Andrena ( Micrandrena ) alshaykh Pisanty, 2025

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

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.83.e166986
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17511199
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/48EC22F4-C95C-55C0-AE65-41DF32B982C0
treatment provided by	Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny by Pensoft
scientific name	Andrena ( Micrandrena ) alshaykh Pisanty
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

3.1.2.3. Andrena ( Micrandrena) alshaykh Pisanty sp. nov.

Figures 3 View Figure 3 , 15 B, K View Figure 15 , 20 L View Figure 20

Etymology.

Named after the Arabic name of Mount Hermon, Jabal al-Shaykh (‘ Mountain of the Sheikh’). The species epithet is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Within the Andrena minutula species group, A. alshaykh belongs to the species around A. rugulosa Stöckhert , characterized by a smooth clypeus and punctate terga, which include also A. lindbergella Pittioni and A. libanica Wood sp. nov. It is closest to A. lindbergella Pittioni from Cyprus, and until the discovery of the distinct male of A. lindbergella , they were considered conspecific. The female differs from A. lindbergella in the tergal discs which are more strongly shagreened and more obscurely punctured (Fig. 15 K, L View Figure 15 ), and in the brighter terminal fringe. The male is easily differentiated by the genital capsule, in which the gonostyli suddenly converge medially, producing distinct kinks in the inner and outer margins (uniformly curving in A. lindbergella ), and the penis valves are broader (Fig. 20 L, N View Figure 20 ). In addition, the scutum is more sparsely punctured, and the body size is smaller. Both A. alshaykh and A. lindbergella are closely related to A. rugulosa Stöckhert (absent from the Levant) and A. libanica Wood sp. nov., but differ in the smoother scutum and more weakly punctured terga (Fig. 15 J – L View Figure 15 ). In addition, the male of A. rugulosa does not have dorsal gonocoxite lobes, and the male of A. libanica does not have kinks in the inner and outer margin of the gonostyli (Fig. 20 L – N View Figure 20 ).

Description.

FEMALE. Body length: 6.5–7.5 mm. Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Anterior side of flagellum greyish-black to slightly reddish. Apical tarsomeres brown. Wings weakly infuscate, veins brown, stigma brown peripherally, reddish centrally (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ). Tergal marginal zones brown near apical margin (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ). — Pubescence: Body hair mostly short to medium-lengthed, minutely plumose, white to brown (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ). Clypeus with sparse medium-lengthed whitish hairs (Fig. 15 B View Figure 15 ). Area around antennal sockets with dense medium-lengthed white hair. Scape with dense short to medium white hair. Vertex with medium-lengthed erect whitish-golden hair. Genal area with dense short hair, whitish-golden dorsally, white ventrally. Facial fovea with dense, minute white to slightly yellowish hair, colour depending on angle of view (Fig. 3 B, C View Figure 3 ). Periphery of scutum, scutellum and metanotum with moderately dense, erect, short to medium, golden-brown hair. Scutal disc with sparse and thin, medium-lengthed, golden-brown hair (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ). Mesepisternum with sparse, long white hair. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsal fringe consisting of dense and long, distinctly plumose golden hair. Corbicular surface with sparse and long, simple golden hairs. Leg hair short, whitish to brownish. Flocculus incomplete, white. Femoral scopa composed of long, simple to coarsely plumose golden hair. Tibial scopa weakly developed, composed of medium-lengthed, simple whitish – brownish hair (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ). Tergal discs essentially hairless. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with distinct, strongly interrupted apicolateral white hair bands, slightly protruding onto following tergal discs. Terminal fringe light brown (Fig. 3 A, D View Figure 3 ). — Head: 1.2 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, weakly crossed. Galea finely shagreened. Labral process narrowly trapezoidal to triangular. Malar area undeveloped. Clypeus moderately arched, apically shiny and more or less smooth, basally gradually more shagreened; punctation distinct, distance between punctures 1–3 puncture diameters, puncture density decreasing medioapically, an impunctate midline is not indicated (Fig. 15 B View Figure 15 ). Lower part of paraocular area smooth and shiny, strongly and densely punctured. Supraclypeal area and lateral parts of frons with strong longitudinal striations, interspersed with strong and dense, fine punctures. Centre of frons with weaker and finer oblique striations, medial carina not reaching frontal ocellus, punctation similar. Flagellomere 1 1.0–1.1 times as long as 2 + 3 (Fig. 3 B View Figure 3 ). Facial foveae shallow, elongate and more or less uniformly narrow, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to slightly above clypeus base, fovea width equals ⅓ antennocular distance. Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus equals 1.8 ocellus diameters. Vertex moderately carinate. Ocelloccipital distance slightly shorter than 1 ocellus diameter (Fig. 3 B, C View Figure 3 ). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Anterior ⅓ of scutum finely shagreened, disc shiny and more or less smooth. Scutal punctation dense and strong, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameters. Scutellum smooth, punctation similar (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ). Anterior part of mesepisternum finely rugose-areolate, posterior part shagreened. Propodeal corbicula finely reticulated, with a few very large crater-shaped punctures around hair bases. Basal half of propodeal triangle very coarsely rugose-areolate, apical half and flanking propodeal regions much more finely so (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ). Hind pretarsal claw with strong inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 more or less near its middle. Nervulus interstitial (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ). — Metasoma: Tergal discs shagreened, with moderately strong, irregular punctation, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters at densest parts, punctation much finer on tergum 4. Tergal marginal zones broad, on tergum 4 covering about ¾ tergum length medially, marginal zones shagreened except near apex, very weakly and finely punctured (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ). Pygidial plate simple, central area not elevated. — Male. Body length: 5.5–6 mm. — Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Flagellum dark brown to black. Apical tarsomeres brown. Wings hyaline, veins brown, stigma light brown centrally (Fig. 3 E View Figure 3 ). Tergal marginal zones yellowish-brown (Fig. 3 H View Figure 3 ). — Pubescence: Body hair mostly minutely plumose, brightly coloured (Fig. 3 E View Figure 3 ). Face with medium to long white hair, dense on lower half and on scape, sparser on upper half. Vertex with medium-lengthed erect whitish hair. Genal area with dense white hair, becoming longer ventrally (Fig. 3 E – G View Figure 3 ). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with sparse, medium to long, whitish to yellowish erect hairs. Mesepisternum with dense, very long white hair. Propodeum with sparse, long white hair (Fig. 3 E, G View Figure 3 ). Legs with short to medium, white to golden hair (Fig. 3 E View Figure 3 ). Tergal discs with minute inconspicuous white hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–5 with strongly interrupted apicolateral white hair bands. Terminal fringe whitish (Fig. 3 E, H View Figure 3 ). — Head: Labral process very narrowly trapezoidal, apical half thickened, apical margin strongly concave. Clypeus weakly arched, smooth and shiny except near base, distinctly punctured, distance between punctures about 1 puncture diameter, without impunctate midline, clypeal sculpture hidden by dense pubescence. Flagellomere 1 slightly shorter than 2 + 3, 2 shorter than 3 (Fig. 3 F View Figure 3 ). Ocelloccipital distance about 1 ocellus diameter (Fig. 3 G View Figure 3 ). Rest of head as in female. — Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum very shiny, superficially shagreened, occasionally smooth centrally, distinctly punctured, distance between punctures 1–3 puncture diameters (Fig. 3 G View Figure 3 ). Nervulus interstitial to antefurcal (Fig. 3 E View Figure 3 ). Rest of mesosoma as in female. — Metasoma: Similar to female, but tergal disc punctation finer and more uniform, distance between punctures about 1.5 puncture diameters. Tergal marginal zones narrower than in female (Fig. 3 H View Figure 3 ). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Dorsal gonocoxite lobes developed, converging apically, more or less rounded. Penis valves moderately broad basally, gradually tapering up to mid-length, hereafter uniformly narrow. Gonostyli finger-shaped, with a distinct kink in mid-length, where they are slightly bent inwards. Sternum 8 simple, columnar, slightly broadening apically, apical process undeveloped (Fig. 20 L View Figure 20 ).

Distribution and habitat.

Sub-alpine habitats in northern Israel (Mt. Hermon) and Lebanon, likely also Syria, above 1900 m. Previously reported from Israel and Lebanon as A. lindbergella ( Pisanty et al. 2018; Wood et al. 2020; Boustani et al. 2021).

Flight period.

Mid-May to early July.

Flower records.

Collected from Brassicaceae ( Alyssum ).

Type material.

HOLOTYPE: ISRAEL ● 1 ♀; Har Hermon [Mount Hermon]; [approx. 33.315°N 35.810°E]; 2200 m a. s. l.; 27 May 1999; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU GoogleMaps . – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 2 ♀; ‘ Emeq Eshhar, Plot E 7 ; 33.304°N 35.790°E; 2048 m a. s. l.; 21 Jun. 2019; A. Dorchin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 309522 , 309523 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♀; Har Hermon ; 2200 m a. s. l.; 27 May 1999; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♀; Har Hermon ; 33.3027°N 35.7855°E; 2020 m a. s. l.; 15 May 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 242148 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 247 -22; SMNHTAU 242147 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♀; ibid.; 33.304°N 35.7875°E; SMNHTAU 242308 GoogleMaps ● 3 ♀; Har Hermon ; 33.309°N 35.792°E; 1950 m a. s. l.; 15 May 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 242178 to 242180 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 242183 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♂; ibid.; RMNH GoogleMaps ● 1 ♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL 432-25; SMNHTAU 242184 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♀; Hermon ; 2000 m a. s. l.; 27 Jun. 1973; D. Furth leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♀; Hermon NR, Sheluhat Duvdevan, Plot E 1 ; 33.315°N 35.797°E; 2124 m a. s. l.; 29 May 2019; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 306321 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♀; Hermon NR, Sheluhat Duvdevan, Plot E 6 ; 33.314°N 35.791°E; 2076 m a. s. l.; 29 May 2019; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 306277 GoogleMaps ● 2 ♂; Mt. Hermon ; 2000 m a. s. l.; 22 May 1973; D. Furth leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1 ♀; ibid.; 7 Jul. 1987; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 4 ♀, 2 ♂; ibid.; 25 May 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2 ♀; ibid.; OLML ● 2 ♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 3 ♀; Mt. Hermon, Giv’at Tziv’oni ; “ Isr. Grid: 22413019 ”; 2200 m a. s. l.; 14 May 1991; C. O’Toole leg.; on Alyssum baumgartnerianum ; SMNHTAU . – LEBANON ● 1 ♀; Bsharri Distr., El-Arz ; 2000 m a. s. l.; 12 May 2023; V. Soon leg.; TUZ 341882 ● 1 ♀; North Governorate, Bcharre, El-Arz ; ibid.; TUZ 341874 .