Thyreus praevalens ( Kohl, 1905 )

Wood, Thomas, Leclercq, Vincent, Schmid-Egger, Christian & Praz, Christophe, 2025, A contribution to the knowledge of the genus Thyreus Panzer in the West and Central Palaearctic (Hymenoptera, Apidae), with two new species, taxonomic updates, host relationships, and a key to European species, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 72 (2), pp. 259-302 : 259-302

Thyreus praevalens ( Kohl, 1905)

Crocisa praevalens Kohl, 1905: 243, ♂ [ Turkey, NHMW, examined].

Material examined.

Armenia • 1 ♀; Monastero Gherard [Geghard] ; 13 Jul. 1963; A. G. Soika leg.; M. A. Lieftinck det. 1967; MNHN ; Greece • 1 ♀; Stena Fourkas, 6 km S Lamia ; 1000 m a. s. l.; 29 May 2005; M. Šárovec leg.; OÖLM ; Turkey • 1 ♂; 2 km S Nevşehir; 1250 m a. s. l.; 4 Jul. 1984; A. W. Ebmer leg.; M. A. Lieftinck det.; RMNH; RMNH.INS.1714355 • 1 ♀; 5 km W Nevşehir; 1300 m a. s. l.; 19 Jul. 1984; A. W. Ebmer leg.; M. A. Lieftinck det.; RMNH; RMNH.INS.1714354 • 1 ♂; Erdschias ( Illany-Dagh ) [Yilanli Dağ, Kayseri]; Penther leg.; NHMW ( holotype) • 1 ♂; Amasia [Amasya]; M. A. Lieftinck det. 1962; MNHN (ex. coll. Pérez 1915) .

Notes.

Thyreus praevalens is newly reported here for Greece and thus for Europe. Lieftinck (1968: 71) confusingly wrote about the pubescence of the clypeus in a non-type specimen “ … it has the clypeal pubescence [sic] black; not white as might appear from the original diagnosis ”. This factors into the key, where he indicates that the species is partially separated from T. hellenicus due to the dark facial hair ( Lieftinck 1968: 16, couplet 4; 17, footnote), and indeed, inspected female specimens of T. praevalens do present such hairs (Fig. 23 B ). However, the male holotype of T. praevalens has not a single black hair on the face (Fig. 24 C, D ). The colouration of the facial hair does seem variable, as males with light and dark facial hair appear to be structurally identical. Lieftinck (1968: 70) points out as a key character the punctation of the vertex behind the ocellar triangle, which is extremely dense and contrasts with the almost impunctate areas adjacent to the lateral ocelli in both sexes (Fig. 23 E, F ). This pattern of punctation is similar to that observed in T. hellenicus . In short, the characters most important for diagnosis seem to be the punctation of the vertex combined with the shape of the scutellum (Fig. 23 C ) and the shape of the white markings on T 1 (Fig. 23 D ). This information is integrated into the identification key below.

Given the observed distribution, the close morphological similarity to T. hellenicus , which attacks Anthophora ( Paramegilla) species, the small number of Paramegilla species present in Greece, and the flight period, there is circumstantial evidence to suggest that the host of T. praevalens may be Anthophora ( Paramegilla) onosmarum Morawitz, 1875 , which was recently reported as new for Turkey, southern Bulgaria, and northern Greece ( Wood and Praz 2024). Further study is required.

Distribution.

Greece *, Turkey, Armenia ( Lieftinck 1968).

Figures

Figure 23. Thyreus praevalens (Kohl, 1905) female from Greece (OÖLM). A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, fronto-lateral view; C. Scutellum, dorsal view; D. Terga, dorsal view; E. Vertex and ocellar triangle, dorsal view. Thyreus praevalens (Kohl, 1905) male holotype (NHMW); F. Vertex and ocellar triangle, dorsal view.

Figure 24. Thyreus praevalens (Kohl, 1905) male holotype (NHMW). A. Label details; B. Habitus, lateral view; C. Head, frontal view; D. Head, lateral view; E. Scutum, dorsolateral view; F. Metasoma, dorsal view.