The cuckoo bees of the genus Epeolus Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) from the Middle East and North Africa with descriptions of two new species Author Bogusch, Petr https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4554-6141 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, CZ- 500 03 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic bogusch.petr@gmail.com text Journal of Hymenoptera Research 2021 2021-08-24 84 45 68 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.84.67049 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.84.67049 1314-2607-84-45 4E9D0FF660864824B30F352A8398CA75 19A43C0DD9905702BE84DD38EA8CC1DD 5349425 Epeolus variegatus (Linnaeus, 1758) Epeolus variegatus Synonyms (detailed in Bogusch and Hadrava (2018) ): Apis murcaria Christ, 1791, A. festiva Christ, 1791, Epeolus pictus Nylander, 1848, E. productus Thomson, 1870 Published records. Widely distributed across Europe ( Scheuchl 2000 ; Amiet et al. 2007 ; Bogusch and Hadrava 2018 ). Its distribution extends to the Middle East and North Africa, and probably further into Asia. Lhomme et al. (2020) published a record from Morocco (Marrakech-Safi). Material examined. Iran : Elburs , 25.VII.1977 , ( 2 ♂ ), J. Gusenleitner [ P. Bogusch det.] (OLML); 75 km south of Chalus , 25.VII.1977 , ( 3 ♂ ), 13.VII.1979 , ( 1 ♂ ); Polur-foe , 21.VII.1977 , ( 1 ♂ ); Puloun, 11.VII.1965 , ( 1 ♀ ), K. Warncke [all P. Bogusch det.] (OLML) . Morocco : High Atlas , Tichka Pass Sued , 13.VII.1975 , ( 1 ♀ ), A. W. Ebmer ; Oukameiden, 28.VI.1987 , ( 1 ♀ ), M. Schwarz ; Pass north-east of Mesnrie, 3.VIII.1987 , ( 1 ♀ ), M. Schwarz [all P. Bogusch det.] (OLML) . Turkey : Avanos/ Kirsekur , 20 km north of Yuksekova / Hakkari , collector and date unknown [ P. Bogusch det.] (OLML) .