Coelioxys ruficauda Lepeletier, 1841

Sentil, Ahlam, Rosa, Paolo, Tourbez, Clément, Dorchin, Achik, Bogusch, Petr & Michez, Denis, 2024, New records of bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from Morocco, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 97, pp. 513-530 : 513-530

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.3897/jhr.97.125408

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E43691B1-31C6-4BAF-BF62-510C22230E9C

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11658867

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B7E13D0E-BEDF-57E3-9E9E-311C41BC5ECE

treatment provided by

Journal of Hymenoptera Research by Pensoft

scientific name

Coelioxys ruficauda Lepeletier, 1841
status

 

Coelioxys ruficauda Lepeletier, 1841

Material examined.

Morocco. 12 ♂; Safi ; 32.2587, - 9.2386; 09 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Safi ; 32.2587, - 9.2386; 15 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net GoogleMaps 1 ♀; Safi ; 32.2731, - 9.2335; 21 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Safi ; 32.3356, - 9.2166; 23 Apr. 2024; sweep net GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Safi ; 32.2686, - 9.2323; 25 Apr 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net GoogleMaps 1 ♀; Safi ; 32.2625, - 9.2266; 30 Apr. 2023; A Sentil leg.; sweep net GoogleMaps 1 ♀; Safi ; 32.2625, - 9.2266; 01 May 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

The species belongs to the subgenus Allocoelioxys , which comprises usually smaller species with scale-like hair on the body (Fig. 5 A – D View Figure 5 ). This species has snow-white hairs on the body and short last metasomal segments. Very often and especially in populations from North Africa, the bees display reddish pattern, especially on the last metasomal segments, parts of legs, flagellum and mandible. The portion of reddish colouration is smaller than in other related species, except Coelioxys echinatus ( Warncke 1992) . Both sexes have unbroken whitish apical bands on T 1 – T 5, while the band on male T 5 is wider than in the other species.

The male has unbroken whitish bands of scale-like hair on the metasoma (Fig. 5 D View Figure 5 ) and the S 4 is without emargination. The T 2 has a transverse carina, which can differ this species from C. afer , in which this carina is absent (Fig. 5 D View Figure 5 ). Medial teeth on T 6 are reduced and the whole S 6 is much more narrowed than in other related species (Fig. 6 B View Figure 6 ). The female can be recognized by its slightly elongate last tergum and sternum of reddish colour (Fig. 6 A View Figure 6 ). The apex of S 6 is triangular-shaped and bears reddish hairs, and is considered typical for this species (Fig. 6 A View Figure 6 ).

The last metasomal segments are much narrower than those of all related species and the distance between apical tooth-like processes on last tergum and sternum is very small, much smaller than in all other similar species (Fig. 6 B View Figure 6 ).

Distribution.

The species is known from southern and Central Europe, Middle East and North Africa ( Warncke 1992), with the northern distribution border going through the Czech Republic ( Reverté et al. 2023). In Europe, most records are known from the South-West (South of France, Spain and Portugal) ( Baldock et al. 2018). It occurs mainly in dry habitats with a high proportion of salt in the ground and it is everywhere considered to be a rare species.

Host.

This species is a cuckoo bee and therefore does not collect pollen. Megachile deceptoria (P. Bogusch, personal observation) is its main host species in Central Europe. Both sexes feed on nectar of various plants, usually of the family Asteraceae (e. g., genera Centaurea , Cirsium , and Inula ).

Further information.

Warncke (1992) found out that this species was for a long time recorded under the junior synonym Coelioxys obtusa Pérez, 1884 .

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Megachilidae

Genus

Coelioxys