Epeolus cruciger (Panzer, 1799)

Astafurova, Yulia V. & Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., 2022, Review of the Epeolus cruciger species group (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Epeolus Latreille, 1802) of Asia, with the description of two new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 92, pp. 305-328 : 305

Epeolus cruciger (Panzer, 1799)

Fig. 6

Nomada crucigera Panzer, 1799: 20, ♂ (type locality: Austria), Natural History Museum, Berlin.

Epeolus rufipes Thomson, 1870: 91, ♀ (type locality: S-Sweden), Zoological Museum of University Lund, Sweden.

Epeolus similis Höppner, 1899: 355-356, ♀, ♂ (type locality: Freisenbüttel, Germany), Natural History Museum, Berlin.

Epeolus cruciger var. elegans Müller, 1921: 168, ♀ (type locality: Arnswalde, Germany), Natural History Museum, Berlin.

Epeolus cruciger var. rufiventris Müller, 1921: 168, ♀ (type locality: Arnswalde, Germany), Natural History Museum, Berlin.

Epeolus marginatus Bischoff, 1930: 11, ♀, ♂ (type locality: Warnemünde, Germany), Natural History Museum, Berlin.

Material examined.

Russia, Chelyabinsk Prov., Metlino , 23.VIII.2004, (3 ♀) , P. Rudoiskatel [ZISP]; Voznesenskaya , 16.VII.2017, (1 ♂) , K. Fadeev [ZISP]; Orenburg Prov., Spassk [oye], (1 ♀, 1 ♂), coll. Eversmann [ZISP]; Orenburg, 18.VII.1920, (10 ♀, 1 ♂) , P. Vorontzovskiy [ZISP]; Permskiy Terr., Kisherti , 29.VII.1961, (2 ♀, 1 ♂) , Shemina [ZISP]; Sverdlovsk Prov., Sysertskiy distr, Dvurechensk , 29.VII.2007, (2 ♀) , P. Rudoiskatel [ZISP]; Kemerovo Prov., Chebulinsk distr., Dmitriyevka , 8.VIII.2005, (1 ♀) , N. Yeremyeva [ZISP]; Mozzhukha , 6.VII.2006, (1 ♂) , Korshunov [ZISP]; 10 km NE Novokuznetzk , on Allium rubens , 31.VII.2008, (3 ♀) , DS [ZISP]; 5 km NE Prokopyevsk , on Veronica spicata , 15.VIII.2009, (3 ♀) , DS [ZISP]; Altaisky Terr., 15 km S Blagoveshchenki, Kuchukskoye Lake , 20-21.VII.2017, (4 ♀, 3 ♂) , MP [FSCV/ ZISP]; 18 km NNW Rodino, Kuchuk River , 22.VII.2017, (1 ♀, 1 ♂) , MP [FSCV/ ZISP]; Kulundinskoye Lake, Znamenka , 24.VII.2017, (2 ♀) , MP [FSCV/ ZISP]; 30 km S Kuray, Savvushka , 31.VII.2007, (1 ♀) , SB [ZISP]; 5 km SSE Solonovka , 1.VIII.2021, (1 ♀) , DS [FSCV/ ZISP]; Khakassia Rep., Oshkol' Lake , 7.VIII.2007, (1 ♀) , M. Shcherbakov [FSCV/ ZISP]; Sosnovoe Lake , 2.VIII.2018, (5♀, 5 ♂) , SL, DS [ZISP]; Tyva Rep. , 20 km NW Chadan, 9.VII.2009, (1 ♂) , SB [ZISP]; 90 km S Kyzyl, Chagytay Lake , 21.VII.2010, (2 ♂) , SB [ZISP]; 15 km NE Tyran , 31.VII.2009, (2 ♂) , SB [ZISP]; Kyzyl , 15-19.VII.2010, (5 ♂) , SB [ZISP]; Uvs-Nur Lake , 24.VII.2010, (1 ♀, 4 ♂) , SB [ZISP]; Balgazyn , 29.VII.2010, (2 ♂) , SB [ZISP]; 7 km SE Erzin, Tes-Khem River , 13.VII.2014, (4 ♀, 5 ♂) , AL, MP, VL [FSCV/ ZISP]; 12 km SW Samagaltay, Dyttyg-Khem River , 17.VII.2014, (4 ♂) , AS, MP, VL [FSCV/ ZISP]; 6 km SE Bay-Khaak , 20-21.VII.2014, (1 ♀) , AL, MP, VL [FSCV/ ZISP]; 32 SW Kyzyl, Elegest River , 22.VII.2014, (1 ♀, 2 ♂) , AS, MP, VL [FSCV/ ZISP]; 12 km SSE Erzin , 23.VII.2018, (1 ♀) , SL, DS [ZISP]; 11 km W of Ust-Elegest , 27.VII.2018, (1 ♀) , SL, DS [ZISP]; Krasnoyarsk Terr., Krasnoyarsk , (1 ♀), coll. Morawitz [ZISP]; idem, 20.VII.2012, (1 ♀) , MP, VL [ZISP]; Minussinsk distr., Novosyolovo , 8.VIII.1924, (1 ♀) , Vinogradov [ZISP]; Minussinsk env., Malaya Minusa River , 4.VII.2012, (1 ♂) , MP, VL [FSCV]; Kuragino , on Veronica incana , 18.VII.2018, (1 ♀, 1 ♂) , SL, DS [ZISP]; Buryatia Rep., Kurumkanskiy distr., Mayskiy , 23.VII.1995, (1 ♀) , S. Rudykh [ZISP]; 18 km NE Malaya Kurba , 16.VIII.2016, (1 ♀) , S. Rudykh [ZISP]; Ashan , 24.VII.2019, (1 ♀) , Yu. Astafurova [ZISP]; Irkutsk Prov. , Irkutsk, (4 ♂), coll. F. Morawitz [ZISP]; idem, (1 ♂) , V. Yakovlev [ZISP]; Magadan Prov., Debin , 16.VII.1963, (2 ♀) , Zhelkhovzev [ZMMU]; Kazakhstan, Semipalatinsk, (1 ♂), coll. F. Morawitz [ZISP]; Berchogur [=Birshoghyr], 17.VI.1910, (1 ♀, 5 ♂) , L. Babyr [ZISP]; Dzhulek, Syr-Darja , 16.VI.1912, (2 ♂) , L. Wolmann [ZISP]; Borovoye [=Burabay], 22.VII.1932, (4 ♀) , V. Popov [ZISP]; Akmola Prov., Shortandy , 1.VII.1939, (1 ♀) , B. Kuzin [ZMMU]; Yanvartzevo , 16.VI.-16.VIII.1950, (12 ♀, 32 ♂) , Rudolf [ZISP]; Kharkin, Ural River , on Senecio jacobacea , Allium angulosum , 21.VI-3.VIII.1951, (29 ♀, 58 ♂) , Rudolf, Popov [ZISP]; Derkul , 2.VIII.1953, (1 ♂) , M. Belkovskiy [ZISP]; Alma-Ata, Aksay , 16.VII.1981, (1 ♀, 1 ♂) , Kocourek [OLBL]; 20 km SE Askay , 16.VI.1992, (1 ♀) , JH [OLLM]; Taldy-Kurgan, 200 km NE Cherkaskoye , 27.VI.1992, (1 ♀, 1 ♂) , M. Halada [OLBL]; Balkhash , 28.VII.1992, (2 ♂) , JH [OLBL]; 12 km N Balkhash, Kounradskiy , 1.VIII.2014, (1 ♂) , K. Fadeev [ZISP]; Kyrgyzstan, Ak-Ulen, Issyk-Kul Lake , 29.VI.1953, (1 ♀, 1 ♂) , D. Panfilov [ZMMU]; Pokrovka, Issyk-Kul Lake , 16.VII.1954, (1 ♀) , D. Panfilov [ZMMU]; Tash-Arik , 11 km E Talas, 4.VII.1992, (1 ♂) , Jirausek [OLBL]; Uzbekistan, Ambasar, 17.VIII.1936, (1 ♂) , P. Rezvoy [ZISP]; Margilan, (1 ♀, 1 ♂), coll. F. Morawitz [ZISP]; Dzhuma , on Tamarix sp., 25.VI.1937, (1 ♂) , V. Popov [ZISP]; Kurgan-Tube , 23.V.1938, (1 ♀) , V. Popov [ZISP]; Turkmenistan, Chuli, Kopet Dag Mts , 16.VI.1914, (1 ♀) , A. Golbek [V. Popov det. as E. cruciger ] [ZISP]; Iran, Tabriz, 12.VI.1914, (1 ♀) , Andrievskiy [ZISP].

Remarks.

We also have examined 80 specimens of this species (36 ♀, 44 ♂) from the European part of Russia and from the Caucasus. We have not listed materials from Yakutia published by Davydova and Pesenko (2002). A few specimens were misidentified by these authors and belong to E. alpinus (vide supra). A record from Sakhalin ( Proshchalykin et al. 2004) also corresponds to E. alpinus .

Distribution.

Europe, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, *Turkmenistan, *Uzbekistan, *Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia (Dornod, Khentii, Khovd, Khuvsgul) ( Bogusch and Hadrava 2018; Astafurova and Proshchalykin 2021b).

Variability.

Female. Integument coloration. There are two main forms: dark with black/brownish metasoma (Fig. 6A, B ) and light with reddish metasoma (Fig. 6C, D ). Extremely dark specimens have yellow only on the mouth parts, tegulae and legs; this form is rare. A reddish labrum and mesoscutellum were found in most of the dark specimens examined. Extremely light individuals have a reddish or amber labrum, antennae, clypeus, lateral and lower part of mesosoma, mesoscutellum, axillae, metanotum, and mesosoma. In this case, the mesoscutum is partly reddish (laterally and with reddish spots posteriorly). Darker forms predominate in the forest zone and are rarer in the steppe zone. However, both forms can occur in the same location. Pubescence coloration. Pubescence of the head and mesosoma and tergal bands or spots of tomentum are white or pale yellow. Bright individuals (with yellow pubescence) are extremely rare and occur in the southern part of the range of this species. Coloration of tergal disc pubescence is quite variable and correlates with integument coloration: black or dark brownish in dark forms and light brownish (rarely yellowish) in light forms. Development of tomentum. The mesoscutum lacks tomentum or has only a pair of short paramedial strips. The development of white tomentum apical band or spots on terga is variable, but this tomentum is always interrupted medially. T1 and T2 have widely interrupted apical tomentum bands forming a pair of lateral spots, on T2 sometimes reduced to two pairs of small lateral spots (Fig. 6C ). T3 and T4 are with two pairs of lateral spots or rarely with a single pair. Male. Males do not show significant variability. Yellow-red coloration is usually absent, except mouth parts, legs, tegulae and pygidial plate; labrum, pronotal lobe, mesoscutellum, axillae are only rarely reddish. Tomentum is white or pale-yellow.

Figures

Figure 6. Epeolus cruciger (Panzer, 1799), females, black forms (A, B), red forms (C, D) A-D habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.