Bombus (Alpigenobombus) kashmirensis Friese

An, Jiandong, Huang, Jiaxing, Shao, Youquan, Zhang, Shiwen, Wang, Biao, Liu, Xinyu, Wu, Jie & Williams, Paul H., 2014, The bumblebees of North China (Apidae, Bombus Latreille), Zootaxa 3830 (1), pp. 1-89 : 67

66. Bombus (Alpigenobombus) kashmirensis Friese

( Figs 134, 135 )

Bombus mastrucatus var. kashmirensis Friese, 1909 [September, Tkalců, 1974b]:673. Bombus mastrucatus var. stramineus Friese, 1909 [September, Tkalců, 1974b]:673. Bombus tetrachromus Cockerell, 1909 [November, Tkalců, 1974b]:397. Alpigenobombus pulcherrimus Skorikov, 1914:128 .

Alpigenobombus beresovskii Skorikov, 1933a:248.

Material examined. 4 queens, 145 workers, 6 males (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Only on the edge of the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan plateau in Gansu. Common at high elevations of the Zhagana nature reserve in Diebu, at medium to high elevations of the Qilianshan nature reserve in Sunan and Tianzhu, and at medium elevatons of the Liancheng nature reserve in Yongdeng. Rare at medium to high elevations of the east Qinghai-Tibetan plateau meadows in Hezuo, Xiahe, Luqu and Lintan. 25 localities ( Fig. 134 ) between 2272–4011 m (IAB).

Variation in North China. This species shows strong variation in the colour pattern of the hair across its global distribution ( Williams, 1991) but with much less variation in North China ( Fig. 135 ).

Similar species in North China. This species is often similar in its white-banded colour pattern to female B. ladakhensis (see the key; Figs 135 , 149 ).

Distribution in China. Sichuan. Xizang, Gansu, Qinghai (IAB).

Forage plants. ALLIACEAE : Allium cyaneum , A. sikkimense ; ASTERACEAE : Anaphalis hancockii , Carduus acanthoides , Cirsium japonicum , Cosmos bipinnatus , Cremanthodium lineare , Leontopodium leontopodioides , Saussurea stella , Saussurea sp.; CAMPANULACEAE : Adenophora sp.; FABACEAE : Hedysarum gmelinii , H. tanguticum , Medicago sativa , Melilotus albus , M. officinalis ; GENTIANACEAE : Gentiana algida , Gentiana sp.; GERANIACEAE : Geranium pratense ; LAMIACEAE : Elsholtzia fruticosa , Salvia przewalskii ; POLYGONACEAE : Polygonum viviparum ; RANUNCULACEAE : Aconitum flavum , A. gymnandrumm , Clematis tangutica ; ROSACEAE : Rubus sp.; SCROPHULARIACEAE : Pedicularis kansuensis , P. spicata , Pedicularis sp., Pseudolysimachion sp.; TAMARICACEAE : Myricaria sp.

Figures

FIGURES 134 – 135. 134. Map showing the distribution of B. kashmirensis in North China with records as black spots, the province boundaries in dark grey, and all sites with records of all bumblebee species in light grey. 135. B. kashmirensis worker visiting Pedicularis kansuensis (Scrophulariaceae) in Gansu.

FIGURES 148 – 149. 148. Map showing the distribution of B. ladakhensis in North China with records as black spots, the province boundaries in dark grey, and all sites with records of all bumblebee species in light grey. 149. B. ladakhensis male visiting Saussurea stella (Asteraceae) in Gansu (PW).