Sphecodes villosulus Schwarz, 2010

Astafurova, Yulia V., Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu. & Schwarz, Maximilian, 2019, The distribution of the genus Sphecodes Latreille (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) of the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding countries with description of hitherto unknown female of S. atlanticus Warncke, 1992 and male of S. dathei Schwarz, 2010, ZooKeys 872, pp. 13-40 : 33

Sphecodes villosulus Schwarz, 2010

Sphecodes villosulus Schwarz, 2010: 486-491, ♀, ♂ (holotype: ♀, United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Nakhalai, 28-30.IV.1984, in Malaise trap, E. Sugden leg.; BLCU).

Diagnosis.

This species differs from other small Palaearctic species with 5-6 hamuli in the hind wing by having a unique combination of simple mandibles and the male gonocoxite dorsally with an impression. The female is closest to S. armeniacus owing to dense appressed snow-white pubescence obscuring the integument on face, a transverse head and sparsely punctate mesoscutum, but differs from this species by sparser and finer punctate ocello-ocular area (3-5 μm / 2-3 versus 5-10 μm / 1-2) and strongly transverse F3 (almost square in S. armeniacus ). The male of S. villosulus recalls S. miniatus in the rectangular gonostylar shape, but clearly differs from this species by the less developed tyloids on the flagellomeres extending to approximately a half of ventral flagellar surfaces (versus those across 4/5).

Material examined.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 1 ♀, 1♂, Abu Dhabi, 30.I.1987, I. Hamer (NHMUK 013380419, 013380423); 1 ♀, 2♂♂, Abu Dhabi, 31.III.1987 (NHMUK 013380418, 013380421, 013380420); 1 ♀, idem, 10.IV.1987, I. Hamer (NHMUK 013380422); 1 ♀, Hatta, 20.XII.1990 (NHMUK 013380424); 2 ♂♂, idem, 23.VIII.1991 (NHMUK 013380426, 013380427); 1 ♀, idem, 5.III.1993, I. Hamer (NHMUK 013380425); 3 ♀♀, North Ras, Al Khaimah, 17.II.2018 (M. Mokrousov) (ZISP); SAUDI ARABIA: 1 ♀, Riyadh, El Ha’ir, 19.III.1980, K.M. Guichard (NHMUK 013380448); OMAN: 1 ♀, Rostaq, 350 m, 21-31.III.1976, K.M.Guichard (NHMUK 013380444).

Published records.

Schwarz 2010: 486 (United Arab Emirates); Ascher and Pickering 2019 (United Arab Emirates).

Distribution.

United Arab Emirates, *Oman, *Saudi Arabia.