Abstract
The subgenus Anthidium (Gulanthidium) is a species-poor group of similar species, which is distributed across the West Palaearctic, from Morocco in the west to central Asia in the east. Due to some incorrect species determinations in the literature, the taxonomic situation remains to be fully understood. The situation is reviewed with reference to a rich, still unpublished resource of material from throughout the range. Anthidium flavissimum sp. nov. is described from Afghanistan, A. preoccipitale sp. nov. from Iran, and A. occidentale sp. nov. from Morocco, based on a combination of colour, structural traits, genital morphology, and morphometry. The subgenus as treated here now comprises six species for which a key is presented. Some of the species are sympatric. Species of the subgenus Gulanthidium are very close to A. (Proanthidium) and it should be further examined as to whether these two subgenera should be better combined in a single subgenus.
References
Alfken, J.D. (1938) Ein weiterer Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Bienenfauna von Palästina mit Einschluß des Sinai-Gebirges (Hym. Apid.). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, 1938, 418–433. https://doi.org/10.1002/mmnd.48019380207
Ascher, J.S. & Pickering, J. (2020) Discover Life bee species guide and world checklist (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). Available from: https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Apoidea_species (accessed 25 March 2021)
Baker, D.B. (1998) Taxonomic and phylogenetic problems in Old World eucerine bees, with special reference to the genus Tarsalia Morawitz, 1895 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophoridae). Journal of Natural History, 32, 823–860. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222939800770441
Boustani, M., Dathe, H., Ghisbain, G., Kasparek, M., Michez, D., Nemer, N., Pauly, A., Risch, S., Terzo, M., Van Achter, X., Wood, T. & Rasmont, P. (2021) The bees of Lebanon (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). Zootaxa, 4976, 1–146. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4976.1.1
Dehghan Dehnavi, L., Talebi, A.A., Goldasteh, Sh., Vafaei Shooshtari, R. & Nadimi, A. (2014) Contribution to the knowledge of Megachilidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) in the Yazd province, Iran. Journal of Entomological Research, 7, 1–21.
Dover, C. (1925) Notes on some Indian bees in the British Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 9, 15, 219–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222932508633203
Dunford, J.C., Turbyville, J.C. & Leavengood, J.M. (Jr.) (2014) Checklist of medically important Hymenoptera of Afghanistan. Insecta Mundi, 339, 1–13.
Falamarzi, S., Habibpour, B., Mossadegh, M.S. & Monfared, A. (2017) Species inventory of Megachilidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) in south of Fars province, Iran. Entomofauna, 38, 89–104.
Fateryga, A.V., Proshchalykin, M. Yu. & Maharramov, M.M. (2020) Bees of the tribe Anthidiini (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Entomological Review, 100, 323–336. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0013873820030069
Friese, H. (1898) Die Bienen Europa’s (Apidae europaeae) nach ihren Gattungen, Arten und Varietäten auf vergleichend morphologisch-biologischer Grundlage. Theil IV. Solitäre Apiden: Genus Eriades. Genus Trachusa. Genus Anthidium. R. Friedländer, Berlin, 303 pp.
Grace, A. (2010) Introductory biogeography to bees of the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East. Bexhill Museum, Sussex, 284 pp.
Güler, Y. (2011) The Wild Bee Fauna of Afyonkarahisar Province: Andrenidae, Anthophoridae and Megachilidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Linzer biologische Beiträge, 43, 731–746.
Güler, Y., Dikmen, F., Töre, D. & Aytekin, A.M. (2014) Contributions on the current knowledge of the diversity of the Megachilidae (Apoidea: Hymenoptera) fauna in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Türkiye Entomoloji Dergisi, 38, 255–278. https://doi.org/10.16970/ted.50880
Kasparek, M. (2018) Taxonomic revision proves Trachusa pubescens (Morawitz, 1872) sensu lato to be a complex of allopatric and sympatric species in South-Eastern Europe and Western Asia (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Anthidiini). ZooKeys, 764, 111–144. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.764.24581
Kasparek, M. (2020a) Revision of the Palaearctic Trachusa interrupta species complex (Apoidea: Anthidiini) with description of four new species. Zootaxa, 4728 (1), 1–48. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4728.1.1
Kasparek, M. (2020b) Variation in Eoanthidium judaeense (Mavromoustakis, 1945) and E. clypeare (Morawitz, 1874) (Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini) in the Middle East: semispecies or cases of geographic dimorphism? Zoology in the Middle East, 66, 145–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2020.1729563
Khodaparast, R. & Monfared, A. (2012) A survey of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from Fars Province, Iran. Zootaxa, 3445 (1), 37–58. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3445.1.2
Kiani Bakiani, S., Monfared, A., Hajiqanbar, M. & Azhari, S. (2016) A survey of Apoidea bees and their associated mites in Fars province, Iran. Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics, 2, 285–299.
Lhomme, P., Michez, D., Christmann, S., Scheuchl, E., El Abdouni, I., Hamroud, L., Ihsane, O., Sentil, A., Smaili, M. C., Schwarz, M., Dathe, H., Straka, J., Pauly, A., Schmid-Egger, Ch. Patiny, S., Müller, A., Praz, Ch., Risch, S., Kasparek, M., Kuhlmann, M., Wood, Th. J., Bogusch, P., Ascher, J. & Rasmont, R. (2020) The wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Morocco. Zootaxa, 4892 (1), 1–159. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4892.1.1
Mavromoustakis, G.A. (1939a) Some bees from Palestine (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 11, 3, 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1080/03745481.1939.9723595
Mavromoustakis, G.A. (1939b) On the anthidiine bees of Hissar Mountains (Tadzhikistan). Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 11, 3, 376–388. https://doi.org/10.1080/03745481.1939.9723613
Mavromoustakis, G.A. (1945) On some Anthidiine Bees (Apoidea) from Palestine. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 11, 12, 112–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222934508527492
Mavromoustakis, G.A. (1948) On some Anthidiine Bees (Apoidea) from Palestine. Part III. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 11, 14, 428–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222934708654652
Mavromoustakis, G.A. (1954) Two new Megachilidae from Syria. Eos, 30, 95–98.
Mavromoustakis, G.A. (1956) On the bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from Siria. Eos, 32, 215–229.
Mavromoustakis, G.A. (1968) New and little known bees of the family Megachilidae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Venezia, 18, 125–149.
Michener, C.D. (2007) The Bees of the World. Second edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 953 pp.
Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (1989) Hymenoptera. The systematic list of Mavromoustakis’ collection. Department of Agriculture, Nicosia, 130 pp.
Morawitz, F. (1888) Hymenoptera Aculeata Nova. Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae, 22, 224–302.
Morawitz, F. (1894 [“1895”]) Beitrag zur Bienenfauna Turkmeniens. Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae, 29, 1–76.
Munyuli, M.B.T., Potts, G.S. & Nyeko, P. (2008) Patterns of bee biodiversity and conservation values of localities with contrasting mini-ecological structures found within, nearby and between agricultural mosaic landscapes from central Uganda. Life Sciences International Journal, 2, 866–914.
Müller, A. (1996) Host-Plant Specialization in Western Palearctic Anthidine Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae. Ecological Monographs, 66, 235–257. https://doi.org/10.2307/2963476
Nadimi, A., Talebi, A.A., Zhu, C.-D. & Fathipour, Y. (2014) Study of the tribe Anthidiini (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in northern Iran, with the description of a new species. North-Western Journal of Zoology, 10, 413–424.
Pasteels, J.J. (1969a) La systématique générique et subgénérique des Anthidiinae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae) de l’Ancien Monde. Mémoires de la Société Royale d’Entomologie de Belgique, 31, 3–148.
Pasteels, J.J. (1969b) New Anthidiinae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae) from the Mediterranean area and from the Near East. Israel Journal of Entomology, 4, 409–434.
Salem, M.M. & El-Azab, S.A. (2017) A checklist with some taxonomic notes on the species of the family Megachilidae (Hymenoptera:Apoidea) recorded in Egypt. Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, A: Entomology, 10, 41–54. https://doi.org/10.21608/eajbsa.2017.12690
Samin, H. & Bağrıacık, N. (2016) A study on Crabronidae and Megachilidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from West Azarbaijan province, Northwest of Iran. Entomofauna, 37, 493–504.
Warncke, K. (1980) Die Bienengattung Anthidium Fabricius, 1804 in der Westpaläarktis und im turkestanischen Becken. Entomofauna, 1, 119–210.
Warncke, K. (1982) Beitrag zur Bienenfauna des Iran. Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Venezia, 32, 1981, 171–196.
Zakikhani, M., Monfared, A., Mohammadi, H. & Sedaratian Jahromi, A. (2021) A survey on Megachilidae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) species available in Iranian Pollinator Insects Museum of Yasouj University. Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics, 7, 167–204.
Zanden, G. van der (1996) Neue Verbreitungsangaben zu einigen wenig bekannten paläarktischen Bienen-Arten (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Linzer biologische Beiträge, 28, 387–390.