Sphecodes intermedius Blüthgen, 1923

Astafurova, Yu. V., Proshchalykin, M. Yu. & Engel, M. S., 2018, The cuckoo bee genus Sphecodes Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) in Kazakhstan, Far Eastern Entomologist 369, pp. 1-48 : 20-21

Sphecodes intermedius Blüthgen, 1923

DIAGNOSIS. This species is similar to S. pinguiculus Pérez, 1903 as both have densely and coarsely punctate metasomal terga (including T1), well-developed tyloids on the male flagellomeres (covering at least three quarters of ventral flagellar surfaces), a male face with appressed white pubescence below and above the antennal toruli, and having appressed, dense pubescence (obscuring the integument) on the paraocular area and upper half of the gena in females. The female differs from S.

pinguiculus in a denser mesoscutal punctation (separated by 1–3 puncture diameters versus 1–7 diameters in S. pinguiculus ), while the male differs in the shorter antennal length with F2 1.2 times as long as wide (versus F2 1.4 times as long as wide in S.

pinguiculus), as well as its gonostylar shape with membranous portion weakly S -

curved on inner edge, as on Fig. 14 (almost straight in S. pinguiculus ).

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. Hind wing with basal vein strongly curved; costal margin with 5–6 hamuli. Female. Total body length 6.5–8.5 mm. Head transverse,

1.25 times as wide as long; vertex weakly elevated and long (distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus about 3–3.5 lateral ocellar diameters). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum relatively sparsely punctate, with punctures (25–35 μm)

separated by 1–3 puncture diameters. Metasomal terga relatively coarsely and densely punctate (15–25 μm / 0.5–2); marginal zones impunctate; T1–T5 red; pygidial plate

0.4 times as wide as metabasitarsus. Male. Total body length 5.0– 7.5 mm. Head weakly transverse, 1.1 times as wide as long; vertex elevated; tyloids well developed and usually covering entire ventral flagellar surfaces (rarely shorter, covering about

3/4 flagellar length). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum relatively sparsely punctate,

with punctures (15–20 μm) separated by 1–4 puncture diameters. Metasomal terga densely punctate (15–20 μm / at most 1.5–2); marginal zones impunctate; T1–T5

reddish-brown to dark-brown; gonocoxite dorsally with impression; gonostylus large ( Fig. 14 ).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Kazakhstan. West Kazakhstan: 2 ♀, 5 ♂ (Yanvartsevo; Kharkin); Mangystau: 2 ♀ (120 km E Aktau, Ushtagan, Sauskan sands) ;

Kyzylorda: 4 ♀, 4 ♂ ( Kazalinsk ; Baigakum near Zhulek; 21 km NW Kyzylorda; 70

km NNW Kyzylorda ); Akmola: 2 ♀, 2 ♂ (10 km N Zharkol Lake; Kokshetau Mts) ;

Karagandy: 8 ♀, 57 ♂ ( Taldy-Manak River , S Zhana-Ark [Atasu]; Koksengir, S

Zhana-Ark [Atasu]; 50 km E Balkhash); Zhambyl: 10 ♀, 7 ♂ (Auliye-Ata [Taraz];

Anrakhay; Dzhambul env., Assa; 115 km, Akkei; Kara Tau; 12 km ESE Blago-

veshenka, Chu River; 12 km NE Krasnogorka [Ulkensulutor], Aktas Mts; Tatti, 80

km E Merke; 10 km E Dzambul; East Kazakhstan: 3 ♀ ( Ayaguz River , 40 km SE

Targabatay; 45 km ESE Targabatay ); Almaty: 11 ♀, 17 ♂ (Almaty; Iliysk; near Ili,

Ili River; Kapchagai, 60 km N Almaty; Alakol Lake; Charyn valley , W Chundza ;

30 km NW Ushtobe).

PUBLISHED RECORDS. Popov (1967: 47) recorded the species from Aktobe.

DISTRIBUTION. Kazakhstan (* West Kazakhstan, *Mangystau, Aktobe, *Kyzylorda, *Akmola, *Karagandy, *Zhambyl, * East Kazakhstan, *Alamaty), Russia

(south of European part, South Ural), Central Asia, Pakistan, Caucasus, Turkey,

North Africa.

Figures

Figs 14–19. Genitalia, males, dorsal view. 14 – Sphecodes intermedius; 15 – S. longulus;