Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) pubescens Spinola, 1838

Straka, Jakub, Batelka, Jan & Pauly, Alain, 2017, Bees of the Socotra Archipelago (Hymenoptera: Anthophila), their biogeography and association with parasites, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57, pp. 183-219 : 190

Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) pubescens Spinola, 1838

( Figs 25–28 )

Xylocopa aestuans (Linnaeus, 1758) : KIRBY (1881): 649; KIRBY (1903): 253; KOHL (1906): 6; KOHL (1907): 174.

Material examined. Socotra: Hadibo, 1 J, 3.x.1998, 1 J, ii.1999, W. Wranik lgt.; Elhe nursery SW, 90 m, 12°18′56.7″N, 53°43′14.7″E, 1 ♀, 19.vi.2009, L. Purchart lgt.; Dixam plateau, Firmihin ( Dracaena forest), 490 m, 12°28.6′N, 54°01.1′E, 1♀, 15.–16.xi.2010, J. Bezděk lgt.;Aloove area,Aloove vill. env., 221 m, Jatropha unicostata shrubland, with Boswellia elongata trees, 12°31.2′N, 54°07.4′E, 1 ♀, 19.–20.vi.2012, J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt. (all in NMPC).

Remarks. WRANIK (2003: 454) presents a photograph of a male of Xylocopa sp. from Hadiboh, which very likely represents X. pubescens . The species was often considered a synonym of X. aestuans , but the species significantly differ from each other ( LIEFTINCK 1964, HANNAN et al. 2012).

Distribution. The species is widely distributed in Africa, Turkey and eastwards to the eastern part of India ( ASCHER & PICKERING 2017), but missing in southern parts of the Arabian Peninsula ( HANNAN et al. 2012). In Socotra reported from Hadibu Plain, Goahal Gorge, Adho Dimellus ( KIRBY 1903), Ras Shoab ( KOHL 1906, 1907), and Hadiboh ( WRANIK 2003).

Figures

Figs 23–28. 23–24 – Xylocopa sulcatipes Maa, 1970. 23 – female, dorsal view; 24 – male, dorsal view. 25–28 – Xylocopa pubescens Spinola, 1838. 25 – female, dorsal view; 26 – female, lateral view; 27 – male, dorsal view; 28 – male, lateral view.