Sphecodes alternatus Smith, 1853

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 : 6-8

Sphecodes alternatus Smith, 1853

DIAGNOSIS. This species belongs to the Palaearctic reticulatus species-group

( S. alternatus Smith, 1853 , S. crassanus Warncke, 1992 , S. reticulatus Thomson,

1870) as evidenced by the short and relatively weakly elevated vertex (distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus about two lateral ocellar diameters as seen in frontal and dorsal views, versus those with a long vertex where this distance is more 2.0 and 2.5–3.0 lateral ocellar diameters as seen in frontal and dorsal views, respectively), the marginal zone of T3 distinctly punctate, and the female mesepisternum and propodeum laterally reticulate-rugose. The species differs from S. crassanus by the sparser tergal punctation with distinct interspaces on T4 (T4 of S. crassanus densely punctate, without distinct interspaces) and less developed tyloids in male (semicircular across basal 1/7–1/5 of flagellomeres versus 1/3–1/ 2 in S. crassanus ). The species differs from S. reticulatus by having the marginal zone of T4 distinctly punctate, smooth between punctures and with T4

red in the female (the marginal zone of T4 impunctate, finely tessellate and T4

usually black in females of S. reticulatus ).

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. Hind wing with basal vein weakly curved; costal margin with 8–9 hamuli. Female. Total body length 8.0–11.0 mm. Head strongly transverse, 1.25 times as wide as long. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum usually sparsely and finely punctate (20–40 μm), medially with punctures separated by 2–4

puncture diameters. Metasoma with tergal marginal zones smooth and distinctly punctate; pygidial plate dull, 0.5 times as wide as metabasitarsus; T1–T5 red, sometimes T5 blackish apically. Male. Total body length 7.0–12.0 mm. Head transverse,

1.2 times as wide as long; tyloids semicircular across basal 1/7–1/5 of flagellomeres.

Mesoscutum with punctures (20–30 μm) medially separated by at most 1–3 puncture diameters, rarely sparser; mesoscutellum irregularly punctate, with punctures separated by 0.1–3 puncture diameters. Metasoma with T1–T3 red, T4 varying from red to black; gonocoxite dorsally without impression; gonostylus larger as on Fig. 3 .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Kazakhstan. West Kazakhstan: near Uralsk [Oral],

10.VII 1908, 1 ♂, B. Uvarov [ZISP]; Yanvarztevo, Ural River, 22.V–11.IX 1949,

17 ♀, 10 ♂, VR [ZISP]; Chinarev, 31.VIII 1949, 2 ♂, Vyrzhikovskaya [ZISP];

Solyanka River, 13.IX 1949, 3 ♂, L. Arnoldi [ZISP]; Kharkin, Ural River, 22.V–

30.VII 1951, 7 ♀, 15 ♂, VR [ZISP]; Bolshoy Uzen River , 23.VII 1951, 1 ♂, VT

[ ZISP]; 110 km ESE Dzhambeyt , 30.VIII 1987, 3 ♂, YP [ZISP]; Atyrau: 30 km W

Miyaly , Uil River, 12.IX 1991, 2 ♀, 4 ♂, YP [ZISP]; Aktobe: Chelkar [Shalqar] ,

29.V 1984, 1 ♀, N. Malysheva [ZISP]; Kyzylorda : Kazalinsk , 25.V 1928, 8 ♀, N.

Olenev, VP [ZISP]; 32 km SE Kyzylorda, Syr Darja River, 2.VI 1979, 1 ♀, YP

[ZISP]; South Kazakhstan: 30 km NE Chiili, Karatau Mts , 25.VI 1982, 1 ♂, SB

[ZISP]; 35 km SE Chomkent, 2.IX 1992, 1 ♂, V. Dubatolov [ISEN]; Zhambyl:

Balkhash Lake, 30 km NNW Mynaral, 6–8.IX 1988, 3 ♀, YP [ZISP]; Pavlodar:

Irtysh River, 13 km NW Lebyazhye, 21.VIII 1987, 4 ♂, YP [ZISP]; East Kazakhstan:

Dzhambul env., Kara Tau, 3.VI 1980, 1 ♀, ZP [PCMS]; 15 km ENE Targyn , Altay

Mts , 2.VIII 1983, 1 ♂, SB [ZISP]; 40 km SE Targabatay , 1400 m, 1.VIII 1986, 1 ♀ ,

YP [ZISP]; 10 km E Dzhambul , 31.V 1994, 1 ♀, MH [PCMS]; Almaty: 2 ♀, Iliysk ,

29.V 1953, LZ [ZMMU]; 5 km S Talgar , 26.VIII 1983, 1 ♂, VK [ZISP]; Alma-Ata ,

25.VI 1992, 1 ♀, JH [PCMS]; 10 km NW Chundzha, Charyn , 22.VI 1998, 1 ♀, VK

anatolicus ; 5 – S. armeniacus ; 6 – S. crassus ; 7 – S. cristatus .

DISTRIBUTION. * Kazakhstan (West Kazakhstan, Atyrau, Aktobe, Kyzylorda,

South Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Pavlodar, East Kazakhstan, Almaty), Central Asia,

Russia (east to Khakassia Republic), Iran, South and Central Europe, Caucasus,

Turkey, North Africa.

Figures

Figs 2–7. Genitalia, males, dorsal view. 2 – Sphecodes albilabris; 3 – S. alternatus; 4 – S.