Abstract
A new genus of melitturgine bees (Panurginae: Melitturgini) is described and figured from central Saudi Arabia.BelliturgulanajdicaEngel,gen. et sp. n., is similar in several respects to the genusFlavomeliturgulaPatiny in that both have a greatly elongate glossa that is longer than the face and is truncate apically. The former differs in the greatly elongate and flattened first labial palpomere, the remaining palpomeres unmodified, the greatly protuberant clypeus, and long labrum lacking dense setal patches, among other traits. In addition, remarks are made on the composition ofFlavomeliturgula, withMeliturguladesertaWarncke (Iran, Pakistan), removed toKhuzimelissaEngel,gen. n., resulting in the new combinationKhuzimelissadeserta(Warncke),comb. n.Khuzimelissadiffers fromFlavomeliturgulaby the unmodified labial palpomeres (lacking the elongate first three labial palpomeres of the latter genus), the acute glossa (broadly truncate in the latter), glossa shorter than head length (greater than head length in the latter), the abundant, white, squamiform setae of the mesoscutum (sparse, erect setae in the latter), cleft pretarsal claws (simple in the latter), presence of metasomal setal bands (lacking in the latter), and apically emarginate pygidial plate (acutely rounded in the latter). The species ofFlavomeliturgulaare organized into three subgenera, includingKoreshomelissaEngel,subgen. n., andFreyamelissaEngel,subgen. n., and these may eventually warrant generic status once phylogenetic work on the tribe has been completed. A key to the Arabian genera of Panurginae is provided, along with an augmented key to the genera of subtribe Meliturgulina.
Highlights
Bees of the panurgine tribe Melitturgini are uncommonly encountered in the Arabian fauna
Three genera have been recognized in Meliturgulina: Gasparinahla Patiny, known only from a single, poorly preserved male from southwestern Iran; Flavomeliturgula Patiny, encompassing several species occurring across southern Iran and Pakistan; and Meliturgula, the largest genus of the group, with species distributed throughout Arabia and Africa but concentrated in southern Africa (Michener 2007)
In recent years several genera have been added to the Arabian fauna, including Melitta Kirby (Melittidae), Compsomelissa Alfken, and Tarsalia Morawitz (Alqarni et al, 2014; Shebl et al, 2016; Engel et al, 2014, 2017)
Summary
Bees of the panurgine tribe Melitturgini are uncommonly encountered in the Arabian fauna. The tribe has been represented in Arabia by only four species in two genera: Meliturgula scriptifrons (Walker) (=Poecilomelitta dzheddaensis Popov), M. ornata (Popov), Borgatomelissa brevipennis (Walker) (= Nomia eburneifrons Walker, M. arabica Popov), and B. niveopilosa Patiny (Walker 1871; Popov 1951; Patiny 2002). The biology of these bees in Arabia remains unstudied, and even basic records of floral associations are lacking. We provide keys to the genera of Arabian Panurginae and to the genera of subtribe Meliturgulina
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