Andrena ( Micrandrena ) tiaretta Warncke, 1974

Pisanty, Gideon, Santerre, Rémi, Martin, Teresa, Cardinal, Sophie & Wood, Thomas J., 2025, Integrated taxonomic revision of the mining bee subgenus Andrena (Micrandrena) (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in the Levant and Cyprus, Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 83, pp. 573-655 : 573-655

3.1.2.26. Andrena ( Micrandrena) tiaretta Warncke, 1974

Figure 21 G

Andrena tiaretta Warncke, 1974 b: 12 , 38, ♀ ♂ [ Algeria: OLML].

Andrena orientalis Kratochwil, 2015: 1412, 1418, ♀ ♂ [ Israel: OLML]

Distribution and habitat.

South Mediterranean. In the Levant, limited to sandy and hamra soils along Israel’s coastal plain. Reports from Lebanon, Syria and Iran ( Warncke 1974 b; Grace 2010; Kratochwil 2015; Wood et al. 2020; Boustani et al. 2021) are refuted (see below).

Flight period.

Late January to late April, in north Africa rarely until early June.

Flower records.

Collected from Brassicaceae ( Sinapis ).

Remarks.

The female of Andrena tiaretta is extremely similar to A. spreta , and the two species have been repeatedly confused ( Warncke 1974 b; Gusenleitner & Schwarz 2002; Kratochwil 2015). Although on average they differ in the strength of the scutal punctation, at the individual level this is masked by strong intraspecific variation, especially in A. spreta . Examination of male genitalia and barcoding of females throughout Israel strongly suggest that in the Levant, A. tiaretta is limited to the sandy soils of the Mediterranean coastal plain. Only a single male specimen lacking a head was found bearing labels from outside this area (10 Km East Jerusalem), which is most likely a labeling error, or an aberrant specimen of A. yelkouan Warncke . We therefore reassign all inland Levantine specimens of A. tiaretta to A. spreta (or more rarely, A. cervina ), and remove A. tiaretta from the lists of Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian Andrena – countries from which no barcodes or males are available, with specified localities that are extremely unlikely given the distribution of verified specimens. As currently understood, Andrena tiaretta has a mostly southern Mediterranean distribution limited to light soil types which are typical of most of North Africa, as well as coastlines in Israel and the southern Iberian Peninsula. Several other bee species or species complexes which are widespread in North Africa likewise extend northeastwards into the Israeli coastal plain, including Andrena decollata , the A. aegyptiaca species group ( Pisanty et al. 2023), and the Lasioglossum virens / littorale species group ( Pauly et al. 2020).

Kratochwil (2015) treated Lybian and Levantine populations of A. tiaretta as distinct species, A. cyrenaica and A. orientalis , respectively. However, he limited his work to the material present in Warncke’s collection, including at least two specimens which are most likely A. spreta ( one female paratype from Syria and another female from Iran). Furthermore, the differences between his three species amount to minute colour variation in integument and hair, which is especially unreliable considering the age of the specimens, as well as the presence of a weak dorsal gonocoxite lobe in only two male specimens from a single location in Lybia. Without strong evidence to the contrary (e. g. molecular barcodes), we therefore follow Wood et al. (2020) in retaining the broad pan-Mediterranean concept of A. tiaretta .

Material examined.

ISRAEL ● 1 ♀; Bat Jam [Yam]; 31 Jan. 1941; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♀; Bené Deror [Bnei Dror]; 7 Mar. 2012; O. Afik leg.; SMNHTAU 106405 ● 1 ♂; En Sarid; 2 Apr. 2014; I. Eliakim leg.; SMNHTAU 152530 ● 3 ♀; ibid.; 31 Mar. 2015; SMNHTAU 185841 , 185844, 185849 ● 1 ♀; En Vered; 3 Feb. 2015; I. Eliakim leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 408-25; SMNHTAU 185656 ● 18 ♂; Gvar’am NR; 31.58°N 34.59°E; 1 Mar. 2023; G. Pisanty; sweep, on Brassicaceae ; SMNHTAU 422726 to 422732, 422734 to 422744 ● 1 ♀; HaKefar HaYaroq, Zomet Gelilot [Glilot Junction]; 22 Apr. 2011; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 93016 ● 1 ♂; Herzliyah; 22 Mar. 1942; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♂; ibid.; 17 Mar. 1945 ● 2 ♀; Herzliyya, hill; 32°11’N 34°49’E [more precisely 32.156°N 34.847°E]; 7 Mar. 2008; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 354479 , 354480 ● 1 ♂; Hof Dor – HaBonim N. R.; 32.630– 44°N 34.922– 8°E; 2 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 464046 ● 2 ♂; ibid.; 32.638– 43°N 34.922– 8°E; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 464069 , 464070 ● 1 ♀; Kefar ‘ Avoda; 13 Mar. 2012; O. Afik leg.; SMNHTAU 106273 ● 1 ♀; ibid.; 1 Apr. 2012; SMNHTAU 106534 ● 1 ♂; Mavqi’im; 31°37’N 34°34’E; 18 Feb. 2004; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 366433 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 496-25; SMNHTAU 366432 ● 1 ♀; Mik - Jis [Mikveh Israel]; 26 Apr. 1940; on Sinapis ; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♂; Nahal Alexander; 10 Apr. 2019; K. Levy leg.; SMNHTAU 185035 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; 29 Feb. 2020; SMNHTAU 337456 ● 1 ♀; Nes Ziyyona; 26 Jan. 2014; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 152463 ● 7 ♀; ibid.; 31.928°N 34.78°E; 13 Mar. 2015; SMNHTAU 207052 to 207055, 207057 to 207059 ● 1 ♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 418-25; SMNHTAU 207056 ● 1 ♂; Netanya, Irus Ha’Argaman NR; 24 Feb. 2021; ITI Bee Course leg.; SMNHTAU 366435 ● 1 ♂; Pardes Hanna; 8 Apr. 1946; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♀; Petah-Tikva; 18 Feb. 1956; I. Kugler leg.; SMNHTAU 353588 ● 1 ♀; Ramla; 28 Mar. 1972; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♀; R. G n [? Ramat Gan]; 3 Feb. 1940; SMNHTAU ● 2 ♂; Sde Uziyahu; 31.753°N 34.667°E; 13 Mar. 2023; E. L. A. E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462966 , 462967 ● 3 ♂; Sederot; 27 Feb. 1974; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♂; Tel Aviv; 4 Mar. 1970; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♂; ibid.; 17 Mar. 1970 ● 2 ♂; ibid.; 5 Mar. 1973 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; 10 Mar. 1972 ● 2 ♀; ibid.; 8 Mar. 1974 ● 2 ♀; Tel Aviv, Ramat Aviv; 32.130°N 24.802°E; 6 Mar. 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 206340 , 206345 ● 1 ♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 415-25; SMNHTAU 206344 ● 3 ♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 206295 , 206303, 206325 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 414-25; SMNHTAU 206331 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; 32.130°N 34.801°E; 1 Apr. 2017; SMNHTAU 270448 ● 2 ♀; ibid.; on Brassicaceae ; SMNHTAU 270435 , 270437 ● 3 ♂; ibid.; 270434, 270437, 270447 ● 1 ♂; Tel Aviv, Tel Barukh; 19 Mar. 1997; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 353504 ● 1 ♂; Tel Aviv, Tzapari, Park haYarqon; 10 m a. s. l.; 18 Mar. 2015; T. Novoselsky & A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 207449 ● 2 ♀, 2 ♂; Tel Aviv BG; 4 Mar. 1970; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2 ♀, 4 ♂; ibid.; 1 Mar. 1972 ● 2 ♀, 4 ♂; ibid.; 10 Mar. 1972 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; 14 Mar. 1973 ● 1 ♀, 2 ♂; ibid.; 20 Mar. 1973 ● 1 ♀; Tel Aviv N; 17 Feb. 1973; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♀; Tel Aviv University, Botanical Garden; 32°06’50”N 34°48’31”E; 2–5 Apr. 2012; SMNHTAU 121428 ● 3 ♀; ibid.; L. Friedman leg.; 121523, 121525, 121531 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; A. Golan leg.; SMNHTAU 121458 ● 1 ♂; Tel Aviv University, Botanical Garden; 22 Mar. 2016; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 238282 ● 1 ♀; Yavne; 4 Feb. 1976; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353645 ● 1 ♂; Zur Moshe; 16 Mar. 2015; I. Eliakim leg; SMNHTAU 185790 ● 1 ♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 409-25; SMNHTAU 185767 . – WEST BANK ● 1 ♂; 10 Km East Jerusalem [likely erroneous]; 18 Mar. [19] 70; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU.

Figures

Figure 21. Andrena (Micrandrena) male genitalia. A A. chananaea; B A. alfkenelloides cardalia; C A. alfkenella; D A. sillata; E A. aspera; F A. minutuloides; G A. tiaretta; H A. tringa; I A. aphroditae; J A. hebraica; K A. paganettina.