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Issue: Vol. 4162 No. 2: 9 Sept. 2016
Type: Article
Published: 2016-09-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4162.2.2
Page range: 225–244
Abstract views: 214
PDF downloaded: 3

The bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of the Maltese Islands 

Laboratory of Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Applied Sciences, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Paola, PLA9032, Malta.
Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute of Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Zoological Museum, University of Kiel, Hegewischstr. 3, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Eberswalder Straße 90, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany.
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, OD Taxonomy, Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute of Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute of Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute of Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Hymenoptera biogeography islands Lasioglossum callizonium Mediterranean pollinators wild bees Malta

Abstract

This study presents the first checklist of the bees of the Maltese Islands and includes notes on the distribution of each species. A total of 95 species belonging to five bee families are recorded: Andrenidae (17 species), Apidae (34 species), Colletidae (6 species), Halictidae (15 species) and Megachilidae (23 species). Lasioglossum callizonium (Pérez, 1896) is recorded for the first time from the Maltese Islands. Records of three previously reported species are listed as dubious. The bee fauna of the Maltese Archipelago is dominated by widespread West-Palaearctic species, and most of the species recorded are also found in the Western Mediterranean Basin. Bees that have been recorded from Malta are also known from Southern Europe. The study provides a biogeographical analysis of the Maltese bee fauna, and discusses the conservation of this group and their important role in the delivery of ecosystem services in the Maltese Islands.

 

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