Trachusa verhoeffi (Mavromoustakis, 1955) Mavromoustakis, 1955

Kasparek, Max, 2018, Taxonomic revision proves Trachusapubescens (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, pp. 111-144 : 111

Trachusa verhoeffi (Mavromoustakis, 1955) stat. n. Figures 11, 12, 14, 15

Archianthidium pubescens (F. Mor.), subsp. verhoeffi. - Mavromoustakis (1955: 921-922).

Anthidium pubescens ssp. verhoeffi Morawitz, 1872. - Warncke (1980).

Trachusa (Archianthidium) pubescens verhoeffi (Mavromoustakis, 1955). - stat. n.

Material.

Holotype: Male. ISRAEL: 12-14.05.1951, P. M. F. Verhoeff leg. (cMAV). - Paratypes: 1♀ “allotype”, 1♀, 1♂ paratype, same data as holotype (cMAV).

Other material examined: ISRAEL: 1♂, Israel, 12-14.05.1951, P. M. F. Verhoeff leg. (cMAV); 2♀, 1♂, Jerusalem, 12-14.05.1951, P. M. F. Verhoeff leg. (cMAV); 1♂, Kirjat Anawim, 07.05.1930, Bodenheimer leg. (ZMB). JORDAN: 2♂, Jordan valley: Dayr Alla, 27.04.1996, Mi. Halada leg. (cMS). LEBANON: 2♂, Donnieh: Sfiri (34°25'N, 36°03'E) 808 m, 27.05.2012, M. Kasparek leg. (cMK). PALESTINE (State of): 1♂, Har Gilo, 5 km SW Jerusalem, 850 m, 23.04.1989, R. Kasher leg., Phlomis viscosa Labiatae (SEMC). TURKEY: 1♂, Akyaka: Korucak ( Muğla prov.), 07.05.2013, (cMK); 1♀, 2♂, Akyaka: Kıran (700 m) ( Muğla prov.), 15.05.2013, (cMK); 2♂, Akyaka: Çardak (700 m) ( Muğla prov.), 15.05.2013, (cMK); 1♂, Akyaka: Çardak (700 m) ( Muğla prov.), 19.05.2015, (cMK); 1♂, Akyaka: Gökçe ( Muğla prov.), 13.05.2010, (cMK); 1♂, Akyaka: Korucak ( Muğla prov.), 07.05.2013, (cMK); 1♂, Köyceğiz ( Muğla prov.), 15.06.2016, (cMK); 1♀, Antalya: Termessos 700-1000 m (37°00'N, 30°28'E), 23.-24.5.83, Aspöck, Rausch & Ressl leg. (cMS); 1♀, Termessos, 07.05.1989, W. Perraudin leg. (OLL); 1♂, Antakya, 01.06.1965, M. Schwarz leg. (cMS); 1♂, Antakya, 04.06.1965, M. Schwarz leg. (cMS); 1♀, Antakya, 06.06.1965, M. Schwarz leg. (cMS); 1♂, Antakya env., 30.04.1994, Mi. Halada leg. (cMS); 1♂, 10 km N Saimbeyli, 120 km N Adana, 12.06.1998, Ma. Halada leg. (cMS). 1♀, 1.5 km SW Yeşilova (Ula, Muğla prov.) (75 m), 18.04.2018, H. Koç, O. Özgül & M. Kasparek leg. (cMK). - SYRIA: 1♀, Syria, 1886, Gödl leg. (OLL) [Note: Gödl gave only “Syria” as the location for this and for other collected insect material, without further specifications. It cannot be ruled out that the specimen was collected in an area which is nowadays in Turkey or Lebanon].

Differential diagnosis.

Males are characterised by a widely rounded median projection on T6 (apical emargination absent) combined with a short, obtuse and rounded process on each side (acute or subacute in all other species) (Figs 16, 17). Punctation on T6 slightly finer than in T. pubescens , but clearly coarser than in T. hakkariensis sp. n., T. maxima and T. balcanica sp. n. Median projection of T7 relatively broad, more or less parallel-sided (no significant apical thickening as in T. pubescens s. str. or apical tapering as in T. hakkariensis sp. n.). The apex of the clypeus is shallowly emarginate (on average slightly shallower than in T. balcanica sp. n., T. maxima and T. hakkariensis sp. n.) and crenulated with approximately 8-11 denticles. The abdominal T1 and T2 have a very broad transverse yellow stripe on each side not reaching the middle; T3 similar, but often extending almost to the middle (subcontiguous); T4 and T5 with broad yellow bands, broken in the middle or with a basal notch.

Variability.

Males from the Levantine coastal area (from the Turkish provinces of Hatay over Lebanon to Israel, Palestine, and Jordan) are much richer in yellow than those from SW Turkey. The yellow maculation extends from the lower end of one eye over the vertex to the lower end of the other eye, only narrowly broken on vertex in some specimens. In the specimens from SW Turkey, this yellow colouration is reduced to some remnants on genae and vertex. While there is great individual variation in the extent of the yellow, the yellow on the genae and vertex are never merged. Also the extent of the yellow on the scutum is much reduced in SW Turkish specimens: Levantine specimens have a broad yellow L-shaped anterolateral band on scutum and sometimes also some inconspicuous yellow spots on axillae. This yellow maculation is much reduced in SW Turkish specimens and often entirely absent. Although not apparent to the naked eye, specimens of the Levantine OU proved to be larger than those of the SW Turkish OU. From 26 morphometric measurements examined, the Levantine OU is on average larger in 24 of them. In nine of them, the size differences are significant (at least p <0.05, t-test).

The colouration pattern of a male from the central Taurus Mountains (Saimbeyli, Turkey) coincides with the pattern of the SW Turkish OU including the absence of yellow colouration on the scutum. On T6, the lateral projections are shallow and rounded as is typical for T. verhoeffi , but the apex of the median projection has a shallow emargination as is typical for T. pubescens . This is the only specimen with such an emargination among the 20 males examined of this taxon. Additionally, the punctation of T6 is coarser than in the other specimens and in this character also resembles T. pubescens .

Distribution.

Mavromoustakis (1955) thought that the distribution of this taxon was confined to the Levantine coastal area (Israel, Palestine, Lebanon). Warncke (1980) supposed that it extends to the Amanus Mountains in southern Turkey. The new records show that the distribution actually extends along the entire Mediterranean coastal area of Turkey and in Muğla province reaches the border with the Aegean region.

Flower preference.

Mavromoustakis (1955) records Phlomis viscosa ( Lamiaceae ) for Israel and Lebanon, and R. Kasher (as per collection label) found it in the West Bank (State of Palestine) on the same flowers. Kasparek (2017a) collected it in Lebanon at Ph. chrysophylla . Both Phlomis species are very similar. Ph. viscosa occurs along the Levantine coast up to southern Turkey (Hatay - Adana region), whereas Ph. chrysophylla is native to Lebanon, Syria and Israel/Palestine, i.e. not reaching so far north. In SW Turkey, Kasparek (unpubl.) collected it on Phlomis cf. fruticosa .