Halictus (Halictus) rufipes (Fabricius, 1793)

Halictus (Halictus) rufipes was included in the European checklist in Rasmont et al. (2017), which referenced earlier records such as those by Friese (1916) and Blüthgen (1923), for southern Spain, and Rasmont et al. (1995), for Sardinia. While the species is well-documented in northwest Africa, its European presence is highly questionable based on current evidence.

For the reported presence in Spain, Friese (1916) described Halictus quadricinctus var. rubripes, later synonymised with H. rufipes, mentioning its presence in Algeria, Egypt, and Spain. However, no specific locality or additional geographical data were provided. Ortiz-Sánchez & Pauly (2017) recommended excluding this species from the Spanish checklist due to the lack of precise information and absence of recent collections.

For Sardinia, Rasmont et al. (1995) cited Pagliano (1988), who referenced a single specimen reportedly seen on Caprera Island by Ebmer. This record, however, is listed as “Ebmer in litteris ” without supporting clear reference or further documentation.

Given the absence of reliable contemporary data or confirmed European records, it is now prudent to remove Halictus rufipes from the European checklist.

Distribution. Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia (Friese 1916; Ebmer 1976).