Celonites tauricus Kostylev, 1935

(Figs 9I, 10A, F, I)

Celonites abbreviatus: Kostylev 1928: 399, ♀; 1929: 76, ♀.

Celonites abbreviatus tauricus Kostylev, 1935: 108, [♀] (type locality: “Крым” [Russia, Crimea]), neotype (Mauss et al. 2016: 36), ♀, OLML (examined).

Celonites tauricus: Mauss et al. 2016: 36.

Celonites spinosus Gusenleitner, 1966: 359, fig. 2, ♀ ♂ (type locality: “Kusadasi” [Turkey]), holotype, ♀, OLML (examined), synonymized by Mauss et al. 2016: 36.

Celonites abbreviatus invitus Gusenleitner, 1973: 58, fig. 2b, ♀ ♂ (type locality: “ Türkei, Gürün” [Turkey]), holotype, ♀, OLML (examined), synonymized by Mauss et al. 2016: 36.

Material examined. RUSSIA. Dagestan: Vicinity of Talgi, 42.8767°N, 47.4451°E, 25.VI.2018, 1 ♂, leg. Yu. Astafurova, K. Fadeev, V. Loktionov, M. Mokrousov, M. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; Vicinity of Talgi, 42°52'36"N, 47°26'42"E, on Teucrium canum, 12.VI.2019, 3 ♀ (dbM 5511), 2 ♂ (dbM 5510), leg. A. Fateryga [2 ♀, 1 ♂, CAFK; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, CVMM]; ibid., on Teucrium canum, 13.VI.2021, 1 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [CAFK]; ibid., on Teucrium canum, 18.VI.2021, 1 ♀ (dbM 5998), leg. A. Fateryga [CVMM]; Khotoch, 42°24'52"N, 46°57'10"E, 17.VI.2023, 1 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [CAFK]; Dubki, 43°01'26"N, 46°49'30"E, 21.VI.2023, 1 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [CAFK]. GEORGIA: Kasbek, 1 ♀ [ZISP]. ARMENIA: Caucasus, Araxesthal, 2 ♀, leg. H. Leder, E. Reitter [ZISP]; Parakar, 2.V.1925, 1 ♀ [ZMMU]. AZERBAIJAN. Main territory: Zuvand, 8.VI.1985, 1 ♂, leg. V. Tobias [FSCV]. Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic: Ordubad (Arax), 1892, 2 ♀, leg. E. Reitter [ZISP]; Julfa, Gazanchi, 39°13'N, 45°41'E, 1300 m, 15.VI.2019, 1 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin, Kh. Aliyev, M. Maharramov [FSCV]; Babek, Payiz, 39°26'06"N, 45°22'56"E, 1230 m, 25.VI.2024, 3 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [FSCV]; ibid., on Nepeta trautvetteri, 28.VI.2024, 2 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [CAFK]; Julfa, Daridagh-2, 39°03'58"N, 45°37'35"E, 1100 m, 24.V.2025, 1 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [CAFK]; ibid., 27.V.2025, 1 ♀, 2 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [1 ♀, 1 ♂, CVMM; 1 ♂, FSCV]; Ordubad, Bilav, 39°02'43"N, 45°49'07"E, 1050 m, on Nepeta trautvetteri, 27.V.2025, 2 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [CAFK]; ibid., on Nepeta trautvetteri, 29.V.2025, 8 ♀, 5 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [2 ♀, 2 ♂, CVMM; 3 ♀, 1 ♂, FSCV; 3 ♀, 2 ♂, ZISP].

Additional literature records. ARMENIA: Erevan [Yerevan], Monti desertici, Aighepat [Aygepat], 40 km SE (Gusenleitner 1973).

Distribution. Russia (Crimea, Dagestan), Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan (main territory, Nakhchivan AR) (Fig. 11); Greece (Chios, Kos, Rhodes, Samos), Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Iran.

Biology. Females of this species construct nests on the underside of small stones. Nests consist of one to three cylindrical mud cells measuring 9 mm in length and 4 mm in outer diameter; cell walls are 0.25 mm thick. The brood cells are abutted longitudinally to each other. Complete nests are covered with an additional layer of mud (Mauss et al. 2016). Celonites tauricus is broadly oligolectic (sensu Müller & Kuhlmann 2008) on Lamiaceae . Morphological and behavioral adaptations of C. tauricus for pollen uptake from nototribic flowers of Lamiaceae were described in detail by Mauss et al. (2016) and Fateryga et al. (2022). Flower-visiting records (all Lamiaceae): Satureja thymbra L. and Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. (≡ Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link) in Kos (Mauss et al. 2016); Teucrium canum Fisch. & C.A. Mey. in Dagestan (Fateryga et al. 2022); Salvia nemorosa subsp. tesquicola (Klokov & Pobed.) Soó, Teucrium capitatum L., T. chamaedrys L., Thymus tauricus Klokov & Des.-Shost., Ziziphora capitata L., and Z. taurica M. Bieb. in Crimea (Mauss et al. 2016; Fateryga et al. 2022); Nepeta trautvetteri Boiss. & Buhse in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan (new record); Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. in Turkey (Mauss et al. 2016); Nepeta italica subsp. troodi (Holmboe) A.L. Budantzev (≡ Nepeta troodi Holmboe) in Cyprus (Fateryga et al. 2022).