Pseudoanthidium octodentatum (Pérez, 1895)

(Figs 10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)

Anthidium octodentatum Pérez, 1895 .—Male, Algeria

Anthidium capapei Dusmet y Alonso, 1915 (Morocco).— Pasteels (1969)

Neanthidium octodentatum (Pérez, 1895) .— Pasteels (1969)

Anthidium (Mesanthidium) octodentatum (Pérez, 1895) .— Warncke (1980)

Pseudoanthidium (Neanthidium) octodentatum (Pérez, 1895) .— Litman et al. (2016)

Royanthidium bicoloripenne Pasteels, 1981 .— Morocco, syn. nov.

Material examined (all Morocco): 1♂, Tizi-n-Tinififft, 25km NW Agdz (1660 m), 30.73N, - 6.62E, 12.iv.1996, J. Gusenleitner leg. (CMK: ms1564).— 1♀, Tagmout, 30.56N, - 7.69E, 26.iii.1986, M. Schwarz leg. (CMK: ms2464).— 1♂, 50km N Foum Zguid, 30.57N, - 6.89E, 30.iii.1986, M. Schwarz leg. (CMK: ms2465).— 1♂, 60 km N Foum Zguid, 30.63N, - 6.90E, 31.iii.1986, M. Schwarz leg. (CMK: ms2466).— 1♀, Draa-Taf., Ouarzazate, N 10, 4km S Barrage Tiouine, 30.89N, - 7.25E, 15.iv.2022, T. Wood leg. (coll. Wood: tjw316).— 1♀, Draa-Taf., Ouarzazate, N 10, 4km S Barrage Tiouine, 30.89N, - 7.25E, 15.iv.2022, T. Wood leg.; COI sequence: ABABZ089-23 (coll. Wood: tjw317).— 1♀, Souss-Massa, Tafraoute, Azrou Ouado, 2km W, 29.73N, - 9.07E, 13.iii.2022, T. Wood leg.; COI sequence: ABABZ088-23 (coll. Wood: tjw318).— 1♂, Draa-Taf., Midelt, R 503, 7km NE Ait Ben Yacoub, 33.30N, - 4.69E, 21.v.2022, T. Wood leg.; COI sequence: ABABZ090-23 (coll. Wood: tjw319).— 1♂, Souss-Massa-Daraâ, Biougra-Imi Mqouren, 1.5km W Imi Mqourn, 30.17N, - 9.25E, 20.iv.2014, R. Prosi leg. (CMK: rpr016).— 1♀, K17 Quarz-Zag Rd., 30.90N, - 6.59E, 01.vi.1985, K. Guichard (NHMUK: nhmuk004).— Holotype of R. bicoloripenne, 1♀, Agadir, 19.vi.1974, K. Guichard & Else leg. (NHMUK: B.M. Type Hym 17a.317, NHMUK 014026652).

Material not examined: ALGERIA: Takaina (type locality; locality not identified; locality attributed to Algeria by Friese 1898), March 1895.— MOROCCO: Marraquesh [Marrakesh], 1.iv.1907, Dusmet y Alonso (1915) (as Anthidium capapei). Agadir, 18.vi.1974 (Pasteels 1981) (as P. bicoloripenne sp. n.). Igerm [Igherm], 28.iv.2003 (Litman et al. 2016).— LIBYA: Jebel Soda [Jabal as Sawdā’], Wadi Ghodaifa, 03.- 04.03.1952 (Warncke 1980).

A record from Lebanon (Ornosa et al. 2008; cited by Ascher & Pickering 2024; Boustani et al. 2021) is likely not correct. The species was described from a locality presumably situated in Algeria. Pérez (1895) noted in his description that he would provide information on the type locality in a later publication, which, however, never materialized.

Genetic barcode information. The barcode sequence of three specimens from Morocco (tjw017-019) were obtained (ABABZ 088-23, ABABZ089-23, ABABZ090-23). They were assigned to BIN BOLD:AFT8832. In the COI Species ID Tree (Fig. 28), nearest neighbours are P. reticulatum and the members of the P. melanurum and the P. alpinum groups, but these relationships are not supported by high bootstrap values.

Neanthidium was established by Pasteels (1969) as a monotypic genus to accommodate this species. Michener (1997, 2007) recognized the genus, but Litman et al. (2016) relocated it to the genus Pseudoanthidium based on a genetic analysis. Royanthidium bicoloripenne is herein attributed here to R. octodentatum as a junior synonym, based on the examination of the holotype in NHMUK.

Identification. The male is distinguished from all other males of the genus (and from all other males of the Palaearctic Anthidiini) by having eight teeth or spines on T6–T7.T6 and T7 each have a blunt spine next to the middle and an acute lateral tooth. The female is distinguished from the other Palaearctic members of Pseudoanthidium by its truncate clypeus with small black tubercles at its apical margin, and a median tubercle larger than the others. In both sexes, the species is further characterized by its elongate mandible. There are only a few other Palaearctic members of Pseudoanthidium with mandibles almost as long.

Description. Female (Fig. 10a). 10 mm.— Head: Clypeus and lower paraocular area yellow, with upper paraocular area with a yellow narrow stripe along the orbit; gena and preoccipital area predominantly dark yellow to orange, interrupted in the middle; clypeus broader than long, finely punctate throughout; apical margin black, largely hidden under long white pubescence (Fig. 20); margin crenulated with the median tubercle larger than the others; mandible yellow with six black teeth; teeth to1–to3 equally long, to4 being the smallest, followed by to5, with to6 being the largest. Proximal antennal segments (sg1–sg7) orange, outer segments brown with fine orange tinge.— Mesosoma: Scutum finely punctate and black with broad anterior yellow band; pronotal lobe with high lamella, outer side yellow, inner side black; scutellum and axillae broadly V-shaped with outer side yellow and anterior side black; outer margin rounded in profile.— Wings: Brownish infuscated.— Metasoma: Broad yellow bands on T1–T6, extending closer to the midline in the distal terga; T6 with a small lateral projection pointed posteriorly; lamella with a median emargination for the sting (Figs 10c, 22, 23); marginal zones of terga punctate with very narrow impunctate outer margin.— Legs: Femora yellow with some black at the bases and on the inner faces; tibiae and tarsi yellow.

Male (Fig. 10b). 10–12 mm.— Head: Clypeus, lower part of supraclypeal area and upper and lower paraocular area yellow (Fig. 21); mandible long with three strong black teeth, the lowest tooth being the strongest; yellow maculation on gena and in preoccipital area mostly less extended than in the female, often not reaching the mandibular articulation, and the interruption in the preoccipital area generally wider than in the female.— Mesosoma: Scutum black with fine punctation, occasionally some yellow anteriorly; pronotal lobe as in female; scutellum and axilla as in female, but with less extensive yellow colouration.— Legs:As in the female.— Metasoma: T1–T5 as in the female, T6 entirely yellow or with narrow black midline; T6 and T7 each with a blunt spine next to the middle and an acute lateral tooth (Fig. 10c, d). S1 with rounded longitudinal elevation along the midline; S2 with subapical transversal carina; apical margin of S4–S5 widely concavely emarginate; apical margin of S6 convexly rounded (Figs 10e, 23, 24).— Genitalia: Gonostyli tubular; penis valve tapering towards the apex with acutely arcuate apex (Fig. 25).

Distribution. Morocco, Algeria, and Libya (Fig. 26a). Ornosa et al. (2008) also mentioned Lebanon and this was taken over by Ascher & Pickering (2024). However, confirmation is required (see also Boustani et al. 2021).