Pseudoanthidium syriacum Kasparek, 2024

Kasparek, Max, 2024, New species, new synonyms, and resurrected taxa: A review of West and Central Palaearctic members of the genus Pseudoanthidium (Apoidea: Megachilidae), Zootaxa 5541 (1), pp. 1-50 : 30-31

Pseudoanthidium syriacum Kasparek sp. nov.

( Figs 15 , 20 , 22 )

Material examined. Holotype. SYRIA: Female, Rankos [Rankus], 40 km N Damascus (33.75°N 36.39°E), 23.v.1996, Ma. Halada leg. ( CMK: ms3348).

Genetic barcode information. No information available.

Diagnosis (female). Species with extensive yellow colouration. Black apical ridge of the clypeus strongly protruding with nine irregularly-size tubercles.T6 crescent-shaped with a small median emargination to accommodate the sting. The most similar species is P. farsiense , which possesses five tubercles on the clypeal ridge, decreasing in size from the middle to the lateral side, while P. syriacum has nine tubercles of irregular and differing sizes. A yellow preoccipital band extends to the malar area in P. syriacum , whereas it reaches only the upper third of the eye in P. farsiense . Tergal punctation is conspicuously coarser in P. syriacum compared to P. farsiense .

Description. Female ( Fig. 17 ). 9 mm.— Head: Head blocky, typical of many Pseudoanthidium species. Extensive yellow colouration on lower and upper paraocular areas up to the zenith of the eye, on the clypeus, and a yellow preoccipital band reaching the malar area; clypeus broader than long (approximately 1.1 times wider than long); basal area of clypeus impunctate and polished; preapical area depressed with dense punctation; apical ridge strongly protruding and black, featuring about nine blunt tubercles, with the median one being the most prominent ( Fig. 20 ); mandible elongate, with five black teeth decreasing in size from distal to proximal.— Mesosoma : Scutum black, with boomerang-shaped anterolateral yellow band; scutellum and axillae yellow except for scutellar base; outer margin angulate, laterally with a row of transparent cells, depressed in the middle; one yellow spot each on mesepisternum and metepisternum; omaulus angular; punctation on scutum dense, partly honeycomb-like with narrow, shining interstices.— Metasoma: Broad yellow bands on T1–T6, almost reaching the middle but further apart in proximal terga; punctation coarse, punctures on disc large ( Fig. 17 ); T6 crescent-shaped with a very small median emargination to accommodate the sting ( Figs 15c , 22 ); scopal hairs golden.— Legs: Yellow, expect for black trochanteres and basal femora.— Wing: Forewing slightly infuscated, particularly on distal parts.

Male. Not known.

Derivation nominis. Adjective. Named after Syria, where the type specimen was collected.

Distribution. Only known from Syria ( Fig. 27a ).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Comparison of body size of Pseudoanthidium royoi and P. melanurum, as expressed by the marginal cell length of the wing. Pseudoanthidium melanurum: female N= 21, male N= 31; P. royoi N=1 for each sex.

FIGURE 17. Pseudoanthidium syriacum Kasparek sp. nov. Female from Syria. a. Habitus dorsal; b. Habitus lateral; c. Apical terga.

FIGURE 20. Face of the female of Palaearctic species of Pseudoanthidium (continued on the following page).

FIGURE 22. Apical terga of females of Palaearctic Pseudoanthidium species.

FIGURE 27. Distribution of selected species of Pseudoanthidium. a. Pseudoanthidium bytinskii, P. puncticolle, P. syriacum sp. nov., and P. variabile; b. Pseudoanthidium farsiense sp. nov., P. moricei, and P. rhombiferum.