Entomologist's Monthly Magazine - Vol. 160, No. 1, 2024

Published: 1/26/2024

Article Details for this issue

On the classification of sphecodine bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

By: MICHAEL S. ENGEL

Page: 1-52

Type: Paper

Synopsis:
Taxonomic notes are presented for the exclusively cleptoparasitic halictine bee subtribe Sphecodina (Halictinae: Halictini). Keys are presented to the Western and Eastern Hemisphere genera of Sphecondina. In the New World fauna, the genus Melissocleptis Gonçalves is considered a subgenus of Austrosphecodes Michener s.l., and the following species transferred: Austrosphecodes (Melissocleptis) albifacies (Gibbs), A. (M.) capriciosus (Schrottky), A. (M.) coriae (Moure & Hurd), A. (M.) diablotinus (Gibbs), A. (M.) genaroi (Engel), A. (M.) nigritus (Ashmead), A. (M.) tainoi (Engel), A. (M.) variabilis (Schrottky) comb. n. A key is provided to the subgenera of Microsphecodes Eickwort & Stage s.l., with Trichosphecodes subgen. n., established for those species with elongate ocular setae. Keys are also presented for the species of Microsphecodes s.str. and Trichosphecodes, along with the descriptions of the species Microsphecodes (Microsphecodes) eickworti sp. n., M. (M.) multirugosus sp. n., M. (M.) quechua sp. n., and M. (Trichosphecodes) trichophthalmus sp. n. The Brazilian species Nesosphecodes depressus Gonçalves is transferred to Notoclops gen. n., resulting in the new combination Notoclops depressus (Gonçalves) comb. n. A key is presented to New World subgenera of Sphecodes Latreille, with the following new or resurrected groups: Proteraner Robertson, Drepanium Robertson, Sphecodium Robertson, Asphecodium subgen. n., and Boreosphecodes subgen. n. The following new species are described among New World Sphecodes: Sphecodes (Asphecodium) brevisulcatus sp. n., S. (Sphecodium) eustauros sp. n., S. (S.) electrum sp. n., S. (Sphecodes) zacatuche sp. n. The genus Caenosphecodes gen. n. is proposed for Sphecodes pseudoredivivus Astafurova & Proshchalykin and S. redivivus Blüthgen, differing from Sphecodes by the elongate free part of the marginal cell, in this respect resembling New World Microsphecodes. This results in the combinations Caenosphecodes pseudoredivivus (Astafurova & Proshchalykin), C. sauteri (Meyer), C. simlaensis (Blüthgen), and C. redivivus (Blüthgen) comb. n. The currently employed characters for subgenera of Eupetersia Blüthgen s.l. fail to distinguish the groups. Accordingly, the key to subgenera is revised and the species newly organized as to subgenera. Cephalosphecodes subgen. n. is established for Eupetersia macrocephala Pauly and E. mandibulata Blüthgen, Xanthocleptis subgen. n. is proposed for E. reticulata (Benoist), and Pollinicleptis subgen. n. is erected for E. nathani Baker, E. malayensis (Blüthgen), E. sabahensis Pauly, and E. singaporensis Pauly. A new species of Nesoeupetersia, E. dnophera sp. n., is described from Sabah, Malaysia and a tentative key provided to species of the subgenus. Thrausmus Buysson and Callosphecodes Friese are treated as independent genera, and the latter considered close to Melittocleptes gen. n., with Melittocleptes insularis (Smith) comb. n. as type species. A key is presented to Old World subgenera of Sphecodes, with the following new or resurrected groups: Proteraneropsis subgen. n., Paradrepanium subgen. n., Eusphecodes subgen. n., Sabulicola Verhoeff, aenocleptes subgen. n., Xystoclops subgen. n., Callocleptes subgen. n., and Nomiocleptes subgen. n.

Notes on taxonomy and geography of Bembidion (Neja) leucoscelis Chaudoir and Bembidion (Neja) curtulum Duval (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiina)

By: PAOLO NERI & LUCA TOLEDANO

Page: 53–66

Type: Paper

Synopsis:
The systematic relationship of Bembidion (Neja) leucoscelis Chaudoir, 1850, and Bembidion (Neja) curtulum Duval, 1851, is examined. A new subspecies of B. curtulum from the Middle East is described and the subspecies tripolitanum Schatzmayr, 1937, is assigned to Bembidion curtulum (comb. n). The distribution of the species and subspecies is re-examined and the main diagnostic characters emphasized, including the importance of aedeagal structure and elytral microsculpture. The species Bembidion (Chlorodium) almum almum Sahlberg, 1900, is reported for Armenia and the Altaj Republic (Russia). A key to the species of Bembidion subgenus Neja Motschulsky, 1864, with elytra not microsculptured or with microsculpture restricted only at the extreme of elytral apex, is provided.

SHORT NOTE The occurrence and dominance of an unusual male form of the stonefly Leuctra nigra (Oliver) (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) in Ireland – with a description of the infrasubspecific f. hibernica

By: HUGH B. FEELEY, RYAN MITCHELL & CRAIG R. MACADAM

Page: 67–71

Type: Short Notes

SHORT NOTE The association of the parasitoid Xorides filiformis (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) with the longhorn beetle Pyrrhidium sanguineum (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the United Kingdom

By: PETER C. BARNARD

Page: 72–74

Type: Short Notes

BOOK REVIEW BEES OF THE WORLD: A GUIDE TO EVERY FAMILY by Laurence Packer.

By: LIAM CROWLEY

Page: 75–76

Type: Book Review

BOOK REVIEW BRITISH & IRISH BUTTERFLY RARITIES: MIGRANTS, EXTINCTIONS & INTRODUCTIONS by Peter Eeles

By: ANDREW WAKEHAM-DAWSON

Page: 77

Type: Book Review

BOOK REVIEW ANTS: A VISUAL GUIDE, by Heather Campbell & Benjamin Blanchard

By: MIKE FOX

Page: 78

Type: Book Review

NOTICE IRISH BIOGEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY – BULLETIN No. 46

Page: 78

Type: Editorial