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

Abstract

This study summarises all available information on the bees of the genus Sphecodes in the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding countries (Israel, Jordan, and Syria). Twenty-six species are currently known from this area, while five species are newly recorded from the Arabian Peninsula: Sphecodes atlanticus Warncke, 1992 (Saudi Arabia, Yemen), S. intermedius Blüthgen, 1923 (UAE), S. nomioidis Pesenko, 1979 (UAE, Oman), S. puncticeps Thomson, 1870 (Saudi Arabia), and S. turanicus Astafurova & Proshchalykin, 2017 (Saudi Arabia). In addition, twelve species are newly recorded from Jordan, six for Syria, and four for Israel. The female of S. atlanticus Warncke, 1992 and the male of S. dathei Schwarz, 2010 are here described for the first time and a lectotype is designated for S. intermedius Blüthgen, 1923.

The bees of the family Halictidae (Hymenoptera) described by Ferdinand Morawitz from the collection of Aleksey Fedtschenko

“…The classification and current species status for Halictus and Lasioglossum follow Michener (2007) and Ascher and Pickering (2020) , for Sphecodes follow Astafurova et al (2018a , b , 2019 ), for Nomiinae follow Astafurova (2014) and for Nomioidinae follow Pesenko (1983) .…”

“…North Africa, Europe (north to 63°), Israel, Jordan, Russia (east to Yakutia), Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, NW China, India ( Warncke 1992 , Bogusch and Straka 2012 , Astafurova et al 2019 ).…”

“…North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Israel, Jordan, South Europe, Russia (south of European part), Turkey, Caucasus, Iran, Pakistan, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, NW China ( Astafurova et al 2019 ).…”