New records of megachilid bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from the North Caucasus and the south of European Russia

A.V. Fateryga,M.Yu. Proshchalykin

doi:10.23885/181433262020162-225331

Abstract

New data on 22 species of bees of the family Megachilidae from the North Caucasus and the south of European Russia are reported. Six species are new to Russia: Hoplitis curvipes (Morawitz, 1871), Osmia cinerea Warncke, 1988, O. ligurica Morawitz, 1868, O. cyanoxantha Pérez, 1879, Protosmia glutinosa (Giraud, 1871), and Coelioxys mielbergi Morawitz, 1880. Hoplitis turcestanica (Dalla Torre, 1896), sp. resurr. is treated as a distinct species, not a junior synonym of H. caularis (Morawitz, 1875). Megachile albocristata Smith, 1853 and M. alborufa Friese, 1911 are listed instead of previously recorded M. lefebvrei (Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1841) and M. pyrenaica (Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1841), respectively. Fourteen new regional records are reported: seven species are new to the North Caucasus, five ones are new to the south of European Russia, and two species are new to the European part of Russia as a whole. The numbers of megachilid bee species currently known in Russia, the North Caucasus, and the south of European Russia are 217, 130, and 71, respectively. The lectotype of Osmia proxima Morawitz, 1875 is designated.

Highlights

The family Megachilidae is one of the most understudied groups of bees in the fauna of Russia, in particular, the southern regions of the country such as the North Caucasus or the south of European Russia
115 species were hitherto known in the North Caucasus [Fateryga et al, 2019] and 65 ones were known in south of European Russia [Proshchalykin, Fateryga, 2017; Fateryga et al, 2019]
This paper is a step towards a better documentation of the megachilid bee fauna of the North Caucasus and neighboring regions of the European part of Russia

Summary

Introduction

The family Megachilidae is one of the most understudied groups of bees in the fauna of Russia, in particular, the southern regions of the country such as the North Caucasus or the south of European Russia. 115 species were hitherto known in the North Caucasus [Fateryga et al, 2019] and 65 ones were known in south of European Russia [Proshchalykin, Fateryga, 2017; Fateryga et al, 2019]. Both numbers are still expected to be significantly increased by further research.

Material and methods

Discussion