Colletes alborzensis nov.sp.

T y p e m a t e r i a l: (13 specimens). Holotype: ³ " Iran, Golestan, Ziarat, 2299m, Geröll mit Euphorbia, 36°40´12´´N 54°33´27´´E, 05.07.2018, W.H. Liebig" (Coll. Kuhlmann, Zoological Museum of Kiel University).

Paratypes: 2³³, same dates as Holotype (Coll. Liebig, Bad Muskau; Coll. Kuhlmann, Zoological Museum of Kiel University); 2♀♀, 8³³ " Iran, Golestan, Shakuh-e Sofla, 2696m, Staudenflur, KF, 36°32´25´´N 54°26´13´´E, 10.07.2018, W.H. Liebig " (Coll. Liebig, Bad Muskau; Coll. Kuhlmann, Zoological Museum of Kiel University) .

D i a g n o s i s: Colletes alborzensis belongs to the Colletes fodiens species-group and is most closely related to C. inexpectatus NOSKIEWICZ. The female of the new species is very similar to C. inexpectatus and only differs by a combination of the following subtle characters: Eyes slightly more converging below and clypeus more convex with apical grooves a bit larger (Figs 1, 4), punctation on the disc of T1 slightly finer (Figs 2, 5). The male is identifiable by the characteristic shape of S7 (Figs 8, 11), denser punctation of metasomal terga (Figs 7, 10) and slightly longer but narrower hind basitarsi (Figs 3, 6).

D e s c r i p t i o n

F e m a l e: Body length: 8.0– 8.5 mm. Head distinctly wider than long (Fig. 1). Integument black, mandible apically dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with moderately long greyish, erect hair, on vertex hair shorter (Fig. 1). Clypeus strongly convex, with a shallow longitudinal median depression, supraclypeal area almost rectangular, large and slightly convex in profile. Clypeus finely, regularly and densely punctate (i <0.5d); surface between punctures smooth and shiny, inconspicuous pair of apical clypeal depressions (Fig. 1). Malar area medially narrow, about 1/2 as long as width of mandible base, finely punctate and partly shiny. Antenna black. Scutum on disc impunctate and shiny, laterally finely and densely punctate (i <0.5d), between punctures smooth and shiny. Scutellum anteriomedially impunctate, smooth and shiny; rest of scutellum densely and coarsely punctate (i <0.5d). Thorax sparsely covered with long greyish hair. Wings fuscous, venation blackish-brown. Legs black, vestiture whitish, scopa white. Integument of metasoma black, apical tergal depressions narrowly translucent dark yellowish-brown (Fig. 2). Terga on disc with few short, erect, greyish hairs, apical depressions apical hair bands (Fig. 2). T1 apically only very slightly depressed, depression superficially and finely punctuate, apical margin impunctate (Fig. 2). T1 on disc moderately dense (i = 0.5–1.0d) and relatively finely punctate, between punctures smooth and shiny (Fig. 2). No apical sternal hair bands but instead some long, erect ciliae.

M a l e: Body length: 8.0– 8.5 mm. Head distinctly wider than long. Integument black except tips of mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, yellowish-white, erect hairs. Malar area medially about half as long as width of mandible base, finely striate. Antenna black. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc coarsely and sparsely punctate (i = 1–2d), smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long yellowish-white, erect hairs. Wings transparent; wing venation blackish-brown. Legs. Integument black. Hind basitarsus apically broadened (Fig. 3). Vestiture whitish to greyish-brown. Metasoma. Integument black except narrow apical margins of terga reddish translucent. Discs of T1 – T2 covered with long, erect whitish hairs that are apically successively shorter (Fig. 7); apical tergal hair bands broad, white. Terga densely and finely punctate (i <d), between punctures smooth and shiny (Fig. 7). Terminalia. Genitalia and S7 as illustrated (Figs 8–9).

E t y m o l o g y: The species is named after the Alborz Mountains in northern Iran where specimens of the new species were collected.

G e n e r a l d i s t r i b u t i o n: Only known from the type locality in northeastern Iran.

F l o r a l h o s t s: Unknown.