Thyreus scutellaris ( Fabricius, 1781 )

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 scutellaris ( Fabricius, 1781)

Nomada scutellaris Fabricius, 1781: 487, ♂ [Siberia, NHMD, not examined].

Material examined.

Kazakhstan • 3 ♂, 4 ♀; NO, Bajanaul NP ; 410 m a. s. l.; 22 Jun. 2008; W-H. Liebig leg.; TJWC / WHLC • 6 ♂; NO, Bajanaul NP ; 410 m a. s. l.; 24 Jun. 2024; W-H. Liebig leg.; TJWC / WHLC • 5 ♂, 1 ♀; NO, Bajanaul NP ; 410 m a. s. l.; 20 Jun. 2008; W-H. Liebig leg.; WHLC • 4 ♂, 1 ♀; NO, Bajanaul NP ; 410–443 a. s. l. m; 15–21 Jun. 2008; W-H. Liebig leg.; WHLC • 2 ♂, 1 ♀; NO, Bajanaul NP ; 410–443 a. s. l. m; 23 Jun. 2008; W-H. Liebig leg.; WHLC • 1 ♂; SE, Kokterek, 18 km NW ; 475 m a. s. l.; 11 Jun. 2024; W-H. Liebig leg.; WHLC • 2 ♂, 1 ♀; SE, Kokterek, 20 km E ; 475 m a. s. l.; 10 Jun. 2024; C. Schmid-Egger & W-H. Liebig leg.; CSE / WHLC • 1 ♂; SE, Shonzhy 10 km NW ; 654 m a. s. l.; 3 Jun. 2024; W-H. Liebig leg.; WHLC • 1 ♂; SE, 12 km SE Zhalgyzagash ; 1322 m a. s. l.; 8 Jun. 2024; C. Schmid-Egger leg.; CSE ; Russia • 1 ♂; Baikalgebeit , Ust-Orda [Ust’ - Ordynskii] ostl.; 545 m a. s. l.; 26 Jun. 2011; W-H. Liebig leg.; WHLC • 1 ♀; БАССР [ Baskhir], Уфа [ Ufa ]; 18 Jul. 1959; D. B. Baker det. 1959; RMNH; RMNH.INS.1662717 ; BOLD accession number BGENL 2290-24 .

Notes.

The concept of T. scutellaris has changed over time. Prior to the work of de Beaumont (1940) and Alfken (1940), the name T. scutellaris was applied to what is today called T. orbatus (Lepeletier, 1841) ( Lieftinck 1959 b; 1968). The range has therefore been confused in the literature. Records from Portugal ( Dusmet 1931; Diniz 1959) and Romania ( Iuga 1958) clearly refer to this pre-de Beaumont concept of T. scutellaris . Iuga (1958: 220) even referred to Anthophora vulpina (Panzer, 1798) (recte Anthophora quadrimaculata (Panzer, 1798 )) as the host of “ T. scutellaris ”, another indication that they were referring to T. orbatus , which is well known to attack this species of Anthophora (e. g. Lieftinck 1968; Amiet et al. 2007).

Based on the newly examined specimens, we hypothesise a possible host through examination of concurrently active and captured Anthophorinae . At Bajanaul (2008) and at Lake Baikal (2011), T. scutellaris was captured with Anthophora ( Mystacanthophora) meridionalis Fedchenko, 1875 , by W-H. Liebig (specimens WHLC). Active at most capture sites in Kazakhstan (2024) were numerous species of Anthophora ( Paramegilla) Friese, 1897 , though these seem less likely to be hosts due to (i) their large size relative to T. scutellaris and (ii) their thermophilic tendencies, with most Paramegilla species favouring warm to hot grasslands and not extending into cooler parts of Siberia where T. scutellaris is also present. Clearly, additional focused study is required, but this circumstantial evidence forms the basis for a testable hypothesis.

Lieftinck (1968) redefined the global range as predominantly Asian. In Europe, outside of European Russia, there is a single record from Croatia from 1886 ( Lieftinck 1968); to our knowledge, the next nearest records come from Turkey and Russia ( Astrakhan). Lieftinck’s records from Egypt, “ Syria ”, and Arabia are difficult to understand for biogeographical reasons. Most records of T. scutellaris , including the original terra typica, come from areas with a strongly continental climate, including cold winters. Molecular characterisation, along with additional study of Near Eastern specimens, is necessary to more fully understand the southern range limit of this species as well as its potential host (s).

Distribution.

? Egypt,? Syria sensu lato,? Arabia sensu lato, Croatia, Russia (European part, Urals, Western Siberia, Eastern Siberia), Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, China ( Gansu, Inner Mongolia) ( Lieftinck 1959 b, 1968).