Bombus (Subterraneobombus) difficillimus Skorikov

An, Jiandong, Huang, Jiaxing, Shao, Youquan, Zhang, Shiwen, Wang, Biao, Liu, Xinyu, Wu, Jie & Williams, Paul H., 2014, The bumblebees of North China (Apidae, Bombus Latreille), Zootaxa 3830 (1), pp. 1-89 : 23-24

5. Bombus (Subterraneobombus) difficillimus Skorikov

( Figs 12, 13 )

Bombus difficillimus Skorikov, 1912:609 .

Taxonomy. Revised by Williams et al. (2011).

Material examined. 1 worker (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Only on the edge of the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, Very rare at high elevations of the Qilianshan nature reserve in Gansu. 1 locality ( Fig. 12 ) at 3656 m (IAB).

Similar species in North China. This species is very similar in its black- and yellow-banded colour pattern to some B. melanurus (see the key; Figs 84, 85 ).

Distribution in China. Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang (IAB). Forage plants. FABACEAE : Hedysarum tanguticum .

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 13. 12. Map showing the distribution of B. difficillimus in North China with record as black spot, the province boundaries in dark grey, and all sites with records of all bumblebee species in light grey. 13. B. difficillimus worker from Gansu.

FIGURES 84 – 85. 84. Map showing the distribution of B. bellardii in North China with records as black spots, the province boundaries in dark grey, and all sites with records of all bumblebee species in light grey. 85. B. bellardii female from Shaanxi.