17. Andrena sjunthensis Osytshnjuk, 1984

(Figs 17a–e)

Andrena sjunthensis Osytshnjuk, 1984a: 91, ♀, fig. 4–5.

Type locality: Syunt Mt. (Balkan Province, Turkmenistan).

Published (original) locality: corresponds to data on the holotype label (see below).

Holotype: ♀, Зап.[адный] Копетдаг, г.[ора] Сюнт [Turkmenistan, Balkan Province, Syunt Mt., 38°32′N 56°25′E], 22. V.[1]953, Пономарева [A. Ponomareva leg.] // Holotypus Andrena sjunthensis Osytsh. <red label> // Zoological Institute St. Petersburg INS_HYM_0002778 .

Current status. Andrena (incertae sedis) sjunthensis Osytshnjuk, 1984 .

Remarks. Osytshnjuk (1984a: 92) placed this species in the subgenus Didonia Gribodo, 1894 (in part due to its enlarged process of the labrum, fig. 17c), and noted on its similarity with A. nasuta Giraud, 1863 and A. stepposa Osytshnjuk, 1977 . Dubitzky et al. (2010: 166) placed both of these latter species in the subgenus Hamandrena, but Andrena sjunthensis was not studied or listed in this publication. The subgenus Hamandrena was established based on synapomorphy “posteriorly bent, hook shaped bristles on the galeal blade, stipes and prementum in females” (Dubitzky et al. 2010: 166). However, there are no hook shaped bristles on the galea of A. sjunthensis (Fig. 28a). Recently Wood (2023a: 256) suggested that Didonia could be a monotypic subgenus, including only A. mucida Kriechbaumer, 1873 . Thus, the subgeneric position of A. sjunthensis remain uncertain and it should be considered as incertae sedis.

Male unknown (according to Osytshnjuk et al. 2005: 222).

Distribution. Turkmenistan, Tajikistan.