Sphecodes rufiventris (Panzer, 1798)

Astafurova, Yu. V., Proshchalykin, M. Yu. & Engel, M. S., 2018, The cuckoo bee genus Sphecodes Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) in Kazakhstan, Far Eastern Entomologist 369, pp. 1-48 : 34

Sphecodes rufiventris (Panzer, 1798)

DIAGNOSIS. This species belongs to the gibbus species-group (refer to

Diagnosis for S. anatolicus for description, above) and is closest to S. tadschicus

Blüthgen in Popov, 1935 and S. schenckii Hagens, 1882 in short male antenna F3

(1.1–1.5 as long as wide versus about 2 times longer than wide in other species of the group), the form of the male gonostylus apically strongly emarginate as seen in lateral view and the punctate marginal zone on T 3 in females. The species differs from both in the less transverse head 1.2–1.25 times as wide as long in female and

1.1–1.15 times as wide as long in male (versus 1.25–1.3 times as wide as long in female and 1.2–1.25 times as wide as long in male) and by short (versus long) setae of latero-ventral gonostilar process ( Figs 29 , 37 ) (see also diagnosis of S. tadschicus ,

below).

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. Hind wing with basal vein weakly curved; costal margin with 7–10 hamuli. Female. Total body length 6.5–8.5 mm. Head transverse,

1.2–1.25 times as wide as long. Mesoscutum sparsely punctate, medially with punctures (25–40 μm) separated by 1–3 puncture diameters; mesepisternum strigate or strigate-rugose; propodeum laterally strigate. Metasomal T1 finely and sparsely punctate (5–20 μm / 2–5); marginal zones of T1–T3 punctate, sparser on T3; T1–T3

red, T4 and T5 from red to black; pygidial plate 0.5–0.6 times as wide as metabasitarsus. Male. Total body length 6.0–8.0 mm. Head weakly transverse, 1.1–1.15

times as wide as long; tyloids well developed, variable: from covering larger part of flagellomeres to semicircular across basal 1/4–1/3 (at least from F4 onward) and widely linear across remainder of flagellomere as seen in lateral view. Mesoscutum coarsely and densely punctate, punctures separated by about 0.5–1.5 a puncture diameter; lower part of mesepisternum strigate or strigate-rugose. Metasomal T1–T3

red, T4 and T5 from red to black; gonocoxite dorsally without impression ( Fig. 29 ).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Kazakhstan. West Kazakhstan: 60 km E Ural’sk

[Oral], 15.VII 1908, 2 ♀, V. Uvarov [ZISP]; Ural’sk [Oral], 29-30.VII 1926, 1 ♀,

A. Shestakov [ZISP]; idem, 20.V 1936, 1 ♀, Fridolin [ZISP]; Chinarev, 31.VIII

1949, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Arnoldi [ZISP]; Yanvartsevo, Ural River, 2.VIII–11.IX 1949 , 10 ♀,

VR [ZISP]; Dzhanybek, 18-19.VI 1977, 4 ♂, 2 ♀, DK [ZISP]; Aktobe: 10 km W

Khromtau, 360 m, 28.VIII 1987, 1 ♂, YP [ZISP]; Zhambyl : 150 km W Dzhambul ,

Lugovoe, 7.VII 1992, 1 ♂, MH [PCMS]; 10 km E Dzhambul , 31.V 1994, 1 ♀, MH

[ PCMS]; East Kazakhstan: Semipalatinsk [Semey], 1 ♂, F. Morawitz’s coll. [ZISP] ;

Talmenka River , 30 km ENE Kokpekta, 28.VIII 1986, 3 ♂, YP [ZISP]; 5 km S

Zharma, 29.VIII 1986, 1 ♂, YP [ZISP]; 20 km ENE Charsk [Shar], 600 m, 17.VII

1987, 2 ♂, YP [ZISP]; Almaty: 40 km E Alma-Ata, Fabrichny , 23.VI 1992 , 2 ♀, MH

[ PCMS]; 144 km N Alma-Ata, Malaysari , 25-29.VI 1992, 2 ♂, Jirousek [PCMS] .

PUBLISHED RECORDS. Meyer (1924: 5, as S. subovalis Schenck, 1853 )

recorded this species from the region of West Kazakhstan.

DISTRIBUTION. Kazakhstan (West Kazakhstan, *Aktobe, *Zhambyl, * East

Kazakhstan, * Almaty), Central Asia, Russia (east to Khakassia Republic), Europe

(north to 57° latitude), Caucasus, Turkey, North Africa (north to 57° latitude).

Figures

Figs 26–31. Genitalia, males, dorsal view. 26 – Sphecodes pellucidus; 27 – S. pinguiculus;

Figs 32–38. Genitalia, males, dorsal view (32–36), lateral view (37, 38). 32 – Sphecodes