New records of bees of the genus Sphecodes Latreille in the Palaearctic part of China (Hymenoptera, Halictidae)

Abstract

The available information about the cleptoparastic bees of the genus Sphecodes in the Palaearctic part of China is summarized. Twenty-four species are currently known from this area including 16 newly recorded. Based on type specimens, new synonymies have been proposed for Sphecodescristatus Hagens, 1882 = S.alfkeni Meyer, 1922, syn. n.; S.longulus Hagens, 1882 = S.subfasciatus Blüthgen, 1934, syn. n.; S.nippon Meyer, 1922 = S.kansuensis Blüthgen, 1934, syn. n.; Sphecodespieli Cockerell, 1931 = S.orientalis Astafurova & Proshchalykin, 2014, syn. n. Lectotypes are designated for Sphecodesalfkeni Meyer, 1922 and S.pellucidusniveipennis Meyer, 1925. Illustrated keys to males and females of all species known from Palaearctic China and an updated checklist of the 33 Chinese species of Sphecodes are provided.

The distribution of the genus Sphecodes Latreille (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) of the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding countries with description of hitherto unknown female of S. atlanticus Warncke, 1992 and male of S. dathei Schwarz, 2010

“…The taxonomy and distribution of species follows that of Warncke (1992), Bogusch and Straka (2012), and Astafurova and Proshchalykin (2017b). Identification keys are available in Warncke (1992), Astafurova and Proshchalykin (2017b) or Astafurova et al (2018b), except for the two recently described new species ( S. dathei and S. villosulus ). A detailed synonymy can be found in Astafurova and Proshchalykin (2016b, 2017b).…”

“…The present paper is part of a series of studies dealing with the bees of the genus Sphecodes of the territory of the Palaearctic region (Warncke 1992; Bogusch and Straka 2012; Özbek et al 2015; Astafurova and Proshchalykin 2014, 2015a, b, c, 2016a, b, 2017a, b, c, 2018; Astafurova et al 2014, 2015, 2018a, b, c, d). The goal of this survey is to improve the knowledge on the taxonomy and distribution of Sphecodes in the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding countries (Israel, Jordan and Syria) (Fig.…”