plant. The name is based on a substantive and is thus invariable. Holotype: ♀, ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, 2km N ' En Yahav 30°40’39’’N 35°14’17’’E, 29.04.2010, C. Sedivy & C. Praz leg. (SMNH). Paratypes: 4♀ 6♂, ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, 2km N ' En Yahav 30°40’39’’N 35°14’17’’E, 29.04.2010, C. Sedivy & C. Praz leg. (SMNH, 1♀ 2♂; OLML, 1♀ 1♂; CPCN, 2♀ 3♂). 1♀, ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, ' En Yahav, 14.06.1986, J. Cna'ani leg (SMNH).Published as part of Dorchin, Achik & Praz, Christophe J., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Western Palaearctic bees of the subgenus Pseudomegachile (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae, Megachile), pp. 251-307 in Zootaxa 4524 (3) on pages 275-278, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4524.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/261052

Megachile (Pseudomegachile) plumigera Dorchin & Praz 2018, sp. nov.

Megachile (Pseudomegachile) plumigera Dorchin & Praz, sp. nov. Distribution: United Arab Emirates, Oman. Pollen hosts: Some specimens were collected on Crotalaria aegyptiaca (Fabaceae) in the United Arab Emirates. Nesting biology: unknown. Diagnosis: This species is very similar in morphology to M. blepharis sp. nov. described above from the Arava desert of Israel, and differs from the third species in the group, M. incana, by essentially the same characteristics listed in the diagnosis for the former species except those mentioned below. The female is easily separable from that of M. blepharis sp. nov. by the lack of facial comb of modified unbranched hairs, instead it has ordinary semi-erect, finely branched, silvery-white hairs on the clypeus, supraclypeal area and frons (Fig. 125). The clypeus is relatively short, about as short as in M. incana (1.7 times broader than long, but the clypeus is normally hidden by dense hairs). The male is very similar to that of M. blepharis sp. nov. and is difficult or impossible to separate from that species. Possibly, the posterior submedial depressions of S8 are deeper in M. plumigera (Fig. 169) than in M. blepharis (Fig. 167), and the basomedial spine and basolateral angle of the penis valve more angular (Figs 132, 168, 170). Description: Female: as described for M. blepharis sp. nov. above, except the following characteristics. Body size slightly smaller, 11-12 mm. Head 1.2 times broader than long; interocellar distance 3.9 lateral ocellus diameters; compound eye about 2.7 times longer than wide in profile; all teeth of mandible comparably sharp (Fig. 125); clypeus relatively short, about 1.7 times broader than long, weakly convex but not distinctly elevated along midline, with small, preapical medial protuberance not obscuring truncate anterior margin in frontal view, and with comparatively long, smooth area along anterior margin, about 3 puncture diameters long, the surface concealed by dense hairs (Fig. 125); scape 2.7 times longer than broad; first flagellomere 1.1 times as long as broad, as broad as pedicle. Omaulus angular (more strongly so than in M. blepharis sp. nov.), obscured by dense hairs; scutellum regularly convex; hind basitarsus oval, weakly convex, about 2.46 times as long as broad (cf. Fig. 133). Integument color black, except reddish-amber on either underside or both sides of antennae, terminal tarsal segment, and sometimes also tarsal segement 3 or 4; tergal and sternal marginal zones reddish amber to ocherous or fulvous; tegulae mostly ocherous. Integument surface sculpture as in M. blepharis sp. nov. (above) except that the clypeus densely punctate with irregular mostly small confluent punctures with no visible interspaces and with smooth apical margin two puncture diameters long; lower gena and hypostomal area with denser punctation. Vestiture as in M. blepharis sp. nov. (above) (Fig. 126), but unlike that species the face densely covered with light long branched hairs without modified unbranched hairs (Fig. 125). Male: description as M. blepharis sp. nov. (above) except for the following. Body length 11–13 mm; forewing length 6.75–8 mm; interocellar distance 3.1 lateral ocellus diameters; scape broaden apically, 2.5 times as long as apically broad; first flagellomere about as long as broad, about as broad as pedicle. Preapical carina of T6 broad, irregularly dentate with 7–8 teeth largely varying in size, the longest teeth on both sides of sometimes asymmetrical emargination (Fig. 129); T7 produced into long, robust apicomedian spine, slightly shorter than distance from base of spine to anterior margin of external surface of T7 as seen in ventral view (Fig. 129); structures of S1–8 and genitalia as in M. blepharis sp. nov. (above) except: submedial depressions on posterior of disc of S8 more conspicuous (Fig. 169); and basomedial spine and basolateral angle of penis valve more angular compared to rounded in that species (Fig. 170). These characters are weak and only few specimens were available for study. Integument and wing color, and vestiture as in female (Figs 127, 128), but antennal flagellum lighter reddishamber on dorsal side, orange on ventral side, and tegulae fulvous. Clypeus uniformly densely punctate with minute punctures covered with dense hairs. Etymology: The species epithet plumigera refers to the plumose hairs found on the clypeus of the females of the new species, its main distinctive character. Holotype: ♀, OMAN: 120 km NW Ibri Al Quabil (NW-Oman) [likely Al Qabil, 23°56′51″N 55°49′11″E], 0 2.04.1995, J. Wittmann leg. (MSCA). Paratypes: 2♀, OMAN: J. Hawrah Mahdah [likely “Jebel Hawrah”, 24°20’N, 55°53’E according to Baker (2004), a few km SW of the town of Mahdah, approximately 24°24'23"N 55°57'47"E], 17.03.2000, Gillet leg. (coll. B. Tkalců, OLML; CPCN); 2♀ 1♂, J. Huwarrah [likely Jebel Wahrah, 23°12'N 56°44'E, according to Baker (2004)], 24.03.2000, Gillet leg. (coll. B. Tkalců, OLML, 1♀ 1♂; SMNH, 1♀); 1♂, Muscat, Ruwi, iii.1976, K. Guichard leg. (BMNH). UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 2♂, Al Ain, Snhaiba Dunes, 24.03.2000, Gillet leg. (coll. B. Tkalců, OLML; SMNH); 3♀ 3♂, Dubai DDCR, dune area grazing and browsing exclusion plot 24.82096°N 55.61533°E, 2– 16.04.2016, S. Gess leg. (AMGS, 2♀ 2♂; CPCN 1 ♀ 1♂).Published as part of Dorchin, Achik & Praz, Christophe J., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Western Palaearctic bees of the subgenus Pseudomegachile (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae, Megachile), pp. 251-307 in Zootaxa 4524 (3) on pages 279-281, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4524.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/261052