Taxonomic revision of the Western Palaearctic bees of the subgenus Pseudomegachile (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae, Megachile)
Author
Dorchin, Achik
Author
Praz, Christophe J.
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-11-22
4524
3
251
307
journal article
27924
10.11646/zootaxa.4524.3.1
9c9571c7-60b7-403b-b5b9-d10530b90820
1175-5326
2610526
6E27E496-B896-49E0-8EF2-4BAA57F6B91D
Megachile
(
Pseudomegachile
)
riyadhensis
Alqarni, Hannan, Gonzalez & Engel 2012
Chalicodoma
(
Pseudomegachile
)
riyadhense
Alqarni, Hannan, Gonzalez & Engel 2012
: 73
,
♀
♂
, “
Saudi Arabia
,
Riyadh
,
Al Amariah
,
Majra Al-Gasim
”.
Holotype
♀
, KSMA,
paratypes
♀
♂
, KSMA and SEMC.
Distribution
:
Saudi Arabia
,
Israel
.
Note
:
M. riyadhensis
is likely conspecific with
M. rhodoleucura
Cockerell 1937
, described from
Zimbabwe
(
Praz 2017
). The female
holotype
of
M. rhodoleucura
is sculpturally identical with
Megachile riyadhensis
(
Alqarni, Hannan, Gonzalez and Engel, 2012
)
and differs from that species only in the coloration of the metasomal vestiture (it is fulvous in
M. rhodoleucura
and snow white in
M. riyadhensis
). We follow
Praz (2017)
in refraining from putting
M. riyadhensis
in synonymy with
M. rhodoleucura
until the male of the latter is known.
Pollen hosts
: Specimens were collected on
Blepharis
(
Acanthaceae
) in
Saudi Arabia
(
Alqarni
et al.
2012
) and on
Vitex
(Verbenaceae)
in
Israel
(A. Dorchin, pers. obs).
Nesting biology
: unknown.
Material examined:
ISRAEL
AND
PALESTINE
:
1km
S
Almog
31°46’47’’N
/
35°27’32’’E
, -
280m
, 0 4.05.2012,
A. Dorchin
leg.