Megachile (Pseudomegachile) seraxensis Radoszkowski 1893

Megachile seraxensis Radoszkowski 1893: 45, ♀ ♂, “Sérax” [ Sarakhs, Iran]. Lectotype ♀, paralectotype ♂, by present designation (see below), ISZP.

Megachile tuberculata Radoszkowski 1893: 45, ♀ ♂, “Sérax” [ Sarakhs, Iran]. Lectotype ♀, by present designation (see below), ISZP. Preoccupied, not Megachile tuberculata Smith 1857, not Megachile tuberculata Smith 1879 . New synonymy.

Megachile tuberculosa Dalla Torre 1896: 451 . Nomen novum for Megachile tuberculata Radoszkowski 1893 .

Distribution: Israel, Syria, Oman, Turkey, Iran; India according to Alqarni et al. (2012).

Pollen hosts: One female was captured on Blepharis ( Acanthaceae) in Israel.

Nesting biology: unknown.

Material examined: Type material: lectotype ♀ of M. seraxensis, designated here: a well-preserved female labelled as follows: 1. “[rounded, golden disc]”; 2. “Typus” [printed on red label, likely added by J. D. Alfken]; 3. “saraksi” [handwritten, likely by Radoszkowski]; 4. “Saraks” [printed]; 5. Lectotype M. seraxensis, des. C. Praz 2013. A male bearing the same golden disc with no locality data is selected as a paralectotype (des. C. Praz 2013). Both specimens are in ISZP. Lectotype ♀ M. tuberculata, designated here: a well-preserved female, labelled as follows: 1. “[rounded, golden disc]”; 2. “Saraks” [printed]; 3. tuberculata [handwritten, likely by Radoszkowski]; 4. seraxensis det Alfken 1932; 5. Lectotype M. tuberculata des. Zanden 1994. This designation has not been published and is accepted here. The lectotype is in ISZP.

Additional material: IRAN: Kerman Prov. 10km W Damghan N36°06 E54°17 1200m, 10.6.2010, Mi Halada leg. ; ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Negev, 10km S Dead Sea, ' En Tamar, 10.5.2000, T. Osten leg. ; Southern D., 2km N ' En Yahav 30°40'39''N 35°14'17''E, 29.4.2010, C. Sedivy & C. Praz leg. ; OMAN: Al Batinah pr., Al Lajal 170m 23°30N 57°56E, 18.4.2013, J. Halada leg. ; Al Wusta, Wadi Rawnab 110m 18°48N 56°21E, 14.4.2013, J. Halada leg. ; SYRIA: ar-Raqqa, ar-Rasafa env., 5.6.2000, K. Denes leg.; Homs Palmyra env., 6.6.2000, K. Denes leg.