Epeolus transitorius Eversmann, 1852

Astafurova, Yulia V. & Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., 2022, Review of the Epeolus julliani species group (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Epeolus Latreille, 1802), with descriptions of two new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 94, pp. 191-213 : 191

Epeolus transitorius Eversmann, 1852

Figs 8A , 10

Epeolus transitorius Eversmann, 1852: 102 (lectotype: ♀, designated by Le Divelec 2021: 16, Indersk District, Atyrau Province, Kazakhstan; ZISP).

Material examined.

Georgia, Tiflis [= Tbilisi], (1 ♀), coll. F. Morawitz, Epeolus transitorius Eversm. [Morawitz det.] [ZISP]; Kazakhstan, Zaysan, IX.1908, (1 ♂), coll. Gussakovskij [ZISP]; Fort Aleksandrovsk[=Fort-Shevchenko], 5.VII.1909, (1 ♂), Nasonov [ZISP]; Berchogur[=Birshoghyr], 26.VI.1910, (1 ♂), L. Bubyr [ZISP]; Chernoretsk, 11.VII.1925, (2 ♂), coll. Gussakovskij [ZISP]; near Chelkar Lake, Bolshiye Barsuki desert, 20.VI-10.VII., (1 ♀) [ZMMU]; Yanvartsevo, 19.VI-17.VIII.1950, (1 ♀, 5 ♂), V. Rudolf [ZISP]; 10 km N Zharkol Lake, 9.VII.1950, (2 ♀), V. Rudolf [ZISP]; Tengiz Lake, 3.VII.1957, (2 ♂), V. Rudolf [ZISP]; Kokshetau, on Allium glabrosum, 11.VII.1958, (1 ♀), V. Rudolf [ZISP]; 50 km E Balkhash Lake, 26-27.VI.1992, (1 ♀, 2 ♂), J. Halada [OLBL]; 5 km W Shardara, 250 m, 41°16'N, 67°53'E, 23-24.V.2016, (1 ♀, 1 ♂), J. Halada [OLBL]; Russia, Astarakhan Prov., 35 km NNE of Astrakhan, 26.VII.2015, (1 ♀, 6 ♂), MP, VL, S. Belokobylskij, M. Mokrousov [ZISP]; Altai Terr., Novovoznesenka, 11.VII.1922, (2 ♂), A. Reygardt [ZISP]; Crimea, 8 km N of Dmitrovka, 5.VI.2018, (1 ♀), V. Savchuk [ZISP]; Mirny, Donuslav Lake, 17.VII.2017, (1 ♀), AF [ZISP]; Dagestan Rep., 20 km W of Makhachkala, Sarykum, 20-29.V.2019, (2 ♀, 1 ♂), MP, VL [FSCV]; Kalmykia Rep., 22 km E of Yashkul, 16-18.VII.2015, (1 ♀, 2 ♂) MP, VL, S. Belokobylskij, M. Mokrousov [FSCV/ ZISP]; 17 km SWW of Artezian, Kuma River, 18-24.VII.2015, (2 ♀, 9 ♂), MP, VL, S. Belokobylskij, M. Mokrousov [FSCV/ ZISP]; Orenburg Prov., Mayachnaya, 4.VIII.1993, (1 ♀), L. Zimin [ZMMU]; Orenburg, 9.VIII-3.IX.1926, (6 ♀, 1 ♂), P.A. Vorontzovskiy [ZISP]; Volgograd Prov., Sarepta, (2 ♀, 2 ♂), coll. F. Morawitz [ZISP]; Tinguta, 11.VIII.1952, (2 ♂), G. Viktorov [ZMMU]; Tajikistan, Yagnob River, (1 ♂), coll. F. Morawitz, Epeolus transitorius Eversm. [Morawitz det.] [ZISP]; Stalinabad[= Dushanbe], 18.VII.1936, (2 ♀), VG [ZISP]; idem, 15.VII.1943, (2 ♀, 1 ♂), V. Popov [ZISP]; Ukraine, Yareski, 21.VII.1922, (2 ♀), coll. V. Gussakovskij [ZISP]; Kharkov, (1 ♂), coll. F. Morawitz, Epeolus transitorius Eversm. [Morawitz det.] [ZISP]; Uzbekistan, Kurgan-Tyube[=Kurgantepa], Fergana, 27.V., 17.VII.1938, (1 ♀, 1 ♂), V. Popov [ZISP].

Variability.

Females typically have well developed red body coloration. The labrum, pronotal lobe, tegulae, metanotum (medially), legs, and sterna are always red. The clypeus is usually red, but rarely can be mostly black or dark brownish (except with a red apical margin). The antennae are typically brownish with a red scape, pedicel and F1. The pronotum varies from black to partially red. The mesoscutum is mostly black, but red patterning sometimes also occurs laterally. Coloration of the mesepisternum varies from entirely red to partially black. The axillae and mesoscutellum are usually red, but rarely black peripherally. The terga are black or brownish, but T5 apically is typically red; sometimes red patterning occurs also on the anterior half of T1 and along margins. Pubescences of female is moderate. The face (except upper half of frons) is often obscured by dense tomentum, but 45% of specimens examined have the clypeus with sparse pubescence or almost glabrous. The mesepisternum is densely tomentose on the upper half and with sparse pubescence or glabrous below the scobal suture.

The males do not show significant variability. The body is mostly black, but the labrum, scape, pedicel, pronotal lobe, tegulae, legs and pygidial plate are red. The clypeus is black or with red patterning apically. The axillae and mesoscutellum are usually black, often with red axillar teeth, sometimes partially red on mesoscutellum. The sterna are black or brownish to red along margins; marginal zones are golden. The pygidial plate is apically rounded, sometimes more or less straight or slightly bilobed.

Distribution

(Fig. 10 ). Greece, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia (south of European part, south Ural, SW Siberia), Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan ( Le Divelec 2021; current data).

Remarks.

The previous records of Epeolus transitorius from North Africa, Europe, Caucasus and Iran ( Friese 1893, 1895; Bischoff 1930; Popov 1967; Bogusch and Hadrava 2018; Bogusch 2021) are mostly wrong (see Le Divelec 2021). Records from Morawitz (1875: 144, from Tajikistan [= Levchenko et al. 2017: 317, as Uzbekistan]) belongs to E. michailovi Astafurova & Proshchalykin, 2021; records from Turkmenistan ( Levchenko et al. 2017: 317) refer to E. seraxensis Radoszkowski, 1893.

Figures

Figure 8. Epeolus transitorius Eversmann, 1852, female (A), E. rasmonti Astafurova & Proshchalykin, sp. nov., paratype, female (B, C), E. kyzylkumicus Astafurova, sp. nov., female (D) A, B lower mesepisternum, ventral view C subpleural signum (arrow), ventral view D S 6, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B); 0.3 mm (C, D).

Figure 10. Distribution of Epeolus transitorius Eversmann (red dots) and E. rasmonti Astafurova & Proshchalykin, sp. nov. (blue dots).