Megachile (Pseudomegachile) foersteri Gerstäcker 1869

Dorchin, Achik & Praz, Christophe J., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Western Palaearctic bees of the subgenus Pseudomegachile (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae, Megachile), Zootaxa 4524 (3), pp. 251-307 : 270-273

Megachile (Pseudomegachile) foersteri Gerstäcker 1869

Megachile bucephala Förster 1855: 231 , ♀, “ Insel Kreta ” [ Greece: Crete]. Preoccupied, not Megachile bucephala (Fabricius 1793) , not Megachile bucephala Smith 1853 .

Megachile foersteri Gerstäcker 1869: 355 . Nomen novum for Megachile bucephala Förster 1855 .

Megachile marqueti Pérez 1897: 4 , ♀, “ Syrie; Beyrouth” [ Syria or Lebanon; Beirut, Lebanon]. Synonymy in Pasteels 1966: 9.

Megachile foersteri var. albescens Friese 1898: 200 , ♀ ♂, “ Asia minor, Taurus cilic. Gülek” [ Turkey, Mersin Province, Gülek]. Preoccupied, not Megachile albescens Smith 1879 .

Megalochila (Pseudomegalochila) foersteri leucotricha Schulz 1906: 72 . Nomen novum for Megachile foersteri var. albescens Friese 1898 . Preoccupied, not Megachile leucotricha Cockerell 1902 .

Megachile gulhecensis Cockerell 1910: 497 , ♀, “Gulhek, Persia ” [probably Gholhak, Iran]. Holotype ♀, BMNH. Synonymy in Zanden 1995: 429.

Description: This species is a large, robust bee (body length> 17 mm, forewing length> 11 mm) easily recognized by its conspicuous metasomal vestiture: in both sexes appressed greyish or fulvous scale-like hairs uniformly cover the tergites, and contrast with sparse dark hairs on the thorax ( Fig. 2 ). The mandible of the female, approaching a 5- toothed condition ( Fig. 6 ), constitutes an intermediate condition between the 5- or 6-toothed condition of the incana species group and the 4-toothed condition observed in the cyanipennis species group. Characteristics shared by M. foersteri and the cyanipennis species groups include the male’s S4 without preapical medial carina (Fig. 89), S6 with swollen lateral lobes (Fig. 91), and S8 broad and oblong; S5 (Fig. 90) reminds in structure that of the incana species group, even if in the latter group this sternite is exposed and has ordinary rather than sclerotized capitate hairs. Furthermore, the unique form of the female clypeus ( Fig. 6 ) may consist a modification of the simpler, apically truncate clypeus of the cyanipennis species group. Other unique structures are those mentioned in the key, the short and broad S6 of the male, with dense sclerotized, capitate hairs arising at each side of disc from a transverse lateral process (Fig. 91), and the lack of hairs extending beyond the margins of S8.

Distribution: Greece (Crete, Samos), Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran.

Note: 1. Populations of Syria, Lebanon and Israel have fulvous metasomal vestiture, while other populations grey metasomal vestiture. Based on the examination of both sexes from both populations, we do not recognize distinct subspecies.

2. This species has only rarely been observed in Europe. It is unlikely that such a large, conspicuous species would remain undetected and it is probable that the species is strongly endangered at the European level.

FIGURES 83–94. Sternites 4–6 of males. 83–85: M. seraxensis . 86–88: M. schnabli . 89–91: M. foersteri . 92–94: M. riyadhensis . TLP: transverse lateral process, OAP: oblique anterior process. Scale bars equal 1 mm.

Pollen hosts: visits at least Asteraceae (Carduoideae) for pollen (C. Praz, unpubl.).

Nesting biology: Nests of this species were observed by J. Straka in Turkey and are unique among all Palaearctic Megachile . The nests were placed in excavated burrows in the ground, with a linear arrangement of 5– 6 cells. The material used for cell construction was pure resin. The nest was closed with small stones, up to a few millimeters long; the females were observed carrying small stones in flight. Once the burrow was closed, the females further concealed the closed nest entrance using vegetation fragments (leafs, grass fragments, needles) (J. Straka, pers. comm., January 2018). To our knowledge, other Palaearctic dauber bees (group 2 subgenera) neither place brood cells in burrows in the ground nor use pure resin for cell construction.

Material examined: Type material: Holotype ♀ of Megachile gulhecensis ( BMNH).

Additional material: GREECE (Samos): Near Mili , 19.6.1996, Olle Högmo leg. IRAN: Mahmudieh , 20.7.1948, 23.9.1948, P. Aellen leg. ; Beyza, Schiras , 6.1952, Scharif leg. ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: En Zetim 33°00N 35°29E, 2.6.2008, A. Freidberg leg. JORDAN: Dana village 30.67935N /35.61300, 29.5.2012, C. Monnerat leg. ; NW Jarash, Burma env., Al. Huna, 15.5.1020 [=2010?], Snizek leg. ; Ajlun, 30km W Jarash 850m, 2.6., Z. Kejval leg. SYRIA: 30km W Damascus, 19.6.2000, M. Halada leg. ; 40km W Damascus, 19.6.2000, M. Halada leg. TURKEY: Taurus / Tarsus, alte Transitstr. 20km N Kiefernheide bei Tasobasi , 4.7.1996, Brechtel & Ehrmann leg. ; Prov. Elazig 38°39N 39°51E 860m Palu 10km W Murat Nehri Valley, 26– 27.6.2008, E. Hajdaj leg. ; Mansisa , 40km NW Salihli N38°40 E27°45 150m, 26.6.2006, J. Halada leg. ; Manisa 40km NW Salihli 38°40’N 27°45’E 150m, 28.6.2006, J. Halada leg. ; Van, 30km W Gevas , 25.7.2003, J. G. Rozen & H. Özbek leg. ; Iskendenrun , M.6.1960, W. Schlaefle leg. ; Kannos , A.7.1997, W. Schlaefle leg. ; Str. westl. Hasanbayli bei Adana, 1000m, 2.7.1975, W. F. Reinig leg. ; Hazar Göl bei Elazig 1250m, 7.7.1975, W. F. Reinig leg. ; Pülümür Geçidi bei Tunceli, 1850m, 8.7.1975, W. F. Reinig leg.

FIGURES 95–102. S8 and genitalia of male. 95, 96: M. flavipes . 97, 98: M. saussurei . 99, 100: M. seraxensis . 101, 102: M. syriaca sp. nov.. GF: gonoforceps, ADC: apical dorsal carina. Scale bars equal 0.5 mm.

Figures

FIGURES 2–5. Habitus of selected species of the subgenus Pseudomegachile. 2: M. foersteri female (Picture: Gilles Carron). 3: M. farinosa female (Picture: Nicolas Vereecken). 4: M. ericetorum male (Picture: Albert Krebs). 5. M. ericetorum female (Picture: Albert Krebs).

FIGURES 6–21. Clypeus and mandibles of females. 6: M. foersteri. 7: M. incana. 8: M. blepharis sp. nov.. 9: M. cinnamomea. 10: M. saussurei. 11: M. nigripes. 12: M. seraxensis. 13: M. ericetorum. 14: M. sanguinipes. 15 (hairs removed on left): M. maxschwarzi sp. nov.. 16 (hairs removed on left): M. flavipes. 17 (hairs removed on left): M. tecta. 18: M. cinnamomea. 19, 20 (profile): M. farinosa. 21: M. riyadhensis (profile). CT: clypeal tooth, APA: apical premarginal area of mandible, HT: clypeal hair tuft, FC: facial comb of hairs.