Bembecinus cyprius DE BEAUMONT

Schmid, C., 2009, New records of Bembecinus COSTA 1859 (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) from the Palaearctic region with description of a new species from Yemen, Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (1), pp. 759-766 : 763-764

Bembecinus cyprius DE BEAUMONT

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Eastern Mediterranean area from Greece to Israel.

R e m a r k s: The female recognition of B. cyprius /meridionalis is still difficult. In the meantime I could examine several specimens of both species from Eastern Greece and Western Turkey. The species identification was confirmed by the finding of unambiguous males together with females from the same location. The females keys out as B. meridionalis (SCHMID- EGGER 2004, key nr. 54./56, specimens with space above clypeus yellow.). New distinction characters between B. meridionalis and B. cyprius are listed in table 1.

B. meridionalis female B. cyprius female

Scape (seen in frontal view) pre- Scape in greater part brownish. dominantly yellow, with small brownish part at innerside.

Apex of sternum VI with reddish Apex of sternum VI with brownish setae setae

Apical innerside of tibia III black. Apical innerside of tibia III reddish.

Tergum VI black Tergum VI in some specimens with

small yellow spot

Tergal bands II-IV medially only Tergal bands II-IV medially with slightly enlarged. large, rectangular enlargement

Body size in average larger than Body size in average 9-10 mm 10 mm.

A female of B. cyprius from Bodrum agree with the below described form, but has an predominantly yellow scape and is somewhat larger (11 mm) than females from Isparta and Burdur. Tergum VI has a large yellow spot. Bembecinus meridionalis females from southern Turkey and Israel have an all yellow hindtibia and differ in color from western Turkish specimens (SCHMID- EGGER 2004). It is not sure how to distinguish these females from B. cyprius in southern Turkey.

R e c o r d s: Greece: 733 2♀♀ Lesbos, various locations, 2005 (Aegean University). - Turkey: ♀ 14.7.2001 Bodrum, Salmakis ( SE) - 3 ♀ 9.7.2006 8 km NE Isparta ; ♀ 6.7.2006 Burdur 5 km NE Yesilova ( OLL) - ♀♀ 16.7.2008 NE Isparta, University campus (Ljubomirov) .