Hylaeus (Prosopis) multistictus Cockerell, 1931

Lhomme, Patrick, 2020, The wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Morocco, Zootaxa 4892 (1), pp. 1-159 : 120

Hylaeus (Prosopis) multistictus Cockerell, 1931

Hylaeus stigmorhinus multistictus Cockerell, 1931: 535 — ♀ (NHMUK), Holotype, Ifrane ( Morocco)

Global distribution: Morocco. ENDEMIC

Regional distribution: Fès-Meknès

References: Cockerell (1931e)

Notes: Taxonomic status unclear, it could be a synonym of H. praenotatus F̂rster, 1871.

Concluding comments and perspectives

The present bee species checklist and its associated distributional data are the first step towards developing an evidence-based bee conservation strategy in Morocco. A better knowledge of the Moroccan bee fauna will, for example, help in selecting and providing suitable foraging and nesting resources for bees to better create or protect pollinator habitats. It will also contribute to the current effort to develop sustainable farming practices in Morocco including protection of wild pollinators to enhance pollination services (Christmann et al. 2017).

Additional studies are needed to improve the taxonomy of complicated group like the genus Andrena (Pisanty et al., in press). These taxonomic studies should consider a large geographical framework (e.g. West-palaeartic region) to define accurately the species status of potential cryptic groups. Moreover molecular data should be considered to assess the taxonomic status as local variation of the morphology is very common in geographically isolated areas like Morocco and variation is not always associated to speciation (e.g. Bombus terrestris africanus ; Lecocq et al. 2016).

Knowledge on the distribution of the Moroccan bees is still very basic. New expeditions need to be organized in remote areas like Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region. Additional endemic species are expected to be described.