As a unified group, Andrena (Micrandrena) are too morphologically diverse to diagnose with unique defining characters, especially with regard to other members of the highly diverse clade of small-sized Andrena distributed primarily in the Old World (clades 23–24 in Pisanty et al. 2022a), which includes also Aciandrena, Aenandrena, Fuscandrena, Graecandrena, Parandrenella, and the A. janthina species group. All Micrandrena are relatively small-sized, and all Palaearctic species lack bright facial markings in both sexes. They generally also lack most of the distinct modifications which characterize many other Andrena subgenera, such as elongated mouthparts, enlarged vertex and gena, carinate pronotum, complete propodeal corbicula, sloping profile of propodeum, carinate or toothed hind femur, modified hind tibial spur, plumose scopa, raised area on pygidial plate, or strong male pygidial plate. Beyond these simple generalizations, to provide a clear diagnosis against similar subgenera and species groups, it is necessary to divide Micrandrena into several morphological groups and diagnose each one of them separately, as specified below. As reference groups, the following discussion will focus on the related subgenera Aciandrena (as presently circumscribed), Fuscandrena, Graecandrena and the Andrena janthina group, which are the main taxa most often confused with Micrandrena.

For the sake of the present discussion and for utility within the fauna of the Levant and Cyprus, we divide the Palaearctic members of A. (Micrandrena) into the following groups, which to our best understanding, correspond to distinct clades in phylogenomic analysis (Pisanty et al. 2022a; Bossert et al. in prep.):

1. Andrena longibarbis group – former subgenus Distandrena.

2. Andrena minutula group – this is the old concept of subgenus Micrandrena sensu Warncke in the Palaearctic but excluding the species around A. oedicnema Warncke and A. proxima (Kirby). This group contains the bulk of the species diversity of the subgenus. It corresponds to Schmid-Egger & Scheuchl’s minutula- and nana-groups combined (Schmid-Egger & Scheuchl 1997). We see no justification to distinguish the nana group here, as preliminary molecular data does not support its monophyly, and the minutula/nana group division is not clearly applicable outside Central Europe.

3. Andrena oedicnema group – A. oedicnema Warncke and the closely related A. cedricola Wood.

4. Other unassigned, peculiar taxa, including the well-known Andrena proxima group, here represented by a single species only.

The Andrena longibarbis group can be well characterized against other Andrena subgenera by the combination of: 1. A clypeus that is completely flat or almost so, often with longitudinal striations (Fig. 13E–I); 2. Supraclypeal plate often longitudinally striated; 3. Facial foveae extremely long and narrow, usually extending below the antennal sockets, with the lower ½–⅔ almost linear (Fig. 13D); 4. Propodeal triangle entirely reticulated, essentially lacking any rugae, even basally (Fig. 13A); 5. Scutum and terga strongly shagreened and impunctate to weakly punctured (Fig. 13J–P); 6. Hind leg pretarsal claw usually bidentate. This species group is most similar to members of subgenus Aciandrena and the A. janthina species group, but in these reference taxa the clypeus is not always flat, the clypeus and supraclypeal area are never longitudinally striated, the foveae are shorter and more drop-shaped, the body shagreening is usually weaker and finer, and the hind leg pretarsal claw is usually unidentate.

The highly diverse Andrena minutula group is more variable morphologically compared to the A. longibarbis group, but it is characterized most of all by a propodeal triangle that is finely but strongly rugose to rugose-areolate, at least on the basal half (Fig. 13C). Many members of the A. minutula group also have strong integumental sculpturing such as deep punctures or strong shagreening (Figs 15–18). Both these traits set this group apart from the related subgenera Aciandrena, Fuscandrena and Graecandrena as well as the A. janthina species group. In these reference groups, the propodeal triangle is more reticulated, with the rugosity absent or weaker and more confined to the basal margin; the integumental sculpturing is generally weaker, with punctures and shagreening usually appearing shallower; and in some species the males have yellow facial markings and/or reduced gonostyli, but these are more difficult to generalize. There are exceptions to most of the above criteria, and caution should be exercised when excluding similar subgenera.

Most of the remaining taxa of A. (Micrandrena) in the treatment below can also be diagnosed against other subgenera based on the same criteria mentioned above. Hence, most of the characters of the Andrena minutula group apply also to the A. oedicnema group and to A. proxima; A. extenuata Wood also possesses a similar strongly rugose propodeal triangle. The A. oedicnema group is further characterized by mirror-smooth, mostly impunctate terga (Fig. 14P), and A. proxima possesses an almost unique, star-shaped wrinkling of the surface of the propodeal corbicula (Fig. 14M). The three remaining species are more challenging to diagnose, as their propodeal triangles are more weakly or narrowly rugose, as in Graecandrena (Fig. 13B), however all possess unusual characteristics which are rare among the related subgenera: A. dividicincta Pisanty has very strong tergal hairbands which are strictly limited to the tergal sides (Fig. 14O); A. pandosa Warncke has broad facial foveae (Fig. 14K), a protuberant, medially flattened clypeus in which the apicolateral corners are distinctly elevated, and a strongly notched labral process (Fig. 14B); and A. yelkouan Warncke has an entirely flat clypeus (Fig. 14A) as well as strongly contrasting dull scutum versus shiny scutellum (Fig. 14G).

It is important to note that several species of the A. minutula group occur in two generations which are morphologically distinct. This includes A. alfkenella Perkins, A. alfkenelloides Warncke, A. chananaea Pisanty & Wood sp. nov., A. minutula, and A. minutuloides Perkins. As a general rule, the second generations possess a smoother cuticle and brighter pubescence (particularly the male facial pubescence), which are most likely adaptations for the warmer ambient temperature and stronger solar radiation associated with late season (Ostwald et al. 2025).

Most of the bionomic data on Micrandrena species has been gathered from studying Central European taxa, especially the work of Westrich (1989). Recently, Wood (2023a,b) has conducted pollen analyses on several west Mediterranean species, thus broadening the spectrum of studied taxa. Far less is known about most of the Levantine taxa included in this study, as well as those from the Nearctic and East Palaearctic realms. Altogether, detailed pollen preference data is publicly available for ca. 40 species of Micrandrena, showing distinct trends among different species groups within the subgenus. All members of the Andrena longibarbis species group appear to exhibit a high affinity for Brassicaceae, and all six species with analysed pollen loads are strict Brassicaceae specialists (Westrich 1989; Dermane et al. 2021; Wood 2023a,b); we assume that similar specialization exists in all other members of this group. By contrast, the Andrena minutula group, the most diverse group within the subgenus, exhibits a high proportion (ca. 70%) of pollen generalists, with Brassicaceae and Apiaceae as the most common host plants (Westrich 1989; Scheuchl & Willner 2016; Wood 2023a,b). As expected, voltinism tends to correlate with pollen host breadth within this group, i.e. pollen generalist species have a greater tendency to fly in two generations per year, greatly extending their foraging season (Westrich 1989; Scheuchl & Willner 2016). Other species of Micrandrena outside these two groups exhibit diverse pollen preferences, including specialists of Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Cistaceae, Resedaceae and Salicaceae, as well as generalists (Westrich 1989; Larkin et al. 2008; Scheuchl & Willner 2016; Wood & Roberts 2018; Pisanty et al. 2022b; Wood 2023a,b; unpublished data).

In terms of biogeography, the highly diverse Andrena minutula group is common in temperate and Mediterranean biomes throughout the Palaearctic, with numerous species confined to higher elevations. The Andrena oedicnema group is associated with similar habitats, with a much more limited distribution. On the other hand, the A. longibarbis group is strongly associated with dry habitats in the Western Palaearctic, and is most diverse around the southern Mediterranean Basin and the Iberian Peninsula.

Coastal habitats along the south Mediterranean. In the Levant, limited to Israel’s coastal plain, likely extending into Lebanon (Warncke 1969, as A. longibarbis Pérez; Pisanty et al. 2022b).

Mid-January to late April.

Collected from Brassicaceae (Brassica) and Boraginaceae (Alkanna).

ISRAEL ● 1♂; Binyamina; 26 Jan. 1976; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 348576 ● 1♂; Gan Soreq, Giv’at Humra; 31°56’07” N 34°44’35” E; 25 m a.s.l.; 4 Feb. 2020; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 330935 ● 1♀; Gvulot; 14 Mar. 1987; E. Shney-Dor leg.; SMNHTAU 348575 ● 1♀; Hof Dor–HaBonim N.R. [Nature Reserve]; 32.638–43° N 34.922–8° E; 2 Mar. 2025; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♂; Hof Rosh Haniqra N.R.; 33.076–85° N 35.105–9° E; 18 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 465053, 465054 ● 1♀; Hof Rosh Haniqra N.R., nr. Hof Bezet; 18 Mar. 2025; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 464993 ● 1♂; Hulon; 18 Jan. 1954; L. Fishelsohn leg.; SMNHTAU 348577 ● 1♀; Mikve-Jisrael B G [Botanical Garden]; 15 Mar. 1946; SMNHTAU 348588 ● 1♀; Nahal Alexander; 27 Feb. 2020; K. Levy leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL485-25; SMNHTAU 337969 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL105-22; SMNHTAU 337967 ● 1♀; ibid.; 29 Mar. 2021; on Brassica tournefortii; SMNHTAU 380253 ● 1♀; ibid.; 3 Apr. 2021; SMNHTAU 379996 ● 1♀; Nahal Alexander NP [National Park]; 32.3955° N 34.8755° E; 25 Feb. 2024; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 448453 ● 6♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 448449 to 448452, 448454, 448455 ● 1♂; Netanya, Irus Ha’Argaman NR; 24 Feb. 2021; ITI Bee Course leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Nir Eliyahu; 14 Apr. 2023; S. Asis leg.; SMNHTAU 414787 ● 3♂; Nizzanim, D6; 17 Feb. 2005; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Nizzanim Nature Reserve; 25 Feb. 2009; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL110-22; SMNHTAU 348583 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 348581, 348582 ● 1♂; Nizzanim Nature Reserve, Nahal Evtah; 25 Feb. 2009; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 348580 ● 2♂; Or ‘Aqiva, 1km E; 32.493° N 34.934° E; 33 m a.s.l.; 2 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 464087, 464088 ● 2♂; ibid.; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 464107, 464108 ● 1♀; Qadima; 25 Mar. 2009; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; R.Gn [?Ramat Gan]; 3 Feb. [19]40; SMNHTAU 348586 ● 1♀; ibid.; 6 Feb. [19]40; SMNHTAU 348587 ● 3♀; Rehobot [Rehovot]; 9 Feb. 1942; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU 348589 to 348591 ● 3♀; Rehoboth; [??] Feb. [19]34; Hecht leg.; SMNHTAU 348593 to 348595 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 348592 ● 1♂; Sde Uziyahu; 31.753° N 34.667° E; 13 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462968 ● 1♂; T.A.g [?Tel Aviv Botanical Garden]; 4 Feb. [19]40; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Tel Aviv; 17 Mar. 1940; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU 348584 ● 1♂; ibid.; [??] Mar. 1940; SMNHTAU 348585 ● 2♀; Tel Aviv, Ramat Aviv; 32.130° N 34.801° E; 9 Feb. 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 203163, 203164 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 203161, 203162 ● 1♂; ibid.; 1 Apr. 2017; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 270430 ● 1♂; Zur Moshe; 27 Apr. 2015; I. Eliakim leg.; SMNHTAU 185879. – TUNISIA ● 1♀; Djerba Midoun [2 km S of Sedouikech, Mosquée el louttaa Souterraine de Sedouikech]; 26 Feb. 2023; N.J. Vereecken leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW1341-23; TJWC.

Desert habitats in north Africa and the Levant (southern Israel, Jordan*, Syria*, Pisanty et al. 2018).

Early February to late April.

Collected from Brassicaceae (Diplotaxis, Erucaria, Zilla) and Nitrariaceae (Nitraria).

HOLOTYPE: EGYPT ● ♀; Wadi Digla; 12 Feb. 1932; H. Priesner leg.; OLML. – non-type material: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Arava, 4 km W of Hazeva; 19–29 Feb. 1988; R. Leys leg.; RMNH ZMA.INS.5104494 ● 1♀; ibid.; TJWC ● 1♂; ibid.; 27 Feb. 1990; RMNH ZMA.INS.5102911 ● 3♂; Hazeva; 11 Feb. 2009; A. Gotlieb leg.; SMNHTAU 27073, 27074, 27080 ● 1♂; ibid.; 12 Feb. 2010; on Zilla spinosa; SMNHTAU 33212 ● 1♀; Iddan; 15 Feb. 2009; A. Gotlieb leg.; SMNHTAU 27098 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 27129 ● 1♀; ibid.; 11 Mar. 2009; SMNHTAU 27332 ● 1♂; ibid.; 9 Feb. 2010; on Erucaria rostrata; SMNHTAU 33170 ● 1♀; ibid.; 6 Mar. 2010; on Zilla spinosa; SMNHTAU 57616 ● 1♀; Nahal Shahaq, Shezaf Nat.[ure]Res.[erve]; 30°44.26’ N 35°14.58’ E; –120 m a.s.l.; 2 Mar. 1997; O. Niehuis leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; ibid.; 4 Mar. 1997 ● 1♂; ibid.; 30°45.10’ N 35°15.35’ E; 20 Feb. 1997 ● 1♂; ibid.; 30°45.99’ N 35°15.94’ E ● 1♀; Nahal Shezaf; 9 Feb. 2021; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 358594 ● 1♀; Nahal Shezaf; 30.722° N 35.270° E; 13 Feb. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 234061 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL216-22; SMNHTAU 234060 ● 1♀; ibid.; 14 Feb. 2016; SMNHTAU 234068 ● 1♀; Nahal Shezaf, 2 km N ‘En Yahav; –140 m a.s.l.; 6 Mar. 2013; A. Dorchin leg.; TJWC ● 1♀; Nahal Zin; 17 Mar. 2009; H. Carmely leg.; SMNHTAU 30923 ● 2♀; Negev, 2 km E Yeroham; 21 Mar. 1990; R. Leys leg.; RMNH ZMA.INS.5102746. – JORDAN ● 1♀; Rawayshid [Ruwaished]; 23 Apr. 1996; Ma. Halada leg.; OLML ● 1♂; Wadi Rum; 900 m a.s.l.; 17 Mar. 1988; L. Blank leg.; TJWC. – SYRIA ● 1♀; asr al-Hiras-Sharqi, Dayr Az-Zor; 250 m a.s.l.; 23 Mar. 1988; L. Blank leg.; OLML ● 1♀; 30 km W Palmyra; 580 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 1992; K. Warncke leg.; OLML.

Endemic to arid habitats in the southern Levant (southern Israel, West Bank, Jordan).

March.

None.

Male unknown.

HOLOTYPE: WEST BANK ● ♀; “ISRAEL, Herodyon” [Herodium]; 31°40’ N 35°14’ E; 31 Mar. 2009; M. Guershon leg.; SMNHTAU 348536. – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 2♀; Sede Boqer; 21 Mar. 1985; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 207231, 348532. – JORDAN ● 1♀; Wadi-el-Mawjib; 400 m a.s.l.;, 20 Mar. 2009; V. Barták leg.; OLML. – WEST BANK ● 1♀; Herodyon; 31°40’ N 35°14’ E; 31 Mar. 2009; M. Guershon leg.; OLML ● 4♀; ibid.; SMNHTAU 207232, 348533, 348534, 348537.

Named after the Israeli entomologist Jehoshua Kugler (1916–2007).

Within the Andrena longibarbis species group, A. kugleri belongs to the species around A. mariana Warncke, which are characterized by a largely non-rugose clypeus. Among these species, A. kugleri can be diagnosed by the combination of the relatively narrow female labral process (Fig. 13F; broader in A. abjecta Pérez, A. leptura Warncke stat. nov. and A. mica Warncke), the flat, apically smooth, non-rugose clypeus (Figs 2B, F, 13F; weakly domed in A. abjecta, A. mariana and A. tenostra Warncke, more extensively shagreened in A. obsoleta Pérez and male A. mica, less so in A. rubecula Warncke, basally rugose in A. leptura and A. mica), reddish-brown flagellum (Fig. 2; more orange-lightened in A. govinda Warncke, A. mariana and female A. rubecula, dark in male A. alma Warncke), male flagellomere proportions (Fig. 2F; flagellomere 1 longer in A. obsoleta), normally developed male gena (broadened in A. alma and A. rubecula), weak pronotal angle (stronger in A. rubecula and male A. alma), dull scutellum (Fig. 2C, G; shinier in A. govinda, A. rubecula and A. tenostra), impunctate tergal discs (punctate in female A. alma), reddish-brown tergal marginal zones (Fig. 2D, H; distinctly orange in A. mariana, somewhat more orange-lightened in female A. rubecula), relatively narrow tergal hair bands (Fig. 2D, H; broader in A. govinda), and relatively narrow penis valves (Fig. 19L; broader in A. alma and A. leptura).

Figure 2. 

Andrena kugleri Pisanty sp. nov. A Female habitus; B female head; C female vertex and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male vertex and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

FEMALE. Body length: 6–7 mm. — Integumental colour: Body black. Flagellum brown anteriorly, occasionally with weak reddish hue. Legs black to brown. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma golden (Fig. 2A). Tergal marginal zones reddish-yellow basally, yellow to whitish apically (Fig. 2D). — Pubescence: Body hair relatively sparse, mostly minutely plumose, white (Fig. 2A). Face and genal area with short to medium white hair, densest on paraocular area and scape. Facial fovea with dense, minute whitish hair. Vertex with long erect white hair (Fig. 2B, C). Dorsal mesosomal surfaces with sparse erect white hair, short on scutum, longer on scutellum and metanotum (Fig. 2C). Mesepisternum with moderately dense, long white hair (Fig. 2A). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsoposterior fringe composed of long, plumose white hairs. Corbicular surface with sparse, simple long white hairs. Leg hair white (Fig. 2A). Flocculus incomplete. Femoral and tibial scopae well-developed, femoral scopa composed of moderately long, curved plumose hairs dorsally and straight long hairs ventrally, tibial scopa composed of simple hairs (Fig. 2A). Tergal discs 1–2 hairless centrally, with sparse inconspicuous short white hair laterally. Tergal discs 3–4 entirely with sparse, inconspicuous minute white hair, slightly longer laterally. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with distinct narrow bands of dense white hair, strongly interrupted on tergum 2, almost continuous on 3, continuous on 4. Terminal fringe whitish-golden (Fig. 2D). — Head: 1.2 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed (Fig. 2B). Galea finely shagreened. Labral process small, subquadrate, as long as broad or longer. Clypeus entirely flat to minutely domed, smooth apically and finely shagreened basally, lacking striations, punctation distinct, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters, an impunctate midline is absent or very weakly indicated (Figs 2B, 13F). Paraocular and supraclypeal areas and frons finely longitudinally striated, punctation absent except on lower paraocular area (Fig. 2B). Facial fovea extremely narrow and linear in lower half, broader in upper ⅓–½, here about ⅓ as broad as antennocular distance, fovea extending from level of middle–lower end of lateral ocellus to lower end of antennal socket, separated from compound eye by very narrow strip of smooth cuticle. Flagellomere 1 as long as 2+3, 2 slightly shorter than 3 (Fig. 2B). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus 1.8 ocellus diameters. Vertex distinctly carinate. Ocelloccipital distance equals 0.7 ocellus diameter (Fig. 2C). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum weakly developed. Scutum and scutellum entirely shagreened and dull, scutum with extremely shallow, hardly discernible punctation, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters (Fig. 2C). Mesepisternum and propodeum finely reticulated. Base of propodeal triangle more coarsely reticulated than apical part and flanking propodeal regions, occasionally slightly rugose-areolate at basal margin (Fig. 2C). Hind pretarsal claw with small inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meeting submarginal cell 2 near its middle. Nervulus usually strongly antefurcal, rarely weakly antefurcal to interstitial (Fig. 2A). — Metasoma: Tergal discs strongly, finely shagreened, impunctate. Tergal marginal zones weakly depressed, weakly broadening medially, shagreened basally and smooth apically, impunctate (Fig. 2D). Pygidial plate with distinctly elevated central zone. — MALE. Body length: 5.5–7 mm. — Integumental colour: As in female (Fig. 2E). — Pubescence: Body hair longer and denser than in female, mostly minutely plumose, white (Fig. 2E). Face, vertex and gena with moderately dense, long white hairs. A few short dark hairs occur near centre of inner margin of compound eye (Fig. 2F). Dorsal mesosomal surfaces with long erect white hair, densest on metanotum and scutellum, sparse on scutal disc (Fig. 2E, G). Mesepisternum with moderately dense, very long white hairs. Propodeum with long white hairs. Leg hair white to yellowish (Fig. 2E). Tergal discs with short to minute inconspicuous bright hair, longer laterally and on base of tergum 1. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with weak narrow bands of white hair, strongly interrupted on terga 2–3, more weakly so on 4. Terminal fringe whitish-golden (Fig. 2H). — Head: Labral process quadrate, apical margin concave to blunt-ended. Clypeus entirely flat, apical ⅔ extremely smooth. Flagellomere 1 about 1.2 times as long as 3, 3 distinctly longer than 2 (Fig. 2F). Ocelloccipital distance about 1 ocellus diameter (Fig. 2G). Genal area 0.95–1.05 times as broad as compound eye. Rest of head as in female. — Mesosoma: As in female (Fig. 2G). — Metasoma: As in female (Fig. 2H). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Dorsal gonocoxite lobes developed, converging apically, pointed. Gonostyli finger-shaped, elongate, weakly broadening apically, inner margin with very small concavity in mid-length. Penis valves moderately broad basally, basal ⅔ gradually tapering apically (Fig. 19L). Sternum 8 simple, columnar, narrow, apical process broadened, apical margin often weakly emarginate.

In a broad sense, Andrena kugleri is endemic to Israel, the West Bank and southern Lebanon. The principal distribution is in desert areas of southern Israel and the West Bank, while the species is absent from most of the Mediterranean region of Israel. However, a disjunct population exists on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border, where annual precipitation exceeds 600 mm. This population is known only from females, and the single available barcode (from Lebanon) is 13% different from the main population. Males should be located and examined to conclude whether this population represents a separate taxon. The species is also known from only two localities in the central coastal plain, one of these is the old botanical garden in southern Tel Aviv, where a great proportion of the type material has originated. A single specimen with a label from Turkey in Warncke’s handwriting is of dubious origin, as noted by Warncke himself. More DNA barcoding is needed to better assess the uniformity of this taxon across its range.

Mid-February to mid-April, up to early May in southern Lebanon.

Collected from Brassicaceae (Erucaria, Sisymbrium, etc.) and Asparagaceae (Scilla).

In his collection, Warncke labeled this taxon A. mariana progressa Warncke, an unpublished name which adds to his multiple subspecific concepts of A. mariana, all of which are now considered distinct species or junior synonyms of other distinct species (Wood 2023a and the present work). See also A. leptura stat. nov.

Andrena kugleri is very similar to A. rubecula known from nearby Egypt, and female specimens collected near the southernmost part of the Israeli-Egyptian border (previously classified as A. rubecula, Pisanty et al. 2022b) appear to show intermediate characters between the two species and cannot be confidently assigned to either taxon at this stage. Differences from A. rubecula are most apparent in males, which have a shorter, less developed mandible, brighter facial hair (Fig. 2F), clypeus which is shagreened near the base (almost completely smooth in A. rubecula), narrower genal area (broader than the compound eye in A. rubecula), weaker pronotal angle, scutellum which is fully shagreened and dull (Fig. 2G; smooth and shiny in A. rubecula), and slightly larger genitalia (Fig. 19L). Females are harder to differentiate, but they exhibit similar, albeit weaker differences in the pronotum and scutellum, as well as a smoother clypeus, and a generally darker integument, especially in the flagellum, legs and tergal marginal zones.

HOLOTYPE: WEST BANK ● 1♀; “ISRAEL, Jericho” [Jericho]; [approx. 31.86° N 35.46° E]; [approx. –250 m a.s.l.]; 13 Feb. 1975; F. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 373036. – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Avedat; 13 Apr. 1990; Kl. Warncke leg.; OLML ● 1♂; Holon; 27 Feb. 1973; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; “Andrena mariana ssp. progressa” paratype label; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Ramon – HaMeshar; 25 Mar. 1993; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 367688 ● 3♀; Rekhes HaSullam; 33.091° N 35.112° E; 80 m a.s.l.; 18 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 465065, 465066, 465068 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♀; Sede Boqer; 21 Mar. 1985; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 373037 ● 1♀; Sedé Boqer; 17 Mar. 1999; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Tel Aviv; 8 Mar. 1974; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀, 20♂; ibid.; 17 Mar. 1970; “Andrena mariana ssp. progressa” paratype label ● 2♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♂; ibid.; 20 Mar. 1972 ● 2♀; Tel-Aviv; 32.045–8° N 34.769–73° E; 25 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 465529, 465531 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 3♀; ibid.; 32.045–50° N 34.769–73° E; 5 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 466827, 466828, 466844 ● 2♂; Tel Aviv BG [Botanical Garden]; 27 Mar. 1969; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; ibid.; “Andrena mariana ssp. progressa” paratype label; OLML ● 1♂; ibid.; 1 Mar. 1972; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; ibid.; 10 Mar. 1972; OLML ● 1♂; ibid.; 20 Mar. 1972 ● 1♂; ibid.; 9 Mar. 1973; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Wadi Raman [Nahal Ramon]; 22 Mar. 1958; Yarkoni leg.; Trias; “Andrena mariana ssp. progressa” paratype label; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Zomet haEla [HaEla Junction]; 12 Apr. 2009; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; גינה בוטנית [botanical garden – most likely in Abu Kabir, Tel Aviv]; 16 Mar. 1961; on Scilla hyacinthoides; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; ibid.; 3 Mar. 1962 ● 1♂; ibid.; 4 Mar. 1962. – LEBANON ● 1♀; Nabatiyeh Gov., Mies Castle; 300 m a.s.l.; 9 May. 2023; V. Soon leg.; BOLD accession no. NATBE248-25; TUZ 347262. – TURKEY [?] ● 1♂; Büyükdere, Istanbul; 8 Apr. [19]72; labeled “Fundort sicher falsch. Israel!”; SMNHTAU. – WEST BANK ● 1♂; Har-Gilo, 5km SW Jerusalem; 850 m a.s.l.; 14 Apr. 1990; R. Kasher leg.; 10min sweeping; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Nabi Musa Road; 22 Feb. 2014; A. Gotlieb leg.; on Sisymbrium irio; BOLD accession no. ANDIL407-25; SMNHTAU 184211 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Erucaria rostrata; SMNHTAU 184266 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 184309 ● 1♂; Nahal Qidron, Avenat, Rt. 90; 2 Mar. 2010; M. Guershon leg.; SMNHTAU 53130 ● 1♀; Qalya; 31.75° N 35.462° E; 2 Mar. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL489-25; SMNHTAU 357552 ● 1♀; Zor Deir Shaman, Yarden [Jordan River] bank; 32°02’30” N 35°30’ E; 15 Mar. 2005; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 367557 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL469-25; SMNHTAU 331517.

(A. rubecula Warncke): HOLOTYPE: EGYPT ● ♀; Meadi [Maadi]; 20 Feb. 1931; H. Priesner leg.; OLML. – PARATYPES: EGYPT ● 1♀; Heluan; “3.98”; OLML ● 2♀; Wadi Digla; 13 Mar. 1931; Dr. H. Priesner leg.; OLML ● 1♀; ibid.; 15 Mar. 1931 ● 1♂; ibid.; 12 Feb. 1932. – non-type material: EGYPT ● 1♀; Ain Sokhna rd, 50–85 km E of Maadi; 4 Apr. 1992; C.G. Roche leg.; OUMNH ● 1♂; W.[adi] Hof; Mar. 1958; Dr. H. Priesner leg.; OLML ● 2♀; Wadi Digla; 27 Mar. 1987; C.G. Roche leg.; OUMNH ● 1♀; ibid.; 4 Mar. 1989 ● 6♀,2♂; ibid.; 8 Mar. 1990 ● 2♀; ibid.; 9 Mar. 1990 ● 6♀,1♂; ibid.; 15 Mar. 1990. – (A. ? kugleri/rubecula): EGYPT ● 2♀; “Israel, Taba” [Taba]; 19 Mar. 1988; Y. Zvik leg.; SMNHTAU. – ISRAEL ● 1♀; Nahal Betamim, 23.8 km NEN Eilat; 29°46’19” N 34°52’08” E; 693 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 2013; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU.

Desert habitats in the south-east Mediterranean. Newly reported from the Levant*, in southern Israel*.

Mid-January to mid-April.

Collected from Brassicaceae (Diplotaxis, Zilla).

Molecular barcodes strongly suggest that this taxon is distinct (Fig. 1), and we hereby elevate it to species status. All subspecies of Andrena mariana erected by Warncke are now considered distinct at the species level (Wood 2023a and the present work). See Andrena kugleri sp. nov. for a discussion of morphological differences among members of this group.

ISRAEL ● 2♀,1♂; Arava, 4 km W of Hazeva; 19–29 Feb. 1988; R. Leys leg.; RMNH ● 1♀; ibid.; TJWC ● 1♀; Gerofit; 11 Mar. 1974; D. Furth leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Hazeva; 8 Feb. 2009; A. Gotlieb leg.; SMNHTAU 27043 ● 1♂; ibid.; 11 Feb. 2009; SMNHTAU 27078 ● 1♀; ibid.; 10 Mar. 2009; SMNHTAU 27290 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 27287 ● 1♂; ibid.; 13 Feb. 2010; on Zilla spinosa; SMNHTAU 57444 ● 3♀; Hazeva Field School; 30°43’ N 35°15’ E; 12 Mar. 1998; E. Askenazi leg.; Malaise trap; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Iddan; 12 Mar. 2009; A. Gotlieb leg.; SMNHTAU 27440 ● 1♀; Makhtésh Ramon; 6 Apr. 1997; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Nahal ‘Ashosh, Rt.90; 30°31.2’ N 35°10.9’ E; 22 m a.s.l.; 17 Feb. 2015; A. Freidberg leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL185-22; SMNHTAU 205081 ● 1♀; Nahal Gidron, 2.5 Km W Arava Hwy(90); 9 Mar. 1998; E. Ashkenazi leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Nahal Nemiyya, Rt.90; 30°40.5’ N 35°13.1’ E; –62 m a.s.l.; 8 Mar. 2010; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 48066 ● 2♀; Nahal Sayif; 30.855° N 35.260° E; 13 Feb. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 234090, 234091 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL218-22; SMNHTAU 234093 ● 4♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 234094 to 234097 ● 1♀; Nahal Shahaq; 30°48’ N 35°14’ E; 22 Mar. 1998; E. Ashkenazi leg.; Malaise trap; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Nahal Shahaq, Shezaf Nat. Res.; 30°44.83’N 35°15.10’ E; 9 Mar. 1997; O. Niehuis leg.; SMNHTAU ● 8♀,3♂; ibid.; 10 Mar. 1997 ● 2♀; ibid.; 30°44.16’N 35°14.51’ E; 10 Mar. 1997; Malaise trap ● 1♀,2♂; Nahal Shahaq, Shezaf Nat. Res.; 30°45.08’N 35°15.33’ E; –120 m a.s.l.; 19 Feb. 1997; O. Niehuis leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀,4♂; ibid.; 30°45.39’N 35°15.58’ E; 27 Feb. 1997 ● 1♀,5♂; ibid.; 30°44.26’N 35°14.58’ E; 2 Mar. 1997 ● 13♀,6♂; ibid.; 4 Mar. 1997 ● 5♀; ibid.; I. Yarom leg. ● 3♀; Nahal Shezaf; 30.722° N 35.270° E; 14 Feb. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 234071 to 234073; ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 234070 ● 1♀; Nahal Shezaf NR; –134 m a.s.l.; 30 Mar. 2011; A. Dorchin leg.; TJWC ● 1♀; NahalNizzana, Rt.171; 750 m a.s.l.; 2 Apr. 2014; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 178619 ● 1♂; Ramon; 10 Mar. 1974; D. Furth leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀; Ramon Rd.; 11 Mar. 1974; D. Furth leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Shizzafon; 30.0435° N 35.023° E; 27 Feb. 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 205469 ● 2♀; Wadi Segur, 40 km NW Eilat; 17 Apr. 1990; Warncke leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Yotvata (Hay Bar) Nature Reserve; 27 Feb. 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 205518 ● 1♀; Zofar; 12 Mar. 2009; H. Carmely leg.; SMNHTAU 27883 ● 1♀; Zofar; 13 Mar. 2009; G. Pisanty leg.; on Zilla spinosa; SMNHTAU 27800.

Shrublands, warm grasslands, and semi-deserts in the southern Mediterranean and the Iberian Peninsula. In the Levant, limited to southern Israel and the West Bank* (Pisanty et al. 2018).

February to mid-April; in Iberia up to mid-May (Álvarez Fidalgo et al. 2022; Gaspar et al. 2023).

Broadly oligolectic on Brassicaceae (Wood 2023a), with records on Diplotaxis and Sinapis (Álvarez Fidalgo et al. 2022; Wood et al. 2022).

EGYPT ● 1♀; Alexandria, Montaza; 11 Apr. 1983; K.M. Guichard leg.; NHMUK. – ISRAEL ● 1♀; Gilat Forest; 31.341° N 34.654° E; 1 Mar. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 422807 ● 1♀; Gilat Research Center, fallow field; 31.3372° N 34.663° E; 2 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; BOLD accession no. ANDIL502-25; SMNHTAU 385022 ● 1♀; KKL Park Sayeret Shaqed; 31.2798° N 34.6498° E; 19 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 386106 ● 1♂; Lakhish, 3km NE; 31.578° N 34.870° E; 19 Feb. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 234227 ● 1♀; ibid.; 31.579° N 34.871° E; 4 Mar. 2016; pan trap; SMNHTAU 235215 ● 1♀; Negev, 2 km E Yeroham; 21 Mar. 1990; R. Leys leg.; RMNH ZMA.INS.5104401 ● 1♀; Park ha-Les NR; 31.2575° N 34.5965° E; 19 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL504-25; SMNHTAU 386086. – MOROCCO ● 1♀; Souss-Massa, N10, 20 km E Taroudant, Ouled Jaafar; 30.5506° N –8.6535° W; 11 Mar. 2022; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW684-22; TJWC. – PORTUGAL ● 1♀; Carreço, Praia de Fornelos; 41.7457° N –8.8755° W; 17 May 2019; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. IBIHM505-21; TJWC ● 1♂; Nazaré, south, Rio Alcobaca floodplain; 39.5713° N –9.0801° W; 22 Mar. 2019; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. IBIHM504-21; TJWC. – SPAIN ● 1♀; Prov. Murcia, 20 km S Murcia, Balsicas, Urban, Los Molinos; 16 Mar. 2007; E. Scheuchl leg.; on Brassicaceae; BOLD accession no. ANDGP024-25; SMNHTAU 402778 ● 1♂; Prov. Murcia, 40 km SO Murcia, San Javier, Ödland; 26 Mar. 2005; E. Scheuchl leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDGP025-25; SMNHTAU 402779 ● 1♂; Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Canal de Manzanares to Camino de Uclés; 40.3217° N –3.5633° W; 19 May 2021; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW189-21 ● 1♀; Seseña Nuevo, Arroyo del Valle Grande; 40.1155° N –3.6293° W; 31 May 2021; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW147-21. – WEST BANK ● 2♀,8♂; Wadi Kelt; –200 m a.s.l.; 6 Mar. 1975; K.M. Guichard leg.; NHMUK ● 1♀; Wadi Malha Wetland N.R.; –295 m a.s.l.; 12 Feb. 2018; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 284986.

South Mediterranean (Wood 2023a). Newly recorded from the Levant* (Israel*, Jordan*). Previous accounts from the Levant (Warncke 1969) refer to Andrena kugleri sp. nov.

Mid-February to late April.

Collected from Brassicaceae.

See A. leptura stat. nov. and A. kugleri sp. nov.

ISRAEL ● 1♀,1♂; 10 km W Dimona; 403 m a.s.l.; 20 Mar. 2012; A. Dorchin leg.; TJWC ● 2♀; Holot Mash’abbim; 30.999° N 34.7575° E; 13 Feb. 2022; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 384379, 384380 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 384376, 384385 ● 1♂; ibid.; 30.999° N 34.7578° E; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; SMNHTAU 384335 ● 2♀; ibid.; 18 Feb. 2022; SMNHTAU 384502, 384541 ● 3♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 384508, 384510, 384533 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL498-25; SMNHTAU 384505 ● 2♀; ibid.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 384611, 384612 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL499-25; SMNHTAU 384610 ● 1♀; Holot Shunera; 30.941° N 34.597° E; 17 Mar. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL439-25; SMNHTAU 269102 ● 1♀; KKL Park Sayeret Shaqed; 31.2795° N 34.6495° E; 19 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; BOLD accession no. ANDIL503-25; SMNHTAU 385879 ● 3♀; Mashabe Sade; 16 Feb. 1976; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 348560 to 348562 ● 1♀; Nahal Zin; 16 Mar. 2008; Y. Hollander leg.; SMNHTAU 19223 ● 1♀; Shivta; 13 Mar. 1977; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 348566 ● 3♀; ibid.; 17 Mar. 1977; SMNHTAU 348563 to 348565 ● 1♀; Subeita [Shivta]; 21 Mar. 1946; SMNHTAU. – JORDAN ● 7♀; Jordan E., Azraq; 24 Apr. 1996; Marek Halada leg.; OLML. – MOROCCO ● 2♀; Guelmim-Oued Noun, Guelmim, Asrir, 1 km W; 28.9343° N –10.0203° W; 20 Mar. 2022; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession nos. WPATW687-22, WPATW688-22; TJWC.

Mostly mesic habitats in Morocco, Europe and the northwestern Middle East. In the Levant, limited to mountains above 1300 m in north and central Lebanon (Wood et al. 2020).

Late April at least until mid-July (in Europe until August), in two generations.

Polylectic. Pollen hosts include Apiaceae, Brassicaceae, Plantaginaceae and Rosaceae (Westrich 1989). The second generation exhibits strong preference for Apiaceae pollen (TJW, unpublished data). IUCN (2024) also mentions foraging on Asteraceae, Boraginaceae and Campanulaceae. In Lebanon, recorded on Chaerophyllum, Euphorbia and Peltaria (Wood et al. 2020).

LEBANON: See Wood et al. 2020. – PORTUGAL ● 1♀; Bragança, between Rabal and França; 41.8847° N –6.7372° W; 14 Jul. 2020; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. IBIHM474-21; TJWC. – ROMANIA ● 1♀; Iași, 1 km NNW Ciurea, fallow fields; 47.0817° N 27.5679° E; 23 Jul. 2023; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. ORBIT191-23; TJWC. – SPAIN ● 1♀; Pena Trevinca, Valdin, Seoane; 42.232° N –6.9532° W; 15 Jul. 2020; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW029-21; TJWC ● 1♀; Sierra de Baza, Prados del Rey; 37.3750° N –2.8545° W; 2000 m a.s.l.; 19 Jun. 2021; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW357-21; TJWC. – TURKEY ● 1♂; Burdur, 20 km SW Burdur; 7 Jul. 2006; M. Halada & M. Kadlecová leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDGP017-25; OLML.

Shrublands, sub-alpine and semi-arid habitats in Cyprus, all countries of the Levant, and southern Turkey.

Late January to early June, in two generations.

Collected mostly from Asteraceae (Anthemis, Calendula, Crepis, Glebionis, Helichrysum, Senecio) and Brassicaceae (Alyssum, Isatis, Lepidium, Sinapis), also from Apiaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Geraniaceae, Liliaceae and Rosaceae. Varnava et al. (2020) mention pollen collection from Apiaceae and Brassicaceae.

The status of A. a. cardalia is not sufficiently clear at this point, as preliminary results suggest that the nominate form of A. alfkenelloides might be closer to A. floricola Eversmann than to the eastern subspecies. Barcodes of the nominate form from Greece are required to fully assess the status of this species complex, and to conclude whether eastern populations constitute a distinct taxon.

HOLOTYPE: TURKEY ● 1♀; Anatolia, Antakya; 1–7 Jun. 1965; J. Gusenleitner leg.; OLML. – non-type material: CYPRUS ● 1♀; Agía Ánna; 34.9398° N 33.4831° E; 148 m a.s.l.; 12 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Glebionis coronaria; BOLD accession no. RSCMC021-25; UMONS ● 1♀; E Agia Marina Chrysochous vill.; 161 m a.s.l.; 23 Mar. 2022; T. Ljubomirov leg.; IBER ● 1♀; Akamas Pen.[insula]; 35.026–055° N 32.341–364° E; 10 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467179 ● 3♀,1♂; North Anogyra, site 12; 34.742° N 32.7348° E; 3 May 2015; M. Jenner leg.; MJ ● 1♂; zw. [between] Coral Bay und Agios Georgios, 15km nnw Paphos; 5 May 2003; E. Scheuchl leg.; GPC ● 1♀; ibid.; on Brassicaceae ● 3♀; Drouseia; 34.9659° N 32.4121° E; 520 m a.s.l.; 31 May 2023; P. Rosa leg.; UMONS ● 12♂; Famagusta district, Agia Napa, Cape Greco; 8 Mar. 2019; M. Mikát leg.; JS ● 1♀; Finikária, Lake, Phoinikaria Trail; 34.756° N 33.094° E; 87 m a.s.l.; 22 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; flying ● 1♀; Germasogeia; 1–10 Apr. 2000; S. Kadelc leg.; OLML ● 2♀,1♂; Kato Lefkara; 500 m a.s.l.; 7 May 2014; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Káto Plátres, 0.3km E from village; 34.881° N 32.8463° E; 951 m a.s.l.; 3 May 2024; G. Corbisier leg.; on Crepis cf. reuteriana; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; E. Ruelle leg. ● 1♂; Káto Polemídia, 0.6km N Karmiotissa; 34.7174° N 32.9779° E; 222 m a.s.l.; 18 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Anthemis tricolor; BOLD accession no. RSCMC022-25; UMONS ● 1♀; Kelokedara E Pafos; 500 m a.s.l.; 7 May 2000; Vogtenh & Hentschol leg.; OLML ● 186♀; Kykkos; 800 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2014; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 4♀; ibid.; TJWC ● 2♀; Lánia; 34.8226° N 32.9132° E; 512 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; flying ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. RSCMC020-25 ● 1♀; Larnaca district, Lefkara; 1 Mar. 2019; M. Mikát leg.; JS ● 1♀; Lasa vill. (Thrinia); 34.9216° N 32.5282° E; 600 m a.s.l.; 4. Jun. 2023; P. Rosa leg.; UMONS ● 2♀,23♂; E of Lemesos, Mary env; 6 Mar. 2014; M. Snižek leg.; OLML ● 2♂; ibid.; TJWC ● 23♂; 30 km N Lemesos, Apliki env; 700 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 2014; M. Snižek leg.; OLML ● 1♂; Lemesos, Amathus, Agios Tychon; 18 Apr. 2002; E. Scheuchl leg.; LB ● 1♂; Lemesos, Amathus, Ancient Site; 17 Apr. 2002; E. Scheuchl leg.; LB ● 1♀; Letymvou N Pafos; 2 May 2000; Vogtenh & Hentschol leg.; OLML ● 2♀; Limassol; Apr. 1932; G.A. Mavromoustakis leg.; MSNM ● 1♂; Limassol, Cherkes Chiftlik, site 3; 8 May 2016; A. Varnarva leg.; AV ● 1♂; Limassol, Cherkes Chiftlik, site 4; 9 Feb. 2017; A. Varnarva leg.; AV ● 1♀; Mandriá, 1km NW from village; 34.8735° N 32.8218° E; 865 m a.s.l.; 16 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba; UMONS ● 1♀; Moniatis; 34.870–82° N 32.877–92° E; 9 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 426936 ● 1♀; ibid.; 34.8695° N 32.8915° E; pan trap; SMNHTAU 426898 ● 1♀; Moniatis env.; 34.862–70° N 32.881–93° E; 9 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 426795 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY011-24; SMNHTAU 426794 ● 132♀; Mylikouri; 700 m a.s.l.; 13 May 2014; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 2♀; ibid.; TJWC ● 1♀; Nicosia; 6 May 1981; C.G. Roche leg.; OUMNH ● 4♀; Nicosia district, Mathiatis; 6 Mar. 2019; M. Mikát leg.; JS ● 1♂; Nicosia district, Profitis Elias monastery; 5 Mar. 2019; M. Mikát leg.; JS ● 15♂; North Cyprus, 15 km E Diakarpaz, Golden Sands; 10 Apr. 2007; C. Schmid-Egger leg.; CSE ● 12♀; Olympus Mount, SE slope; 34.9332° N 32.8723° E; 1842 m a.s.l.; 3 May 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Alyssum; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; on Asteraceae ● 1♀; ibid.; G. Corbisier leg. ● 1♀; ibid.; E. Ruelle leg.; ● 2♀; ibid.; on Anthemis plutonia ● 1♀; ibid.; on Alyssum ● 3♀; Ómodos, 1km N from village; 34.8567° N 32.8062° E; 905 m a.s.l.; 3 May 2024; E. Ruelle leg.; on yellow Brassicaceae; UMONS ● 2♀; ibid.; G. Corbisier leg. ● 1♀; ibid.; R. Santerre leg.; on Helichrysum ● 9♀; Pafos, 10 km NE; 8–20 May 1993; J. Wimmer leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Palódia, Ayia Irini Monastry; 34.7441° N 32.976° E; 192 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba; UMONS ● 6♀; Pano Panagia; 34.9213° N 32.6310° E; 15 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 467677, 467746 to 467748, 467754, 467758 ● 4♀; Pano Panagia env.; 34.921–928° N 32.631–640° E; 12 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467283, 467306, 467308, 467324 ● 2♀; ibid.; 15 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467591, 467615 ● 3♀; ibid.; 34.921–934° N 32.631–647° E; 14 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467486, 467490, 467491 ● 3♀; Paphos [District], Neo Chorio; 35.021–5° N 32.354–60° E; 11 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; on Sinapis; SMNHTAU 467236, 467252, 467253 ● 2♀; Paphos Distr., Akamas, Halbinsel W Polis ober Neochorio; 400 m a.s.l.; 6 May 2013; E. Heiss leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Peyia, Elipetra, 1.5km SE Lara Beach; 34.9466° N 32.3214° E; 31 m a.s.l.; 9 Feb. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; flying; UMONS ● 1♀; Pissouri; 34.662–6° N 32.687–98° E; 250 m a.s.l.; 14 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 427256 ● 1♂; ibid.; on Asteraceae; BOLD accession no. ANDCY029-24; SMNHTAU 427177 ● 4♂; Platanístia, 2.5km SE Pissoúri; 34.6987° N 32.7105° E; 287 m a.s.l.; 10 Feb. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Gagea cf. chlorantha; UMONS ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. RSCMC019-25 ● 1♂; Plátres, Millomeris Waterfall Trail; 34.887° N 32.8644° E; 1077 m a.s.l.; 29 Feb. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Calendula arvensis; UMONS ● 53♂; Polis [Chrysochous] env; 9 Mar. 2014; M. Snižek leg.; OLML ● 3♀; Skaritou [Skarinou]; 400 m a.s.l.; 7 May 2014; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Statos; 34.881° N 32.6201° E; 900 m a.s.l.; 7 Jun. 2023; P. Rosa leg.; UMONS ● 4♀; Trimiklini; 34.85–6° N 32.91–3° N; 600–700 m a.s.l.; 11 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 427050 to 427052, 427054 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY023-24; SMNHTAU 427053 ● 1♀; Trimithousa, Evretou dam; 34.9738° N 32.4777° E; 179 m a.s.l.; 22 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Apiaceae; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; flying ● 6♀; Troodos range, 0.7km N Olympus Mt.; 34.9429° N 32.8653° E; 1828 m a.s.l.; 24 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Arenaria; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. RSCMC024-25 ● 1♀,2♂; Troodos range, Kykkos Monastry; 34.9856° N 32.7442° E; 1092 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba; UMONS ● 34♀; Troodos range, Pródromos; 34.9463° N 32.8296° E; 1310 m a.s.l.; 24 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Lepidium draba; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. RSCMC023-25 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Erodium cicotarium ● 1♀; ibid.; on yellow Asteraceae ● 3♀; ibid.; 34.9498° N 32.8347° E; 1384 m a.s.l.; on Crepis reuteriana ● 1♀; ibid.; at nesting site ● 1♀; Troodos range, Stavros tis Psokas; 35.0232° N 32.6342° E; 945 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Crepis reuteriana; UMONS ● 3♀; Troodos village; 34.9225° N 32.8798° E; 1719 m a.s.l.; 24 May 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Alyssum; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; on Cotoneaster nummularius ● 1♀; Vavatsinia; 30 May 1999; F. Kantner leg.; OLML. – ISRAEL ● 1♂; Alloné haBashan; 23 Feb. 2012; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 107038 ● 1♂; Almagor; 32°54’ N 35°35’ E; 12–31 Jan. 2011; W. Kuslitzky leg.; SMNHTAU 109894 ● 1♀; Banias; 18 Apr. 1992; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 366333 ● 1♂; Ben Shemen Forest; 31.93° N 34.972° E; 18 Feb. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 268576 ● 4♀; Bet Guvrin; 31.611° N 34.890° E; 17 Feb. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 420823 to 420825, 420828 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 420829, 420830 ● 1♀; Bet Lehem haGelilit; 10 Mar. 1997; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 366338 ● 2♀; Bet Nir, 1.5km SSE; 31.6347° N 34.879° E; 17 Feb. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 420907, 420908 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 420909 ● 1♀; Binyomina [Binyamina]; 26 Jan. 1976; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 366337 ● 1♂; BitronotRuhama, Nahal Hazav; 31°31.883’ N 34°42.275’ E; 5 Apr. 2005; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 366326 ● 1♀; Bnei Brak; 5 Mar. 1945; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Carmel, Har Telalim; 32.757° N 35.0245° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 16 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 464574 ● 1♀; Carmel NP, 0.9km SE Bet Oren; 32°43’21” N 35°00’45” E; 264 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2016; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 354458 ● 1♀; Dag [?]; 8 Jan. 1940; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 366425 ● 1♀; Dalia; 22 Feb. 1986; E. Shney-Dor leg.; SMNHTAU 366334 ● 1♀; Deganya A; 23 Feb. 1942; Y. Palmoni leg.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 180732 ● 2♀; Dovrat; 18 Apr. 1970; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Ein Zeitim; 15 May 1996; M. Trebicz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Elon; 18 Apr. 1946; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; ‘En Tina NR; 33.08417° N 35.642° E; 70–80 m a.s.l.; 24 Mar. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 310271 ● 1♀; Ginosar; 6 Mar. 1965; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Gonen, SE Qiryat-Shmona; 18 Mar. 1994; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353692 ● 1♀; HAELA JUN.[ction]; 21 Apr. 1984; E. Shney-Dor leg.; SMNHTAU 366319 ● 1♀; HaGolan, S Nahal Neshef; 33.092° N 35.644° E; 100 m a.s.l.; 24 Mar. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 310192 ● 1♀; 40 km NE Haifa, 1 km E Hurfeish; 15 May 1996; C. Schmid-Egger leg.; CSE ● 1♀; Har Addir; 33.033° N 35.361° E; 22 Apr. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL430-25; SMNHTAU 240798 ● 1♀; Har Ahino’am; 32.502–6° N 35.408–14° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 463988 ● 1♂; ibid.; 32.5035° N 35.413° E; 438 m a.s.l.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 463897 ● 2♂; Har Bental; 1100 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 2016; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 235019, 235020 ● 3♀; Har Dov, Karst; 33°18.6’ N 35°43.2’ E; 1380 m a.s.l.; 25 May 2010; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 63661 to 63663 ● 2♀; Har Hermon; 1600 m a.s.l.; 29 May 2000; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 366320, 366321 ● 1♀; Har Hermon; 1650 m a.s.l.; 28 May 2000; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 366322 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33°18’ N 35°46’ E; 1700 m a.s.l.; 24 May 2012; SMNHTAU 126622 ● 1♂; ibid.; 6 Jun. 2013; SMNHTAU 142444 ● 1♀; Har Hermon; 33°18.2’ N 35°47.2’ E; 2000 m a.s.l.; 7 May 2010; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 53267 ● 4♂; Har Hermon; 33.2994° N 35.7675° E; 1645 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 361217, 361218, 361222, 361402 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.300° N 35.767° E; 1620 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2020; SMNHTAU 334838 ● 2♀; ibid.; 33.304° N 35.7875° E; 2020 m a.s.l.; 15 May 2016; SMNHTAU 242307, 242312 ● 3♀; ibid.; 33.310° N 35.795° E; 1970 m a.s.l.; 15 May 2016; SMNHTAU 242237, 242240, 242241 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.299° N 35.769° E; 1650 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2021; sweep; SMNHTAU 360404 ● 2♂; ibid.; 33.2992° N 35.7670° E; 1644 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; pan trap; SMNHTAU 390132, 390134 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.2996° N 35.7677° E; 1642 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2022; SMNHTAU 392726 ● 2♀; Har Hermon, Nahal ‘Arar; 33°18.3’ N 35°46.2’ E; 1600 m a.s.l.; 24 May 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 126763, 126764 ● 1♀; Har Meron; 33.000° N 35.3925° E; 22 Apr. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 240986 ● 1♂; ibid.; 32.9948° N 35.4147° E; pan trap; SMNHTAU 240903 ● 1♀; Hare Gilboa’, Har Avinadav; 32°28’ N 35°26’ E; 420 m a.s.l.; 23 Feb. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 118462 ● 1♀; Hawwat ‘Eden, Bet She’an; 3 Feb. 1999; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 367648 ● 1♀; Hermon; 33.291–4° N 35.747–51° E; 1440–1550 m a.s.l.; 29 Apr. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 391563 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.298–9° N 35.767–70° E; 1640–1675 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2022; SMNHTAU 392815 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 392770 ● 3♀; Hermon NR, Har Kahal, Plot E2; 33.286° N 35.736° E; 1368 m a.s.l.; 28 May 2019; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 308181, 308182, 308194 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL457-25; SMNHTAU 308198 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL456-25; SMNHTAU 308192 ● 1♀; Horbat Kefar Lakhish; 31.575° N 34.8532° E; 5 Mar. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 358850 ● 1♀; Jer.[usalem?]; [?] May 1940; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Judean desert; 11 Mar. 1980; A. Hefetz leg.; SMNHTAU 353583 ● 1♀; Kefar Giladi N; 21 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 366422 ● 1♀; Kefar Giladi S; 25 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 366423 ● 1♂; Kesalon; 10 Feb. 1973; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 367646 ● 1♀; Lachish; 18 Feb. 2020; T. Roth leg.; on Isatis lusitanica; SMNHTAU 338260 ● 1♀; Lahav; 23 Apr. 1970; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀; Lahavot HaBashan; 1 Mar. 2018; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 286590, 286599 ● 1♀; Majdal Shams; 33.262° N 35.755° E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 27 Apr. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 334297 ● 1♀; Makhtesh Ramon; 30°35’6” N 34°53’31” E; 500 m a.s.l.; 20 Feb. 2020; T. Novoselsky leg.; SMNHTAU 331759 ● 1♀; Ma’yan Barukh; 33.232° N 35.611° E; 29 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462801 ● 1♀; ibid.; 3 May 2023; SMNHTAU 462792 ● 6♂; Me’arat Yishah [Yishah Cave], 0.5km E; 32.718° N 35.007° E; 22 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 321563, 321567, 321575, 321578, 321581, 321603 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL463-25; SMNHTAU 321600 ● 1♀; Merom Golan; 14 Mar. 1975; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 366335 ● 1♂; Merom Ha’Golan; 18 Mar. 1973; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 354495 ● 1♀; Meron NR, 1.2km SSW Meron field school; 32°59’55” N 35°23’31” E; 998 m a.s.l.; 3 Apr. 2016; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 354455 ● 1♀; Monfort; 10 Mar. 1981; F. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 366340 ● 1♂; Montfort, Nahal Keziv; 28 Feb. 2018; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 286315 ● 1♀; Moradot HaGolan NR, 960m SE Gonen; 33.111° N 35°651° E; 190 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2019; Site A3; A. Dorchin, A. Sviri & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 308891 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 308876 ● 2♀; Moradot HaGolan NR, Nahal Neshef, Site B3; 33.094° N 35.650° E; 184 m a.s.l.; 24 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 308935, 308938 ● 1♀; Moradot HaGolan NR, Tel ‘Arfiyya, Plot A2; 33.105° N 35.657° E; 264 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, A. Sviri & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 308861 ● 2♀; Mt. Hermon; 1750 m a.s.l.; 25 May 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 366323, 366324 ● 1♀; ibid.; 2000 m a.s.l.; SMNHTAU 366325 ● 1♂; Nahal Alexander; 6 Apr. 2017; K. Levy leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL446-25; SMNHTAU 274049 ● 1♀; Nahal Batra, Plot C12; 32.916° N 35.688° E; 85 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2019; A. Drochin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 306805 ● 1♂; Nahal Gilbon, Upper parking lot, Plot B5; 33.042° N 35.671° E; 408 m a.s.l.; 15 May 2019; A. Dorchin & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 308816 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL459-25; SMNHTAU 308819 ● 1♀; Nahal Maresha; 31.577° N 34.858° E; 220 m a.s.l.; 15 Mar. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 359317 ● 1♀; Nahal Mezar; 32.75–7° N 35.69° E; 1 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; SMNHTAU 385152 ● 1♂; Nahal Qazrin, Nr. ‘Asaliyya, Plot C9; 32.969° N 35.672° E; 169 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 306139 ● 3♀; Nahal Sa’ar, N Golan Height; 30 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353778 to 353780 ● 1♀; Pa’ar Cave, nearSasa; 33°02’ N 35°23’ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 28 May 2009; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 34310 ● 2♀; Park Britannia; 24 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 354426, 354432 ● 1♀; ParkHayarden; 27 Apr. 1984; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 366318 ● 1♀; Peqiin; 14 May 1974; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Qazrin; 32°59’ N 35°41’ E; 14 May 2012; O. Barash leg.; SMNHTAU 367647 ● 1♀; Qazrin; 32°59.2’ N 35°41.8’ E; 335 m a.s.l.; 22 May 2011; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 94279 ● 1♀; Qiryat Shemona; 28 May 2003; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 366317 ● 2♀; R.G.n [?Ramat Gan]; 3 Feb. 1940; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; 17 km E Qiryat Shemona, Golan, 2 km SE Zomet; 16 May 1996; M. Hauser leg.; CSE ● 1♂; Ramat HaNadiv; 6–20 Apr. 2022; Y. Miara leg.; Malaise trap; SMNHTAU 439415 ● 1♂; Ramat HaNadiv; 32.54–6° N 34.94–6° E; 16 Mar. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 425829 ● 1♂; Road 869, 2.12Km NE Ma’ale Gamla Jcn [Junction], Plot D8; 32.895° N 35.676° E; –51 m a.s.l.; 11 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, Y. Mersman & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 307431 ● 1♀; Sasa; 17 Feb. 1973; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 366336 ● 1♀; Sha’alvim; 16 Mar. 2017; T. Roth leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL449-25; SMNHTAU 276411 ● 1♀; Snir - Hermon Field Study Center; 27 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 366424 ● 1♀; Tel Bar’on, Rt.98; 33°09.6’ N 35°46.8’ E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 22 May 2011; M. Guershon leg.; SMNHTAU 94491 ● 1♀; Tiberias; 32.765° N 35.523° E; 27 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462991 ● 1♂; near Tiberias, Switzerland forest, pasture; 1 Mar. 2016; J. Pražak leg.; JS ● 1♂; Tivon; 6 Feb. 1975; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Wadi Ara; 24 Jan. 1976; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 366426 ● 1♂; Ya’ar Nehosha [Nehusha Forest]; 26 Apr. 2010; T. Koznichki leg.; SMNHTAU 59626 ● 1♂; ibid.; 25 Apr. 2011; SMNHTAU 366420 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Nehusha; 26 Apr. 2010; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL506-25; SMNHTAU 59635 ● 1♀; ibid.; 25 Apr. 2011; SMNHTAU 354435 ● 3♀; Ya’ar Odem NR; 1 Mar. 2018; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 286469, 286522, 286545 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 286466 ● 4♀; Ya’ar Odem NR; 33.186° N 35.7356° E; 27 Feb. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 332300, 332302, 332306, 332328 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL474-25; SMNHTAU 332304 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 332290, 332299 ● 2♀; ibid.; 33.206° N 35.736° E; SMNHTAU 332082, 332086 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 332079 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL472-25; SMNHTAU 332084 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yehudiyya NR, 400m W parking lot, Plot C3; 32.939° N 35.696° E; 183 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 306022 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yehudiyya NR, 1.8km NW parking lot, Plot C6; 32.957° N 35.693° E; 217 m a.s.l.; 24 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 306088 ● 1♂; Ya’ar Yehudiyya NR, Rd. 87, Plot C1; 32.926° N 35.681° E; 73 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 306013 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yish’i; 18 Feb. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; SMNHTAU 81246 ● 1♀; ibid.; 26 Apr. 2011; pan trap; SMNHTAU 81408 ● 1♀; Yehi’am; 16 Feb. 2014; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL404-25; SMNHTAU 173840 ● 1♂; Yiftah, E. Upp. Gallilee; 17 Feb. 1990; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 366427 ● 1♀; Yiron; 14 May 1974; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀; ZikhronYaakov; 9 Feb. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 366327, 366328 ● 3♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353531, 353534, 366428 ● 1♀; Ziv’on, 1kmSW; 33.019° N 35.407° E; 5 Apr. 2016; G. Pisanty leg. ; SMNHTAU 239290 ● 2♀; ירושלים [Jerusalem]; 20 Apr. 1937; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; ibid.; 25 Apr. 1937. – JORDAN ● 3♀; Ajloun; 6–7 May 2012; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Ajlun env; 840 m a.s.l.; 1 May 2006; K. Deneš leg.; OLML ● 83♂; 30 km NW Ajlun; 600 m a.s.l.; 29 Apr. 2006; K. Deneš leg.; OLML ● 2♀; ibid.; TJWC ● 3♀; 20 km N Amman; 620 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2006; K. Deneš leg.; OLML ● 1♀; 10 km N Jerash; 20 Apr. 2002; M. Snižek leg.; OLML ● 1♀; 15 km W Madaba; 760 m a.s.l.; 27 Apr. 2006; K. Deneš leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Pella env. [Tabaqat Fahl]; –80 m a.s.l.; 29 Apr. 2006; K. Deneš leg.; OLML. – LEBANON ● 2♀; Baalbek distr., Qaa; 750 m a.s.l.; 13 May 2023; V. Soon leg.; TUZ 347150 ● 1♂; Baalbek Distr., Ras Baalbek 6 km NW; 750 m a.s.l.; 13 May 2023; V. Soon leg.; TUZ 343288. – SYRIA ● 1♀; Crac des Chevaliers; 30 May 1995; K. Deneš leg.; OLML ● 1♀; ibid.; TJWC ● 1♀; [Camp] Faouar; 10 May 2001; J. Plass leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Jisr al-Shughur; 26 May 1996; Ma. Halada leg.; OLML ● 3♀; Tartus; 25 May 1996; Ma. Halada leg.; OLML. – WEST BANK ● 1♂; Argaman, Wadi Umm-Kharba; –200–(–250) m a.s.l.; 3 Apr. 2022; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 387513 ● 2♀; Har ‘Eval, Yehushua binNun Althar [Joshua’s Altar]; 780–856 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 2016; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 243679, 243682 ● 1♀; Kfar Adumim; 3 Mar. 1981; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 366339 ● 1♀; Ma’agar Tirza; –300 m a.s.l.; 1 Mar. 2022; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 386385 ● 1♀; Ma’on, 0–1kmS; 750–800 m a.s.l.; 14 Apr. 2015; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL420-25; SMNHTAU 212520 ● 1♀; Mehola, Rt. 578; 32°21’48” N 35°30’49” E; –177 m a.s.l.; 27 Feb. 2020; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 332686 ● 1♀; NofePerat, Kefar Adummim, north-facing slope of Nahal Perat; 27 Feb. 2007; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 366332 ● 1♀; Nu’eima; 5 Mar. 1981; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 366330 ● 1♀; ibid.; T. Furman leg.; SMNHTAU 366329 ● 2♀; Peza’el; 18 Feb. 2020; M. Guershon leg.; SMNHTAU 342134, 342137 ● 1♀; Peza’el; 32°2’57” N 35°26’7” E; –200 m a.s.l.; 18 Feb. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL475-25; SMNHTAU 332858 ● 4♀; ibid.; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 332412, 332413, 332415, 332423 ● 1♂; Qedumim, cemetry; 8 Jan. 2021; L. Friedman leg; SMNHTAU 353855 ● 1♀; ibid.; 3 Feb. 2017; on Senecio; SMNHTAU 267696 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 267699, 267745 ● 1♀; Qida, 1kmSE, Gid’on Rd., Bor Gal Yosef/Bir Muhsin; 660 m a.s.l.; 5 Mar. 2020; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 332829 ● 2♀; Sartava NR, Wadi el-Ahmar, 2kmE Gittit; –80–+60 m a.s.l.; 13 Feb. 2019; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 300395, 300396 ● 1♀; Wadi Ahmar, near Yarden [Jordan River]; 32°01’ N 35°30’ E; 15 Mar. 2005; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 366331 ● 1♀; Wadi Faria [Nahal Tirza]; 8 Mar. 1973; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♂; Yizhar, between road and ‘En Megunonim; 650–700 m a.s.l.; 5 Feb. 2015; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 202832, 202837.

A. alfkenelloides Warncke s.s.: HOLOTYPE: GREECE ● 1♀; Trikala; 17 Apr. 1962; Kl. Warncke leg.; OLML. – (A. floricola Eversmann): BULGARIA ● 1♀; Blagoevgrad, Igralishte, 1.6 km E of Igralishte; 800 m a.s.l.; 26 May 2024; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. NATBE136-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152541 ● 1♀; Blagoevgrad, Katuntsi, 2.6 km ESE of Katuntsi; 300 m a.s.l.; 25 May 2024; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. NATBE098-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152479 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. NATBE099-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152481. – FRANCE ● 1♂; Chorges, Les Bernards; 29 Jun. 2020; T.J. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW054-21; TJWC. – GREECE ● 1♀; Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Kavala, Chalkero, 1.25 km S; 40.9669° N 24.4734° E; 26 May 2023; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW1285-23; TJWC ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. WPATW1284-23 ● 1♂; Peloponnese, Mount Maenalon, 4.5 km NW Kardaras; 1600 m a.s.l.; 4 Apr. 2024; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. NATBE055-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152407 ● 1♀; Western Macedonia, Anatoliko, 6.3 km E, Church of the Holy Apostles; 1000 m a.s.l.; 15 Jun. 2024; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. NATBE094-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152473 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. NATBE095-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152474 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. NATBE096-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152475 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. NATBE097-25; RMNH RMNH.INS.1152476.

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

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. 15K, L), 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. 20L, N). 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. 15J–L). 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. 20L–N).

Figure 3. 

Andrena alshaykh Pisanty sp. nov. A Female habitus; B female head; C female vertex and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male vertex and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

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. 3A). Tergal marginal zones brown near apical margin (Fig. 3D). — Pubescence: Body hair mostly short to medium-lengthed, minutely plumose, white to brown (Fig. 3A). Clypeus with sparse medium-lengthed whitish hairs (Fig. 15B). 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. 3B, C). 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. 3C). 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. 3A). 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. 3A, D). — 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. 15B). 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. 3B). 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. 3B, C). — 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. 3C). 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. 3C). Hind pretarsal claw with strong inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 more or less near its middle. Nervulus interstitial (Fig. 3A). — 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. 3D). 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. 3E). Tergal marginal zones yellowish-brown (Fig. 3H). — Pubescence: Body hair mostly minutely plumose, brightly coloured (Fig. 3E). 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. 3E–G). 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. 3E, G). Legs with short to medium, white to golden hair (Fig. 3E). Tergal discs with minute inconspicuous white hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–5 with strongly interrupted apicolateral white hair bands. Terminal fringe whitish (Fig. 3E, H). — 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. 3F). Ocelloccipital distance about 1 ocellus diameter (Fig. 3G). 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. 3G). Nervulus interstitial to antefurcal (Fig. 3E). 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. 3H). — 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. 20L).

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).

Mid-May to early July.

Collected from Brassicaceae (Alyssum).

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. – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 2♀; ‘Emeq Eshhar, Plot E7; 33.304° N 35.790° E; 2048 m a.s.l.; 21 Jun. 2019; A. Dorchin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 309522, 309523 ● 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 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL247-22; SMNHTAU 242147 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.304° N 35.7875° E; SMNHTAU 242308 ● 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 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 242183 ● 1♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL432-25; SMNHTAU 242184 ● 1♀; Hermon; 2000 m a.s.l.; 27 Jun. 1973; D. Furth leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Hermon NR, Sheluhat Duvdevan, Plot E1; 33.315° N 35.797° E; 2124 m a.s.l.; 29 May 2019; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 306321 ● 1♀; Hermon NR, Sheluhat Duvdevan, Plot E6; 33.314° N 35.791° E; 2076 m a.s.l.; 29 May 2019; A. Dorchin leg.; SMNHTAU 306277 ● 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.

Named after the Greek goddess Aphrodite, who is strongly associated with the island of Cyprus.

Within the Andrena minutula species group, A. aphroditae belongs to the species around A. spreta Pérez, which are characterized in the female by a clypeus which is non-rugose, weakly domed and partly to fully shagreened, a scutum which is shagreened to partly smooth, with fine, relatively sparse punctures, and terga which are mostly shagreened and impunctate. In the Levant and Cyprus, these include A. hebraica Pisanty & Wood sp. nov., A. minutuloides Perkins, A. spreta, A. tiaretta Warncke, and A. tkalcui Gusenleitner & Schwarz. Female Andrena aphroditae are distinguished from A. hebraica and A. tiaretta by the scutum and scutellum which are usually somewhat shiny and distinctly punctured (completely dull in A. hebraica; dull and weakly punctured in A. tiaretta; Figs 17J, 18H), and the terga which are uniformly shagreened (tergum 3 and often also 2 distinctly shinier apically vs. basally in A. hebraica). From Cypriot populations of A. spreta Pérez, female A. aphroditae can be distinguished by the clypeus which is more strongly domed and usually completely dull (Fig. 18B; usually smooth apically in A. spreta), dark flagellum (Fig. 4B; often reddish distally in A. spreta), usually shiny scutellum (usually dull in A. spreta; Figs 17K, 18H), brown stigma (yellowish in A. spreta; Figs 4A, 17M), and dark brown terminal fringe (Fig. 4A, D; golden in Cypriot A. spreta). Continental populations of A. spreta are much more morphologically variable, but on average they differ from A. aphroditae by the same characters, most of all in the clypeus and stigma. Compared to A. minutuloides, female A. aphroditae has weaker and much finer punctation on the clypeus (Fig. 18B, C), as well as somewhat weaker, finer and denser punctation on the scutum (Fig. 18H, I). Separation from female A. tkalcui is easily done by the much darker colouration of the flagellum and wing veins (Fig. 17L), as well as the more strongly shagreened scutum (Figs 17H, 18H) and weaker tergal apical hair bands. From the sympatric A. cervina Warncke, female A. aphroditae can be distinguished by the clypeus which is densely and finely punctured, often with hints of transverse striation on the basal half (more sparsely and coarsely punctured, without any transverse striation in A. cervina; Figs 18A, B), and the scutum and scutellum, which are usually somewhat shiny, distinctly and not very densely punctured (completely dull, superficially and very densely punctured in A. cervina; Figs 18G–H). The male genitalia (Fig. 21I) provides good separation from all the above related species: the gonocoxites of A. spreta and A. tkalcui possess a distinct dorsal lobe (Fig. 20F, J), the gonostyli of A. hebraica and A. tiaretta strongly converge apically (Fig. 21G, J), the gonostyli of A. cervina have a strong inward kink near the apex (Fig. 20O), and the penis valves of A. minutuloides and A. tiaretta are broader (Fig. 21F, G). The males are further easily differentiated from A. spreta by the much smoother scutum and scutellum (Fig. 4G) and the darker flagellum and stigma (Figs 4E, F, 17M).

Figure 4. 

Andrena aphroditae Pisanty sp. nov. A Female habitus; B female head; C female vertex and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male vertex and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

Female. Body length: 5–6.5 mm. Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Flagellum black, distal flagellomeres increasingly covered with minute greyish setae. Distal tarsomeres black to dark brown. Wings weakly infuscate, veins dark brown, stigma centrally dark to light brown (Fig. 4A). Tergal marginal zones black (Fig. 4D). — Pubescence: Clypeus with moderately dense, semi-erect, short and thin whitish hairs, underlying cuticle visible. Apex of clypeus with two small strands of long brown hair. Supraclypeal area with short, erect whitish hairs. Paraocular area, scape and area around antennal sockets with moderately dense, erect medium-lengthed white hair (Fig. 4B). Facial fovea in dorsal view with light brown hairs on upper part of fovea, white hairs on lower half (Fig. 4C). Frons with sparse, short to medium, erect, mixed black and white hairs. Ocellar triangle with few erect medium-lengthed black hairs. Preoccipital ridge with erect, short to long, whitish to brownish hairs. Genal area with few short black hairs behind upper margin of compound eye, elsewhere with semi-erect to erect whitish hairs, short on dorsal part, medium-lengthed on ventral part (Fig. 4A, C). Discs of scutum and scutellum with sparse, inconspicuous minute to short whitish hairs, with few scattered longer erect hairs. Periphery of scutum with moderately dense, erect short whitish hairs. Posterior margin of scutellum with few erect, medium to long, whitish to brown hairs (Fig. 4C). Mesepisternum with long white hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, posterodorsal fringe composed of long white plumose hairs, corbicular surface with few long, simple white hairs. Leg hair white to light brown, flocculus incomplete, white, tibial scopa composed of simple hairs, brownish posterobasally, elsewhere whitish (Fig. 4A). Tergal discs 1–2 centrally essentially hairless, 3–4 gradually with minute inconspicuous whitish hairs. Lateral parts of tergal discs with sparse short white hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with distinct lateral bands of white hair extending onto following tergal discs, strong and dense on terga 2–3, weaker on tergum 4. Terminal fringe brownish, with few flanking white hairs (Fig. 4D). — Head: 1.25 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea very finely shagreened (Fig. 4B). Labral process trapezoidal, not much broader than long. Clypeus moderately domed, basal half fully shagreened and matt, often with hints of fine transverse striations, apical half fully shagreened and matt to partly shagreened and weakly shiny. Clypeus punctation moderately strong, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters, without impunctate midline (Figs 4B, 18B). Frons and upper part of paraocular area densely longitudinally striated, essentially impunctate (Fig. 4B, C). Flagellomere 1 0.9–1.0 times as long as 2+3, 2 almost as long as 3 (Fig. 4B). Facial fovea moderately broad above, here 0.4–0.5 times as broad as antennocular distance, weakly tapering below, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to base of clypeus, lower ⅔ separated from compound eye by narrow smooth cuticular strip (Fig. 4B, C). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 1.5 ocellus diameters. Ocelloccipital distance about ¾ ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge weakly to moderately carinate (Fig. 4C). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum largely shagreened, usually with some shiny, partly smooth areas centrally, punctation fine, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters. Scutellum similar but usually shinier, often completely smooth (Figs 4C, 18H). Mesepisternum finely alveolate, anterior part overlayed with oblique punctures. Surface of propodeal corbicula reticulated, with sparse, coarse punctures around hair bases. Posterolateral part of propodeum finely rugose-areolate. Propodeal triangle weakly delineated, horizontal part strongly radially rugose near base, elsewhere rugose-areolate, vertical part very finely areolated (Fig. 4C). Hind pretarsal claw with small inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 at its middle or slightly proximal to it. Nervulus interstitial (Fig. 4A). — Metasoma: Tergal discs impunctate, 1–2 and usually 3 completely shagreened and matt, 4 and occasionally 3 slightly shinier and more weakly shagreened. Tergal marginal zones weakly depressed, 2–3 centrally occupying 0.4–0.5 of tergal length, shagreening as on discs, much weaker on tergum 4 (Fig. 4D). Pygidial plate triangular, completely flat, smooth to superficially shagreened. — Male. Body length: 5–5.5 mm. — Integumental colour: As in female, but tergal marginal zones somewhat brownish (Fig. 4E, H). — Pubescence: Clypeus with moderately dense, semi-erect, short to medium white hair. Paraocular area with short to medium erect hair, black near compound eye, whitish near antennal sockets. Scape with medium-lengthed white hairs (Fig. 4F). Frons with short to medium, erect dark hairs. Preoccipital ridge with short to long erect white hairs. Genal area with erect black hair behind upper margin of compound eye, elsewhere with white hair, short dorsally, gradually long ventrally (Fig. 4E–G). Scutum and scutellum with sparse short whitish hair, some medium to long erect hairs appear mostly on periphery (Fig. 4G). Mesepisternum with very long white hairs (Fig. 4E). Propodeum with long white hairs (Fig. 4E, G). Femora and tibiae with white hair, tarsi with brownish-white hair (Fig. 4E). Base of tergal disc 1 and lateral parts of all tergal discs with sparse, short to medium white hair. Rest of tergal discs with minute inconspicuous whitish hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with small lateral bands of white hair, extending onto following discs, very weak on tergum 4. Terminal fringe brownish-white (Fig. 4H). — Head: 1.25 times broader than long. Labral process much broader than long, apical margin usually concave. Clypeus moderately domed, very shiny and almost completely smooth, punctation strong and dense, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters. Flagellomere 1 about as long as 3, much longer than 2 (Fig. 4F). Ocelloccipital distance about 1.1 ocellus diameters. Preoccipital ridge moderately carinate (Fig. 4G). — Mesosoma: Scutum shiny, superficially shagreened to smooth, punctation fine and sparse, distance between punctures 1–3 puncture diameters. Scutellum similar, but smoother and more sparsely punctured. Propodeal triangle strongly rugose-areolate on horizontal part, very finely so on vertical part, usually becoming radially rugose near base (Fig. 4G). Hind pretarsal claw strongly bifurcated. Rest of mesosoma as in female. — Metasoma: As in female (Fig. 4H). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Gonocoxites without dorsal lobe or with only hint thereof. Gonostyli simple, finger-shaped, uniformly broad, blade flattened, rounded apically. Penis valves moderately narrow basally, basal ⅕ of visible area parallel-sided, the following ⅖ tapering apically, distal ⅖ narrow (Fig. 21I). Sternum 8 columnar, broadening apically, apical margin blunted.

Endemic to Mediterranean shrublands in Cyprus.

Mid-February to mid-April.

Collected from Asteraceae (Glebionis, Helichrysum), Brassicaceae (Sinapis), Cistaceae (Cistus) and Lamiaceae (Lavandula).

HOLOTYPE: CYPRUS ● 1♀; Pano Panagia env.; 34.921–928° N 32.631–640° E; [700–850 m a.s.l.]; 15 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467594. – PARATYPES: CYPRUS ● 1♀; Agia Erini; 11 Apr. [19]37; Mavromoustakis leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀; Akamas Pen.; 35.018–031° N 32.34–36° E; 7 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 466866, 466867 ● 1♀; Akamas Pen.; 35.019–26° N 32.326–52° E; 8 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467010 ● 3♂; Larnaca [District], Larnaca Salt Lake; 1 m a.s.l.; 18 Feb. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 2♂; Limassol [District], Anogyra; 468 m a.s.l.; 27 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 4♀,3♂; Limassol, Arakapas, 2 km W from village; 454 m a.s.l.; 8 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1♂; Limassol, Palódia, Ayia Irini Monastry; 34.7441° N 32.976° E; 192 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba; BOLD accession no. RSCMC032-25; UMONS ● 3♂; Limassol, Palodia, SE village; 257 m a.s.l.; 8 Mar. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 1♀; Limassol, Parekklisia, 5 km N from village; 243 m a.s.l.; 14 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1♂; Moniatis; 34.870–82° N 32.877–92° E; 9 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY037-25; SMNHTAU 426933 ● 2♂; Nicosia [District], Agios Epifanios, 2.5 km S from village; 605 m a.s.l.; 9 Mar. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 1♂; Nicosia, Agios Ioannis, NW village; 319 m a.s.l.; 9 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1♂; Nicosia, Athalassa Forest Park; 165 m a.s.l.; 14 Feb. 2025; ibid. ● 7♂; Nicosia, Lympia, 4 km E from village; 225 m a.s.l.; 14 Feb. 2025; ibid. ● 1♀,1♂; Nicosia, Lythrodontas, 1.5 km N from village; 428 m a.s.l.; 14 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1♂; Nicosia, Mosfiloti, 2 km N from village; 197 m a.s.l.; ibid. ● 1♀; Pano Panagia; 34.9213° N 32.6310° E; 15 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 467757 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 467675 ● 2♀,1♂; ibid.; OLML ● 2♀; Pano Panagia env.; 34.921–928° N 32.631–640° E; 12 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467284, 467322 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 467309, 467323 ● 3♀; ibid.; 15 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467592, 467599, 467600 ● 1♂; Paphos [District], Evretou Dam; 239 m a.s.l.; 2 Mar. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 1♂; Paphos, Neo Chorio, Botanical Garden; 47 m a.s.l.; ibid. ● 1♀; Pissouri; 34.662–6° N 32.687–98° E; 250 m a.s.l.; 14 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; on Brassicaceae; SMNHTAU 427171 ● 2♀; Trimiklini; 34.85–6° N 32.91–3° E; 600–700 m a.s.l.; 11 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 427055, 427057 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY039-25; SMNHTAU 427023 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY040-25; SMNHTAU 427056 ● 1♂; Sov.[ereign] Base Area, Dasaki Achnas, S from village; 57 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS.

Nominative feminine singular form of the Latin adjective asper, meaning rough, uneven, coarse, in reference to the species’ integumental sculpturing.

The female of Andrena aspera stands out among Levantine Micrandrena species by the combination of a labral process which is often weakly emarginate apically, distinctly domed clypeus with transverse striations and/or oblique punctures (Fig. 16D), dull, strongly roughened scutum with dense crater-like punctures (Figs 5C, 16J), and dull, shagreened terga which are subtly punctate apicolaterally (Fig. 5D). It is closest to species such as A. simontornyella Noskiewicz, A. rugothorace Warncke and A. lunaris Pisanty & Wood, but in all these species the scutum is more finely sculptured, with denser, finer and smoother punctation. Similar differences apply to the clypeus, which is more finely rugose in A. simontornyella, very densely, finely rugose in A. rugothorace, and non-rugose in A. lunaris.

Among Levantine Micrandrena, the male of Andrena aspera is characterized by the combination of a domed, very densely punctured clypeus covered by dense long white hair (Fig. 5F), scutum with some crater-punctures centrally (Fig. 5G), and penis valves which slightly broaden immediately above the visible base (Fig. 21E). It is very similar to A. rugothorace, but in the latter species the clypeus is more strongly transversely striated, and the gonocoxites have distinct dorsal lobes (Fig. 20R).

Figure 5. 

Andrena aspera Pisanty & Wood sp. nov. A Female habitus; B female head; C female vertex and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male vertex and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

Female. Body length: 6.5–7.5 mm. — Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Distal flagellomeres brown to black (Fig. 5A). Wings weakly infuscate, veins brown, stigma centrally light brown (Fig. 5E). Tergal marginal zones black basally, more brownish apically (Fig. 5D). — Pubescence: Head and mesosoma with distinctly plumose hair of varying brightness (Fig. 5A–C). Lower half of face, up to level of antennal sockets, with dense, moderately long, semi-erect brownish-white hair (Fig. 5B). Paraocular area usually with erect black hairs near facial fovea, elsewhere with brownish-white hairs (Fig. 5A, B). Scape with brownish-white hairs (Fig. 5B). Hair on upper half of facial fovea distinctly brown, on lower half brown to whitish, depending on angle of view. Frons and ocellar triangle with sparse golden hairs, often interspersed with black hairs (Fig. 5B, C). Preoccipital ridge with long, erect golden hairs. Genal area behind upper margin of compound eye with few short black hairs, elsewhere with short to medium, golden to whitish hairs (Fig. 5A–C). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with moderately dense, erect, golden-brown hairs of varying length, their density increasing peripherally, underlying cuticle visible (Fig. 5A, C). Mesepisternum with dense, long whitish hairs, becoming slightly golden dorsally. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsoposterior fringe whitish, corbicular surface with sparse, long simple whitish hairs. Leg hair mostly whitish; flocculus incomplete, white; tibial scopal hairs simple, whitish (Fig. 5A). Terga centrally with inconspicuous minute hair, laterally with sparse medium-lengthed whitish hair, creating weak, broadly interrupted hair bands on marginal zones 2–3, and a very weak and sparse continuous hair band on marginal zone 4. Terminal fringe golden to light brown, flanked by few long white hairs (Fig. 5A, D). — Head: 1.2 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea finely shagreened (Fig. 5B). Labral process rectangular, moderately broad, apical margin weakly concave. Clypeus distinctly domed, fully shagreened and matt, punctation oblique, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameter, without impunctate midline, punctures appearing connected by subtle transverse striation (Fig. 16D). Lower part of paraocular area with strongly oblique punctures merging into striation. Supraclypeal area finely striated. Flagellomere 1 1.0–1.1 times as long as 2+3, 2 slightly shorter than 3 (Fig. 5B). Frons and upper part of paraocular area rugose-areolate, sculpturing becoming coarser centrally. Facial foveae of moderate width, upper half slightly broader, here 0.5 times as broad as antennocular distance, fovea extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to base of clypeus or slightly below, separated from compound eye by very narrow cuticular strip which slightly broadens on the lower half. Frons with complete, shiny medial carina, lower side of frontal ocellus surrounded by polished cuticular area (Fig. 5B, C). Lateral ocelli connected posteriorly by a transverse furrow. Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 2 ocellus diameters (Fig. 5B, C). Ocelloccipital distance about 1 ocellus diameter. Vertex moderately carinate (Fig. 5C). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum entirely with strong granular shagreening, punctation fine, dense and strong, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameters, punctation often appearing oblique especially on anterior part, with some punctures displaying raised margins (crater-like punctures). Scutellum similar but with straight punctation, often somewhat shinier and more sparsely punctured (Figs 5C, 16J). Mesepisternum finely alveolate, overlayed by strongly oblique, dense punctation. Surface of propodeal corbicula finely alveolate, with a few large punctures around hair bases. Posterior part of propodeum strongly differentiated into horizontal vs. vertical regions. Posterolateral area of propodeum rugose-areolate. Propodeal triangle weakly demarcated, horizontal part rugose-areolate, often more radially rugose near base, vertical part finely alveolate (Fig. 5C). Hind pretarsal claw with small inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 proximal to its middle. Nervulus antefurcal to interstitial (Fig. 5E). — Metasoma: Tergal discs finely shagreened, basolaterally with raised oblique punctures, elsewhere more or less impunctate. Tergal marginal zones shagreened and impunctate, moderately arched, 2–3 centrally occupying about half the tergum length, 2 hardly depressed, the following gradually more so (Fig. 5D). Pygidial plate normally developed. — Male. Body length: 5.5–6.5 mm. — Integumental colour: As in female (Fig. 5E). — Pubescence: Clypeus and lower part of paraocular area with dense and long, semi-erect whitish plumose hairs. Supraclypeal area, scape and area around antennal sockets with medium to long erect whitish hairs. Dorsolateral part of paraocular area bordering compound eyes with erect black hairs (Fig. 5E, F). Frons and ocellar triangle with sparse erect hairs of varying brightness. Preoccipital ridge with long, erect whitish to golden hairs (Fig. 5F, G). Dorsal part of genal area with short black hair, central and ventral parts with white hair, becoming longer ventrally (Fig. 5E, F). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with medium to long erect whitish hair, denser peripherally, underlying cuticle visible (Fig. 5E, G). Mesepisternum with very long, erect plumose white hair (Fig. 5E). Propodeum with long, plumose white hair (Fig. 5E, G). Leg hair mostly white, tarsal hair often with some weak golden reflections (Fig. 5E). Tergal discs laterally with moderately dense, short to medium whitish hair, densest and longest on tergum 2, hair becoming short and inconspicuous towards centre of disc. Tergal marginal zones 2–3 with weak and sparse, broadly interrupted white hair bands; 4–5 with continuous, very weak and sparse whitish hair bands. Terminal fringe whitish (Fig. 5H). — Head: 1.25 times broader than long. Labral process moderately broad, rectangular, apical margin usually concave. Clypeus domed, entire surface with almost confluent honeycomb-like punctation, distance between punctures less than 0.5 puncture diameter, clypeal sculpture hidden by dense pubescence. Flagellomere 1 longer than 3 but shorter than 2+3, 2 distinctly shorter than 3 (Fig. 5F). Upper part of paraocular area longitudinally striated. Frons finely rugose-areolated. Ocelloccipital distance about 1.4 ocellus diameters. Preoccipital ridge carinate (Fig. 5G). — Mesosoma: As in female, but scutum usually more sparsely punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–2 puncture diameters (Fig. 5G). Hind pretarsal claw bifurcated. — Metasoma: Tergal discs with strong granular shagreening, centrally with only hint of minute punctures, laterally slightly more distinctly punctate, though here partly obscured by dense overlying pubescence. Tergal marginal zones moderately depressed, finely reticularly shagreened, impunctate (Fig. 5H). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Apical margin of gonocoxite very slightly protruding medially, weakly rounded to almost truncate. Gonostyli broad and elongate, blade flattened, inner margin slightly broadening and curving dorsally at about 0.4 gonostylus length. Penis valves narrow, slightly but distinctly broadening close to visible base (Fig. 21E). Sternum 8 columnar, distinctly broadening apically, apical margin rounded.

Mediterranean shrublands in Israel, the West Bank and Lebanon. Previously reported from Lebanon as A. simontornyella ssp. corpana (Wood et al. 2020; Boustani et al. 2021).

Mid-February to early April, with rare records until mid-May.

Collected on Apiaceae (Daucus, Ferula, Scandix), Asteraceae (Anthemis, Leontodon) and Brassicaceae (Diplotaxis, Isatis, Sinapis).

HOLOTYPE: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Har Ahino’am [Mount Gilboa, Har Ahino’am]; 32.502–6° N 35.408–14° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 463986. – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Agur; 28 Feb. 2021; A. Eliyahu leg.; SMNHTAU 380374 ● 1♀; Bar’am; 1 Apr. 2016; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 251858 ● 3♂; Ben Shemen Forest; 31.93° N 34.972° E; 18 Feb. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 268571, 268573, 268574 ● 1♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♀; Bet Guvrin; 28 Mar. 2010; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 60321 ● 3♂; Bet-Oren; 16 Feb. 1990; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353489 to 353491 ● 1♂; Buraiqa Nat[ure] Reserve; 32.5413° N 34.979° E; 15 Feb. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 356737 ● 2♀; Carmel, Har Telalim; 32.757° N 35.0245° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 16 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 464572, 464575 ● 1♂; ELLA JUN. [HaEla Junction]; [?] Feb. 1984; E. Shney Dor leg.; SMNHTAU 353456 ● 1♀; Gal’on; 4 Apr. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Sarcopoterium spinosum; SMNHTAU 290441 ● 1♂; Haifa; 26 Feb. 1977; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353482 ● 5♀; Har Ahino’am; 32.502–6° N 35.408–14° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 463976, 463985, 463989, 463991, 463993 ● 4♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 463938, 464002, 464004, 464008 ● 2♂; ibid.; NHMUK ● 2♂; ibid.; ZMB ● 3♀; ibid.; 32.5035° N 35.413° E; 438 m a.s.l.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 463886, 463889, 463890 ● 5♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 463875, 463884, 463888, 463893, 463895 ● 2♂; ibid.; OLML ● 2♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♂; Har HaRuah; 31.82° N 35.08–10° E; 6 Mar. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 268850 ● 1♀; HAR SHANA (CARMEL) [?Mount Carmel]; 25 Mar. 1989; Kugler leg.; SMNHTAU 353584 ● 1♂; Har Telalim, Horshat Ha’arba’im; 32.755° N 35.03° E; 22 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 321556 ● 4♀; Hare Gilboa’, Har Ahino’am; 32.502° N 35.414° E; 450 m a.s.l.; 23 Feb. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 118568, 118573, 118574, 118599 ● 6♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 118567, 118569, 118571, 118598, 118605, 118607 ● 1♀; Har’el; 21 Feb. 2020; K. Levy leg.; SMNHTAU 338406 ● 1♂; ibid.; T. Roth leg.; on Leontodon tuberosus; SMNHTAU 338323 ● 2♀; ibid.; SMNHTAU 338330, 338429 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Sinapis arvensis; SMNHTAU 338241 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Isatis lusitanica; SMNHTAU 338342 ● 3♀; Horbat Kefar Lakhish; 31.575° N 34.8532° E; 5 Mar. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 358858 to 358860 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 358856 ● 1♀; Horbat Raqqit; 8 Mar. 2010; G. Pisanty leg.; on Scandix sp.; SMNHTAU 31711 ● 1♀; Karmei Yosef; 22 Mar. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Anthemis; SMNHTAU 291755 ● 1♀; Kefar Giladi N; 30 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353757 ● 3♀; Kefar Giladi S; 25 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353754, 366411, 402795 ● 2♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♂; ibid.; 27 Mar. 1997; SMNHTAU 353554 ● 2♂; ibid.; OLML ● 4♀; ibid.; 30 Mar. 1997 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353551 ● 4♂; Kefar Uriyya-Tarum; 31.78–80° N 34.95–97° E; 25 Feb. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 268513 to 268516 ● 3♀; Kokhav Ya’ir, Ya’ar Sappir; 32°13.9’ N 34°59.5’ E; 160 m a.s.l.; 16 Feb. 2010; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 47493, 47499, 47504 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL505-25; SMNHTAU 47494 ● 1♂; ibid.; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 47386 ● 1♀; Malkiyya; 10 Apr. 2014; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 183521 ● 2♀; Me’arat Yishah, 0.5km E; 32.718° N 35.007° E; 22 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 321571, 321687 ● 10♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 321566, 321568, 321574, 321582, 321585, 321591, 321593 to 321595, 321685 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL465-25; SMNHTAU 321618 ● 2♀; Mt. Carmel 2km SE Haifa Univ.[ersity]; 24 Mar. 1990; A. Dafni leg.; SMNHTAU 353634, 353680 ● 2♀; Nahal Dishon; 1 Apr. 1991; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353740, 353743 ● 4♂; Nahal ‘Iyyon Reserve, HaTanur; 22 Feb. 2002; A. Freidberg leg; SMNHTAU 353523 to 353525, 353527 ● 5♀; Nahal Maresha; 31.577° N 34.858° E; 220 m a.s.l.; 15 Mar. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 359320 to 359324 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 359299 ● 1♂; Nahal Sa’ar, N Golan Height; 30 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353548 ● 1♀; Nahal Zilzal; 31.7° N 35.03° E; 25 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 321742 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 321753 ● 1♀; Nahshon junction; 9 Mar. 2017; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 274133 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL447-25; SMNHTAU 274084 ● 3♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 274088, 274098, 274146 ● 1♀; Nahshonim; 4 Apr. 2023; S. Asis leg.; SMNHTAU 414776 ● 2♀; Netiv Halamed Hey; 7 Mar. 2008; U. Roll leg.; on Apiaceae; SMNHTAU 24911, 24913 ● 2♀; ibid.; 8 Mar. 2008; SMNHTAU 24898, 24900 ● 1♀; Newe Shalom; 20 Feb. 2010; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 31684; ● 1♀; ibid.; on Scandix sp.; SMNHTAU 31673 ● 1♂; ibid.; on Sinapis sp.; SMNHTAU 31701 ● 7♀; Revadim; 27 Mar. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Ferula communis; SMNHTAU 290929, 290934, 290938, 290942, 290988, 290992, 290994 ● 1♂; Rosh Ha’Ayin, Forest; 2 Mar. 2017; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 269532 ● 1♀; Snir, Hermon Field Study Center; 13 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 366410 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353564 ● 2♂; ibid.; NHMUK ● 2♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 2♂; ibid.; 21 Mar. 1997; SMNHTAU 353561, 353562 ● 1♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 2♀; ibid.; 3 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353783, 353784 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 7♀; Snir - Hermon Field Study Center; 27 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 354439, 354443 to 354445, 366414, 366415, 366417 ● 3♀; ibid.; NHMUK ● 3♀; ibid.; ZMB ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353556 ● 2♂; ibid.; ZMB ● 1♀; Tanur [Iyon Stream Nature Reserve]; 6 Mar. 1985; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353709 ● 2♀; Tarum; 18 Mar. 2021; A. Eliyahu leg.; SMNHTAU 380505, 380513 ● 1♀; Tivon; 2 Apr. 197[?]; F. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 353641 ● 1♀; Ya’ar ‘Adullam; 8 Apr. 2010; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 59508 ● 1♂; Ya’ar Kedoshim; 26 Feb. 2017; Y. Farago leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL441-25; SMNHTAU 272014 ● 1♀; ibid.; 8 Mar. 2017; BOLD accession no. ANDIL442-25; SMNHTAU 272214 ● 1♀; ibid.; 5 Mar. 2017; on Daucus bicolor; BOLD accession no. ANDIL444-25; SMNHTAU 272351 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yish’i; 26 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 81418 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yish’i; 26 Feb. 2013; Y. Berner leg.; on Diplotaxis erucoides; SMNHTAU 151391 ● 3♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 151377, 151388, 151394 ● 1♀; Yiftah, E Upper Galilee; 26 Mar. 1994; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353693 ● 5♂; ZikhronYaakov; 9 Feb. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353528 to 353530, 353532, 353535 ● 2♀; Zur Natan 500mNE; 32.245° N 35.020° E; 29 Mar. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 333814, 333820. – LEBANON ● 6♀; Beqaa, Beqaa valley, Mansourah, Aammiq wetland preserve; 33.7321° N 35.7853° E; 850 m a.s.l.; 3 Apr. 2023; T. Wood leg.; TJWC ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. WPATW1056-23 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. WPATW1057-23 ● 3♀; Beqaa, Beqaa valley, Qaraoun, 3.5 km W of Madjal Balhis; 33.5377° N 35.7038° E; 900 m a.s.l.; 4–5 Apr. 2023; T. Wood leg.; TJWC ● 2♀; Mount Lebanon Governorate, Jabal Moussa Biosphere Res.; 1400 m a.s.l.; 14 May 2023; V. Soon leg.; TUZ ● 1♀; Quaraoun (Beka’a); 24 Mar. 2013; M. Kasparek leg.; OLML. – WEST BANK ● 1♀; Berakha, 1kmS, ‘Amassa Spring; 595 m a.s.l.; 6 Mar. 2015; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL417-25; SMNHTAU 206348 ● 1♀; Qalqilya; 4 Apr. 1981; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353702.

The male of A. calandra, similarly to the female, is easily distinguished from other members of the A. minutula group by the combination of a small body size, strong orange colouration of the anterior of the flagellum, polished and mirror-smooth scutum (Fig. 6C), and distinctly punctured tergal discs (Fig. 6D). It is most similar to A. tkalcui Gusenleitner & Schwarz, but clearly differs in the genitalia which lack a strong dorsal gonocoxite lobe (Fig. 20F, H), the eighth sternum which is apically truncate (strongly emarginate in A. tkalcui, Fig. 20W), and the clearly punctate tergal discs. In addition, the scutum of A. tkalcui is often partly shagreened centrally, and only occasionally mirror-smooth.

Figure 6. 

Andrena calandra Warncke, 1975, male. A Habitus; B head; C vertex and mesosoma; D metasoma.

Body length : 4.5–5.5 mm. — Integumental colour: Head and mesosoma black (Fig. 6A). Flagellum posteriorly black to reddish-brown, anteriorly flagellomere 1 black to reddish-black, the following flagellomeres reddish to orange. Legs black to dark brown, apical tarsomeres golden to light brown. Wings hyaline, vein R of forewing dark brown, internal veins golden to slightly brownish, stigma brownish-golden peripherally, yellow centrally (Fig. 6A). Metasoma usually black, occasionally partly to fully reddish-brown. Tergal marginal zones usually as dark as adjacent tergal discs, occasionally more brownish near apex (Fig. 6D). — Pubescence: Almost completely white (Fig. 6A). Lower ⅔ of face, including clypeus, supraclypeal and paraocular areas, scape and lower part of frons, with moderately dense, erect to semi-erect, short to medium white hairs (Fig. 6A, B). Upper part of frons and ocellar triangle with sparse, short to medium white hairs. Preoccipital ridge with short to medium erect white hairs. Genal area with moderately dense white hair, short dorsally, medium-lengthed ventrally (Fig. 6A–C). Discs of scutum and scutellum with sparse, short to medium erect white hair. Metanotum and periphery of scutum and scutellum with moderately dense, medium-lengthed erect white hair. Mesepisternum and propodeum with long white hair (Fig. 6A, C). Leg hair almost completely white, foretarsal hair with weak golden reflections (Fig. 6A). Base of tergal disc 1 and lateral parts of all terga with sparse, short to medium white hair, rest of tergal discs with minute inconspicuous white hair (Fig. 6D). Tergal marginal zones 2–5 with weak bands of white hair, strongly interrupted on 2–3, continuous on 4–5. Terminal fringe whitish (Fig. 6A, D). — Head: 1.3 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea very finely shagreened. Labral process subquadrate to weakly rectangular, apical margin concave (Fig. 6B). Clypeus weakly domed to almost flat, very shiny and more or less completely smooth, occasionally with hints of transverse striation on basal half, punctation strong and dense, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameters. Flagellomere 0.8–1.0 times as long as broad, 0.9–1.1 times as long as 3, 1.1–1.4 times as long as 2. Frons honeycomb-areolated, with dense punctures embedded within the rugosity. Ocelloccipital distance about 1.2 ocellus diameters (Fig. 6C). Preoccipital ridge weakly carinate. — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Anterior margin of scutum shagreened, rest of scutum and scutellum extremely shiny and polished-smooth, strongly punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–2 puncture diameters (Fig. 6C). Mesepisternum honeycomb-areolated, with dense punctures embedded within the rugosity. Anteroventral corner of propodeum reticulate, rest of propodeum rugose-areolate. Propodeal triangle occasionally delineated by partial carina, basally radially rugose to rugose-areolate, similar to flanking areas, apically very finely areolated (Fig. 6C). Recurrent vein 1 meeting submarginal cell 2 slightly proximal to its middle. Nervulus antefurcal to interstitial (Fig. 6A). — Metasoma: Sculpturing of tergal discs highly variable, basally more or less shagreened and matt, occasionally with fine transverse striation, apically shagreened and matt to completely smooth and shiny. Tergal discs with distinct, dense fine punctation, distance between punctures about 1 puncture diameter. Tergal marginal zones moderately depressed, superficially shagreened to smooth, impunctate, 2–3 centrally occupying about 0.3 and 0.5 of tergal length, respectively (Fig. 6D). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Gonocoxites with small, weakly rounded dorsal lobe. Gonostyli simple, finger-shaped, more or less uniformly broad, rounded apically. Penis valves moderately broad basally, parallel-sided close to visible base, then tapering apically (Fig. 20H). Sternum 8 columnar, apical process broadened, apical margin more or less blunt.

Shrublands and semi-arid habitats in south-central Turkey and the the Levant* (Northern Israel*, Jordan*).

Late February to early June.

One female collected on Asphodelaceae (Asphodelus).

HOLOTYPE: TURKEY ● ♀; Antakya; 4 Jun. 1965; M. Schwarz leg.; OLML. – PARATYPES: TURKEY ● 2♀; ibid ● 1♀; Anatolia, Antakya; 1–7 Jun. 1985; J. Gusenleitner leg.; OLML. – non-type material: ISRAEL ● 1♂; Biriyya Forest; 32.99–33.00° N 35.52–53° E; 19 May 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 429801 ● 1♀; Dovrat; 14 May 1974; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 366404 ● 1♀; Haifa; 9 Mar. 1981; A. Dafni leg.; on Asphodelus; SMNHTAU 353612 ● 1♀; Har Hermon; 33.310° N 35.795° E; 1970 m a.s.l.; 15 May 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL433-25; SMNHTAU 242238 ● 1♀; Karé Deshe; 27 Feb. 2012; T. Shapira leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL403-25; SMNHTAU 132140 ● 2♀; Kefar Barukh; 32.650° N 35.175–180° E; 28 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 463010, 463014 ● 1♀; Kfar Masaryk; 32.87° N 35.13° E; 4 Apr. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462857 ● 10♀; Moradot HaGolan NR, 2.15 km NW ’Aleqa; 33.058° N 35.686° E; 488 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2019; A. Dorchin & A. Sviri leg.; Plot B8; SMNHTAU 309078, 309083, 309085, 309094, 309098 to 309100, 309104, 309108, 309109 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL462-25; SMNHTAU 309084 ● 1♂; Moradot HaGolan NR, 2.65 km NW ‘Aleqa, Plot B9; 33.061° N 35.682° E; 492 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2019; A. Dorchin & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 306627 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL454-25; SMNHTAU 306618 ● 1♀; Mt. Carmel, Hay-Bar, 1 km S Univ.; 300 m a.s.l.; 15 Mar. 1990; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 366405 ● 1♀; Nahal Batra, Plot C12; 32.916° N 35.688° E; 85 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2019; A. Dorchin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 306751 ● 1♂; Nahal Batra, Plot C15; 32.936° N 35.711° E; 191 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2019; A. Dorchin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 306487 ● 1♀; Nahal Shuah, Plot A7; 33.068° N 35.677° E; 464 m a.s.l.; 31 May 2019; A. Dorchin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 306822 ● 1♂; Nahal Yadbir, Plot B1; 33.052° N 35.646° E; 124 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2019; A. Dorchin & A. Sviri leg.; RMNH ● 1♀; Road 91, 1.17km NE Bet HaMekhes Jcn, Site D4; 33.018° N 35.659° E; 316 m a.s.l.; 10 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 307390 ● 1♂; Ya’ar Yehudiyya NR, Rd. 87, Plot C2; 32.930° N 35.689° E; 125 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & O. Halbershtat leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL453-25; SMNHTAU 306048. – JORDAN ● 1♂; Kufur; 4–5 May 2012; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 2♂; North Shuna; 29–30 Apr. 1996; Ma. Halada leg.; OLML ● 1♂; ibid.; TJWC.

Endemic to Mediterranean shrublands in Cyprus and the Levant (Israel, Lebanon*) (Pisanty et al. 2022b). Previously reported from Lebanon as A. tiaretta (Wood et al. 2020; Boustani et al. 2021).

Available records range from early March to mid-May, but according to IUCN (2025) the season in Cyprus extends up to mid-June.

Females appear to favour Allium spp. (Amaryllidaceae). Collected also on Asteraceae and Brassicaceae.

Levantine populations of Andrena cervina differ from their Cypriot relatives by somewhat weaker and denser scutal punctation, and brighter stigma. We regard these differences as part of the accepted variability within a unified species concept. COI barcodes of the two populations show an average of 2% genetic distance.

CYPRUS ● 11♀; Akamas; 35.02–05° N 32.32–36° E; 9 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; on Allium; SMNHTAU 467044 to 467054 ● 6♀,1♂; Akamas, Neo Chorio, Lakki [Latsi]; 100 m a.s.l.; 10 Apr. 2000; J. Vořišek leg.; OLML ● 3♀; Akamas Pen.; 35.019–26° N 32.326–52° E; 8 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 466987, 467000, 467011 ● 1♀; ibid.; 35.023–053° N 32.32–36° E; 9 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467019 ● 3♂; NW Androlykou vill.; 312 m a.s.l.; 26 Mar. 2022; T. Ljubomirov leg.; IBER ● 1♂; Axylou, 14kmEPafos; 34°47.6’ N 32°32.8’ E; 400 m a.s.l.; 9 Apr. 2008; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 438669 ● 2♂; Famagusta district, Agia Napa, Cape Greco; 8 Mar. 2019; M. Mikát leg.; JS ● 1♀,1♂; Finikária, Kyparissia Trail; 34.7700° N 33.1122° E; 409 m a.s.l.; 22 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Allium neapolitanum; UMONS ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. RSCMC027-25 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. RSCMC028-25 ● 4♂; Finikária, Lake, Phoinikaria Trail; 34.7560° N 33.0940° E; 87 m a.s.l.; 22 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; flying; UMONS ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. RSCMC026-25 ● 1♀; Kidási, 0.3km N from village; 34.8103° N 32.7122° E; 293 m a.s.l.; 19 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; flying; UMONS ● 3♀; Kykkos; 800 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2014; M. Kafka leg.; TJWC ● 1♂; Lefkara, Rt. E105; 34°51.6’ N 33°18.6’ E; 600 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2008; A. Freidberg leg.; BOLD accession no. ANCY036-24; SMNHTAU 438668 ● 7♀,99♂; E of Lemesos, Mary env; 6 Mar. 2014; M. Snižek leg.; OLML ● 3♂; Palódia, Ayia Irini Monastry; 34.7441° N 32.9760° E; 192 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba; UMONS ● 7♀; ibid.; 4 Apr. 2024; on Allium cf. neapolitanum ● 6♂; Pano Panagia; 34.9213° N 32.6310° E; 15 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 467673, 467674, 467676, 467678, 467680, 467736 ● 1♀; Pano Panagia env.; 34.921–928° N 32.631–640° E; 12 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467307 ● 4♂; ibid.; 15 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467587, 467588, 467590, 467595 ● 1♀; ibid.; 34.921–934° N 32.631–647° E; 14 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467489 ● 4♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 467398, 467399, 467487, 467492 ● 1♀; Paphos [District], Neo Chorio; 35.021–5° N 32.354–60° E; 11 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; on Sinapis; SMNHTAU 467244 ● 13♀; ibid.; 35.0246° N 32.3535° E; 8 Apr. 2025; pan trap; SMNHTAU 466894 to 466906 ● 3♀; ibid.; 35.0260° N 32.3522° E; 9 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467151, 467153, 467154 ● 55♂; Paphos district, Lycos [Lysos]; 5 Apr. 2006; J. Simaki leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Pentalia, 21 km NE Pafos; 34°50.9’ N 32°36.7’ E; 650 m a.s.l.; 8 Apr. 2008; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANCY002-24; SMNHTAU 402793 ● 3♀,1♂; Polemidia National Forest Park; 8 Mar. 2017; Bee course 2017 leg.; AV ● 76♀,21♂; Polis env; 9 Mar. 2014; M. Snižek leg.; OLML ● 5♂; Troodos mountains, Kelefos Bridge; 1–10 Apr. 2000; S. Kadelc leg.; OLML ● 2♀,1♂; Troodos range, Stavros tis Psokas; 35.0232° N 32.6342° E; 945 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Crepis reuteriana; UMONS. – ISRAEL ● 1♀; Alloné Abba; 14 Apr. 1999; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353665 ● 1♀; Allone Abba; 32°43’ N 35°09’ E; 7 Apr. 2013; W. Kuslitzky leg.; SMNHTAU 144202 ● 1♂; Har Addir; 33.033° N 35.361° E; 5 Apr. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap 239469 ● 2♀; ibid.; 22 Apr. 2016; SMNHTAU 240799, 240803 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL062-22; SMNHTAU 240802 ● 5♂; Har Hermon; 33.2991° N 35.7667° E; 1644 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 390385, 390388, 390391, 390396, 390511 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.2992° N 35.7670° E; SMNHTAU 390218 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.2994° N 35.7675° E; 1645 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2021; BOLD accession no. ANDIL124-22; SMNHTAU 361271 ● 2♀; ibid.; 33.2996° N 35.7677° E; 1642 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2022; SMNHTAU 392728, 392729 ● 1♂; ibid.; 16 Apr. 2022; SMNHTAU 390542 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.300° N 35.767° E; 1600 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2020; SMNHTAU 334856 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.3015° N 35.7737° E; 1790 m a.s.l.; 15 May 2016; SMNHTAU 242096 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL064-22; SMNHTAU 242095 ● 11♀; ibid.; 33.2995° N 35.7683° E; 1654 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2022; on Allium; SMNHTAU 392738 to 392748 ● 2♀; Hermon; 33.298–9° N 35.767–70° E; 1640–1675 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 392808, 392810 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.2992° N 35.7677° E; 1649 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; on Juniperus drupacea; SMNHTAU 389906 ● 5♀; Hermon, Har Kahal; 33.2885° N 35.730–737° E; 1210–1320 m a.s.l.; 29 Apr. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 391272, 391282, 391300, 391302, 391305 ● 3♀; Hermon, Har Shezif; 33.286° N 35.7524° E; 1447 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 390715, 390719, 390720 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 390711 ● 2♀; Har Meron; 1000 m a.s.l.; 17 Apr. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 124536, 124554 ● 3♀; ibid.; 1 May 2022; SMNHTAU 391418 to 391420 ● 1♂; Har Meron; 1100 m a.s.l.; 17 Apr. 2000; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353522 ● 1♀; ibid.; 25 Apr. 2002; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 353667 ● 1♀; Har Meron; 32.9949° N 35.4166° E; 21 Apr. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 270985 ● 1♀; ibid.; 32.999° N 35.395° E; 5 Apr. 2016; SMNHTAU 239366 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.300° N 35.3927° E; 4 Apr. 2017; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL440-25; SMNHTAU 270262 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL074-22; SMNHTAU 270268 ● 1♀; Har Meron Reserve, ‘En Zeved; 32°59’ N 35°26’ E; 24 Apr. 2002; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 354497 ● 1♀; Malkiyya; 27 Apr. 2014; O. Winberger leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 183928 ● 1♂; Mount Meron; 900 m a.s.l.; 13 Apr. 1988; C. O’Toole leg.; on Sinapis alba; SMNHTAU 353460 ● 1♀; Mt. Meron; 9 Apr. 1977; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 3♂; Sasa; 31 Mar. 2016; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 253850, 253853, 253858 ● 3♀; ibid.; 14 Apr. 2016; SMNHTAU 252008, 252027, 252029 ● 7♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 251976, 251979, 251980, 251984, 252012, 252025, 252028 ● 2♂; ibid.; 20 Apr. 2015; pan trap; SMNHTAU 184770, 184775 ● 1♀; Ya’ar ‘Adulam; 20 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; SMNHTAU 354454 ● 1♂; Ya’ar Kedoshim; 4 Mar. 2014; N. Shamir leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 152613 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Nehusha; 25 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 354433 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Odem NR; 33.205° N 35.736° E; 27 Apr. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 334373 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL101-22; SMNHTAU 334561 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yish’i; 31 Mar. 2016; T. Chaprazaro leg.; SMNHTAU 251635 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL066-22; SMNHTAU 251634 ● 2♀; ibid.; 1 Apr. 2016; SMNHTAU 251641, 251646 ● 7♀; Yiftach; 30 Mar. 2016; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 253749, 253750, 253757, 253761, 253764, 253777, 253784 ● 2♀; ibid.; OLML ● 25♀; ibid.; 12 Apr. 2016; SMNHTAU 251914, 251916 to 251919, 251922 to 251924, 251926, 251930, 251934 to 251936, 251938, 251940, 251941, 251943, 251947 to 251951, 251953 to 251955 ● 2♀; ibid.; OLML ● 1♀; ibid.; 21 Apr. 2015; pan trap; SMNHTAU 184674 ● 1♂; Yir’on; 10 Apr. 2014; O. Winberger leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 183232. – WEST BANK ● 1♀; Peduel, Deir Qala’; 27 Mar. 2013; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 138661.

Nominative feminine singular form of the Latin adjective chananaeus (=Canaanite).

Within the Andrena minutula species group, the female of A. chananaea is characterized by the combination of a shagreened, strongly punctate clypeus, often with a strong impunctate midline (Fig. 18F), densely and strongly punctate scutum (Figs 7C, 18L), and shagreened tergal discs with at most obscure punctation (Fig. 7D). These characters apply equally well to A. minutula (Kirby) itself, and we could not identify any good morphological character that separates females of the two taxa. Within the Levantine Micrandrena fauna, the female of A. chananaea most closely resembles A. sillata Warncke and A. alfkenelloides cardalia Warncke. Compared to A. sillata, A. chananaea has stronger and coarser clypeal puncturing (Fig. 18E, F), and slightly sparser and coarser scutal punctation (Fig. 18K, L). Compared to A. a. cardalia, it has a more evenly sculptured clypeus (very densely punctate and transversely striated basally, partly smooth medioapically in A. a. cardalia; Figs 16A, 18F) and a dull, microreticulate, and very weakly punctate tergal disc 1 (Fig. 7D; usually smoother and more distinctly punctate in A. a. cardalia, especially in the second generation).

Figure 7. 

Andrena chananaea Pisanty & Wood sp. nov., 1^st generation. A Female habitus; B female head; C female vertex and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male vertex and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

The male of A. chananaea is very hard to diagnose among members of the A. minutula group, due to its extreme morphological variability, both among and within the two seasonal generations. The main consistent characters are a short flagellomere 1, clypeus and scutum which are densely punctured and usually at least partly shagreened, terga which are highly variable but at least weakly punctate, and simple genitalia. The male is closest to A. alfkenella Perkins and A. alfkenelloides cardalia, but exhibits subtle differences in the shape of the genitalia, with the gonostyli only slightly narrowed basally (inner margin of gonostylus more strongly narrowing basally in A. alfkenella and A. a. cardalia), and the penis valves distinctly broader basally vs. apically (more uniformly narrow in the comparison species) (Fig. 21A–C). In general overview, the genitalia of A. chananaea appear somewhat more robust and enlarged. In addition, males of A. chananaea usually possess a longer flagellomere 1 when compared to A. a. cardalia, and tergal discs that are more strongly shagreened and more weakly and finely punctured when compared to both A. alfkenella and A. a. cardalia, but all these traits are far too variable among individuals of these species to constitute reliable differentiating characters. The male of A. chananaea may also resemble A. minutuloides, but its scutal punctation is denser, and its penis valves are narrower basally (Fig. 21A, F).

First generation female. Body length: 5.5–6 mm. — Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Flagellum black, partly covered by greyish scales especially on distal flagellomeres. Tarsi black to brown. Wings weakly infuscate, veins and stigma brown (Fig. 7A). Tergal marginal zones black, apical margin black to brownish (Fig. 7D). — Pubescence: Face mostly with light brownish to golden, moderately dense hair, on clypeus semi-erect, short and thin, on paraocular area erect and medium-lengthed, on supraclypeal area and scape erect and short, on frons and preoccipital ridge erect, short to long, on genal area semi-erect to erect, short to medium (Fig. 7A–C). Few inconspicuous short dark hairs occur on ocellar triangle and behind upper margin of compound eyes. Hair of facial fovea brownish on upper ⅓ of fovea, more whitish below (Fig. 7B, C). Scutum with brownish hair, centrally short to minute, interspersed with few long erect hairs, underlying cuticle visible, peripherally short to medium and erect. Metanotum and periphery of scutellum with erect, short to long brownish hair (Fig. 7C). Mesepisternum with long whitish hair (Fig. 7A). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, posterodorsal fringe composed of long plumose whitish hair, corbicular surface with few long, simple whitish hairs. Leg hair mostly whitish to golden, flocculus incomplete, white, tibial scopal hair simple, whitish, becoming brown near posterobasal margin of tibia (Fig. 7A). Majority of tergal discs 1–2 essentially hairless, 3–4 with minute inconspicuous bright hair, tergal discs laterally with few sparse short to medium white hairs. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with prominent, broadly interrupted white hair bands, consisting of very sparse medium-lengthed hairs emerging from the basal rim of the marginal zone, and denser short hairs emerging near its apex. Tergal marginal zone 4 with very weak continuous band of very sparse medium-lengthed whitish hairs emerging from its basal rim. Terminal fringe light brown, flanked by few white hairs (Fig. 7D). — Head: 1.2 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea finely shagreened (Fig. 7B). Labral process trapezoidal, not much broader than long. Clypeus domed, entirely shagreened and matt except for an occasionally shinier apical margin, punctation strong, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters, an impunctate midline is usually weakly to strongly developed (Figs 7B, 18F). Ventrolateral part of paraocular area very smooth, strongly and densely punctured. Frons and rest of paraocular area strongly longitudinally striated, with coarse punctures embedded between the striations (Fig. 7B, C). Flagellomere 1 0.9–1 times as long as 2+3, 2 slightly shorter than 3 (Fig. 7B). Facial fovea dorsally moderately narrow, here about 0.4 times as broad as antennocular distance, tapering ventrally, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to slightly above base of clypeus, lower ⅔ separated from compound eye by smooth cuticular strip. Frons with distinct medial carina, dorsally usually ending with a smooth broadened flat area under the medial ocellus. Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 2 ocellus diameters (Fig. 7B, C). Lateral ocelli not connected posteriorly by trough-like furrow. Ocelloccipital distance roughly 1 ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge weakly carinate (Fig. 7C). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum usually strongly shagreened and matt, rarely weakly to strongly shiny and partly smooth, punctation strong and dense, distance between punctures <0.5 to 1 puncture diameter. Scutellum similar, anterior part often shiny and somewhat smooth (Figs 7C, 18L). Mesepisternum posteriorly finely alveolate, anteriorly gradually strongly and densely, obliquely punctured. Surface of propodeal corbicula reticulated, with few large punctures around hair bases. Posterior part of propodeum strongly differentiated into horizontal vs. vertical parts. Posterolateral area of propodeum rugose-areolate. Propodeal triangle delineated from flanking areas by change in sculpture, not surrounded by carina, horizontal part coarsely radially rugose, vertical part very finely areolated (Fig. 7C). Hind pretarsal claw with small inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meeting submarginal cell 2 more or less at its middle. Nervulus distinctly antefurcal to almost interstitial (Fig. 7A). — Metasoma: Tergal discs 1–2 strongly shagreened and matt, with hints of fine punctation blended into the shagreening; 3 and especially 4 often more weakly shagreened, 3 with stronger hints of fine, dense punctation. Tergal marginal zones impunctate, weakly depressed, moderately arched, 2–3 centrally occupying 0.4–0.7 of tergal length, 1–2 distinctly shagreened and matt, the following gradually more weakly shagreened (Fig. 7D). Pygidial plate normally developed. — Second generation female. Body length: 5–6.5 mm. — Integumental colour: As in first generation, but flagellum often brown to reddish-brown anteriorly. — Pubescence: Similar to first generation, but overall somewhat sparser, shorter and brighter, without dark hairs on ocellar triangle and upper margin of compound eye. — Head: Similar to first generation, but impunctate midline of clypeus usually absent or poorly developed. — Mesosoma: As in first generation, but scutum and scutellum nearly always strongly shiny, partly to fully smooth at least on disc. Sculpturing of horizontal part of propodeal triangle slightly finer, more rugose-areolate. — Metasoma: As in first generation. — First generation male. Body length: 5–6 mm. — Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Flagellum black, partly covered by greyish scales especially on distal flagellomeres. Tarsi black to brown. Wings weakly infuscate, veins and stigma brown (Fig. 7E). Tergal marginal zones black to golden-brown (Fig. 7H). — Pubescence: Face, including clypeus, supraclypeal and paraocular areas, scape and frons, with moderately dense, semi-erect to erect, medium to long black hair. A few whitish hairs can often be noted near apex of clypeus and on scape, exact colour dependent on angle of view. Preoccipital ridge with long erect whitish to brownish hairs. Dorsal part of genal area with short to medium erect black hairs, ventral part with long erect whitish hairs (Fig. 7E–G). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with long erect hairs, mostly whitish to brownish, a few dark, these hairs sparse on scutum, here interspersed with shorter inconspicuous hairs, dense on metanotum and periphery of scutellum. Mesepisternum with very long erect hairs, whitish on ventral part, usually black and rarely whitish on dorsal part (Fig. 7E, G). Propodeum with long hairs, mostly whitish, some dark hairs often occur near base of wing. Leg hair mostly white, some weak golden reflections appear mostly on tarsi (Fig. 7E). Base of tergum 1 and lateral areas of all terga with sparse, short to medium white hair; rest of tergal discs with minute inconspicuous whitish hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–3 with weak, broadly interrupted white hair bands, concentrated mostly near apex of marginal zone. Tergal marginal zone 4 with extremely weak hints of similar hair bands. Terminal fringe whitish (Fig. 7H). — Head: 1.2 times broader than long (Fig. 7F). Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea finely shagreened. Labral process trapezoidal to subquadrate, not much broader than long, apical half usually elevated, apical margin concave. Clypeus domed, centrally often somewhat flattened, basally strongly shagreened and matt with some transverse striations, apically usually shiny and weakly shagreened, rarely strongly shagreened and matt. Clypeus punctation strong and dense, distance between punctures <0.5 to 1 puncture diameter, puncture density decreasing medioapically, often creating a distinct impunctate midline at least on apical half. Lower part of paraocular area shiny and strongly punctured, upper part with narrow strip of fine, dense punctation along inner margin of compound eye, elsewhere strongly longitudinally shagreened to rugose-areolate, some embedded punctures can occasionally be discerned. Flagellomere 1 1.1–1.2 times longer than broad, usually 1.45–1.8 times longer than 2 and 1.05–1.2 times longer than 3, rarely slightly shorter (Fig. 7F). Frons strongly rugose-areolate, with some embedded punctures especially near centre. Ocelloccipital distance 1 ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge moderately carinate (Fig. 7G). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum fully shagreened and matt, strongly punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters, some punctures with elevated margins, especially on anterior half of scutum. Scutellum similar, often somewhat smoother centrally, punctures without elevated margins (Fig. 7G). Mesepisternum with fine alveolation, overlayed by sparse coarse oblique punctures. Anterolateral part of propodeum ventrally reticulated, dorsally gradually rugose-areolated. Posterolateral part of propodeum strongly, finely rugose-areolate. Horizontal part of propodeal triangle strongly, coarsely radially rugose to rugose-areolate, vertical part very finely areolated (Fig. 7G). Recurrent vein 1 meeting submarginal cell 2 more or less near its middle. Nervulus antefurcal to almost interstitial (Fig. 7E). — Metasoma: Tergal discs exhibiting high variability in sculpture, usually shagreened basally and weakly shagreened to smooth apically, proximal terga with stronger shagreening. Very fine punctation is discernible especially on the smoother areas, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters. Tergal marginal zones not to weakly depressed, very shiny, smooth to very superficially shagreened, essentially impunctate (Fig. 7H). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Gonocoxites apically truncate, without dorsal lobe. Gonostyli simple, finger-shaped, very slightly broadening apically, blade flattened, apical margin rounded. Penis valves moderately narrow, basal ¼ of visible area parallel-sided, the following ¼ strongly tapering apically, distal half very narrow (Fig. 21A). Sternum 8 columnar, apical process somewhat broadened, apical margin rounded to truncate. — Second generation male. Body length: 5–5.5 mm. — Integumental colour: As in first generation. Pubescence: Only a single individual is available to us with intact hair, hence the description in this section should be considered preliminary. Clypeus with sparse short whitish hairs. Paraocular area, scape and area around antennal sockets with short to medium, mixed bright and dark hairs. Preoccipital ridge with medium-lengthed erect whitish hairs. Genal area with whitish hairs, short dorsally, medium-lengthed ventrally. Hairs of scutum, scutellum and metanotum completely whitish. Rest of pubescence as in first generation. — Head: Clypeus at least on apical ⅔ very shiny, partly to fully smooth. Rest of head as in first generation. — Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum shiny, weakly shagreened to completely smooth, very strongly punctured. Mesepisternum with fine alveolation overlayed by coarse regular (not oblique) punctures with raised margins. Rest of mesosoma as in first generation. Metasoma: Tergal discs strongly shiny, partly shagreened to fully smooth, punctation strong, fine to moderately sized, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters. Tergal marginal zones as in first generation. — Genitalia and hidden sterna: As in first generation.

Shrubland and mesic habitats in all countries of the Levant. Previously reported from Lebanon as A. minutula (Wood et al. 2020; Boustani et al. 2021).

Early February to late June, in two generations (February–mid-April and mid-April–June, depending on elevation).

Collected on Apiaceae (Daucus), Rosaceae (Pyrus) and Sapindaceae (Acer).

HOLOTYPE: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Me’arat Yishah [Mount Carmel, Yishah Cave], 0.5km E; 32.718° N 35.007° E; [310 m a.s.l.]; 22 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL464-25; SMNHTAU 321609. – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 2♀; Aqua Bella [Ein Hemed]; 14 May 1951; J. Wahrman leg.; SMNHTAU 353594, 353595 ● 1♀; Biriyya Forest; 32.99–33.00° N 35.52–53° E; 19 May 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 429802 ● 1♀; Carmel; 14 Feb. 1976; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353621 ● 1♀; ELA JUN.; [?] Feb. 1984; E. Shney-Dor leg.; SMNHTAU ● 5♀; Har Addir; 33.032–7° N 35.361–72° E; 780–1000 m a.s.l.; 21 May 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 470540 to 470544 ● 1♀; Har Addir; 33.033° N 35.361° E; 22 Apr. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 240804 ● 1♂; Har Ahino’am; 32.502–6° N 35.408–14° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 463954 ● 1♂; Har Avital, Golan Heigh[t] N; 15 Mar. 1995; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353476 ● 1♀; Har Dov; 1000 m a.s.l.; 21 May 1986; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 366406 ● 1♀; Har Hermon; 1600 m a.s.l.; 29 May 2000; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; ibid.; 1700 m a.s.l.; 26 Jun. 1997; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 366407 ● 7♀; ibid.; 33.2994° N 35.7675° E; 1645 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 361187, 361188, 361190, 361191, 361193, 361196, 361200 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 2♀; ibid.; ZMB ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL495-25; SMNHTAU 361426 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 361316 ● 1♂; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL463-25; SMNHTAU 361401 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.30° N 35.77° E; 1600–1800 m a.s.l.; 17 Jun. 2020; BOLD accession no. ANDIL483-25; SMNHTAU 336032 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.302° N 35.773° E; 1820 m a.s.l.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL484-25; SMNHTAU 336103 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.3015° N 35.7735° E; 1790 m a.s.l.; 18 Jun. 2020; BOLD accession no. ANDIL482-25; SMNHTAU 336000 ● 4♀; ibid.; 33.2855° N 35.763° E; 1420 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2021; pan trap; SMNHTAU 360669, 360671, 360673, 360674 ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL492-25; SMNHTAU 360670 ● 2♀; ibid.; 33.296° N 35.763° E; 1540 m a.s.l.; SMNHTAU 360890, 360891 ● 2♀; ibid.; 33.2991° N 35.7667° E; 1644 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; SMNHTAU 390404, 390406 ● 3♀; ibid.; 33.2992° N 35.7670° E; SMNHTAU 390170, 390176, 390188 ● 11♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 390010, 390130, 390136, 390138, 390149, 390160, 390163, 390165, 390186, 390221, 390235 ● 1♂; ibid.; OLML ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.2996° N 35.7677° E; 1642 m a.s.l.; SMNHTAU 390553 ● 4♀; ibid.; OLML ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 390593 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.300° N 35.767° E; 1600 m a.s.l.; 17 Jun. 2020; SMNHTAU 335935 ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL481-25; SMNHTAU 335936 ● 6♀; ibid.; 1610 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2021; SMNHTAU 360522, 360523, 360526, 360530, 360531, 360550 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 5♀; ibid.; 33.299° N 35.769° E; 1650 m a.s.l.; sweep; SMNHTAU 360377 to 360379, 360382, 360384 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 360392, 360393 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.2992° N 35.7668° E; 1642 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; on Rosaceae; SMNHTAU 389944 ● 2♀; ibid.; 33.2993° N 35.7679° E; 1649 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2021; on Acer monspessulanum; SMNHTAU 360293, 360301 ● 4♀; ibid.; 16 Apr. 2021; SMNHTAU 361500 to 361502, 361543 ● 1♀; Har Hermon, Nahal ‘Ar’ar; 33°18.3’ N 35°46.2’ E; 1600 m a.s.l.; 24 May 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 126767 ● 1♀; Har Karmila; 31.78–79° N 35.02–04° E; 5 Mar. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL437-25; SMNHTAU 268885 ● 1♂; Har Meron; 800 m a.s.l.; 5 Mar. 2011; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 89136 ● 1♀; Har Meron; 1000 m a.s.l.; 17 Apr. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 124582 ● 1♀; Har Meron; 33.000° N 35.3925° E; 21 Apr. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 240984 ● 1♀; ibid.; NHMUK ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL431-25; SMNHTAU 240977 ● 1♂; Harel; 21 Feb. 2020; K. Levy leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL486-25; SMNHTAU 338407 ● 1♀; HaTanur [Iyon Stream Nature Reserve]; 24 May 1988; Y. Zvik leg.; SMNHTAU 366408 ● 1♂; ibid.; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 366430 ● 1♂; Hermon; 33.2992° N 35.7668° E; 1642 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; on Rosaceae; SMNHTAU 389942 ● 1♂; ibid.; 33.2992° N 35.7677° E; 1649 m a.s.l.; on Juniperus drupacea; SMNHTAU 389905 ● 2♀; Hermon Nature Reserve, Busheri curve, Plot F4; 33.301° N 35.773° E; 1791 m a.s.l.; 18 Jun. 2019; A. Dorchin, A. Sviri & Y. Mersman leg.; SMNHTAU 309285, 309286 ● 1♀; Hermon NR, Har Shezif, Plot E4; 33.286° N 35.743° E; 1480 m a.s.l.; 30 May 2019; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL458-25; SMNHTAU 308498 ● 1♂; Jermak [Mt. Meron]; 20 May 1959; Krystal J. leg.; SMNHTAU 366436 ● 1♀; Karei Deshe; 9 Feb. 2013; T. Shapira leg.; SMNHTAU 151025 ● 1♀; Kefar Uriyya-Tarum; 31.78–80° N 34.95–97° E; 25 Feb. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 268527 ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL436-25; SMNHTAU 268528 ● 3♀; Mata; 13 Mar. 2024; A. Lofchick leg.; SMNHTAU 456689, 456729, 456732 ● 1♀; Me’arat Yishah, 0.5km E; 32.718° N 35.007° E; 22 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 321590 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 321668 ● 1♂; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL467-25; SMNHTAU 321659 ● 1♀; [?Mount] Meiron; 13 May 1973; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 353650 ● 1♀; Meron JNC., Upper Gallilee; 20 Mar. 1995; on Pyrus; SMNHTAU 367687 ● 3♀; Nahal ‘Iyyon, HaTanur Waterfall; 33°16.1’ N 35°34.5’ E; 15 Mar. 2011; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 89755, 89757, 89761 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 89750 ● 1♀; ibid.; E. Morgulis leg.; SMNHTAU 90690 ● 1♀; Netiv Halamed He; 26 Feb. 2009; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 27619 ● 1♂; Newe Shalom; 6 May 2011; G. Pisanty leg.; on Daucus aureus; SMNHTAU 80807 ● 1♂; Nimrod Fortress; 24 Feb. 2012; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 107040 ● 1♀; Pa’ar Cave, nearSasa; 33°02’ N 35°23’ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 26 May 2009; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 34309 ● 1♀; Snir, Hermon Field Study Center; 21 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 354452 ● 1♀; Tanur; 15 Mar. 1975; F. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 353646 ● 2♀; Tanur; 6 Mar. 1985; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353708, 353710 ● 2♀; Tur’an Peak; 32°47.8’ N 35°22.5’ E; 555 m a.s.l.; 18 Apr. 2010; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 50634, 50640 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Kedoshim; 26 Feb. 2017; Y. Farago leg.; SMNHTAU 272182 ● 1♀; ibid.; 5 Mar. 2017; RMNH ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL443-25; SMNHTAU 272287 ● 1♀; ibid.; 8 Mar. 2017; SMNHTAU 272049 ● 1♂; Ya’ar Nehusha; 15 Feb. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL510-25; SMNHTAU 81357 ● 2♀; ibid.; 25 Apr. 2011; SMNHTAU 354437, 354438 ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL488-25; SMNHTAU 354434 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Odem N.R.; 1 Mar. 2018; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 286475 ● 5♀; Ya’ar Odem NR; 33.186° N 35.7356° E; 27 Feb. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 332294, 332296, 332297, 332301, 332303 ● 3♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 332288, 332292, 332298 ● 1♀,1♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♂; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL473-25; SMNHTAU 332287 ● 2♀; ibid.; 33.206° N 35.736° E; NHMUK ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL471-25; SMNHTAU 332083 ● 4♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 332073, 332074, 332076, 332077 ● 1♂; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL470-25; SMNHTAU 332081 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yish’i; 21 Apr. 2010; T. Koznichki leg.; SMNHTAU 59547 ● 1♂; ibid.; 18 Feb. 2011; BOLD accession no. ANDIL509-25; SMNHTAU 81168 ● 1♀; ibid.; 26 Apr. 2011; SMNHTAU 81415 ● 3♀; ZikhronYaakov; 9 Feb. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353723 to 353725 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353533 ● 1♀; Ziv’on, 1km SW; 33.019° N 35.407° E; 15 May 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 213926 ● 1♀; ibid.; OLML ● 1♀; ibid; BOLD accession no. ANDIL421-25; SMNHTAU 213927 ● 1♀; ibid.; 33.02° N 35.41° E; 22 Apr. 2016; RMNH ● 1♀; Zomet Shiryon, 5kmW, Rt.91; 33°02.9’ N 35°42.3’ E; 530 m a.s.l.; 22 May 2011; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 94226. – JORDAN ● 1♀; 10 km N Jerash; 20 Apr. 2002; M. Snižek leg.; OLML ● 2♀; 20 km N Amman; 620 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 2006; K. Deneš leg.; OLML ● 22♀; 30 km NW Ajlun; 600 m a.s.l.; 29 Apr. 2006; ibid. ● 2♀; Ajloun; 6–7 May 2012; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 1♀; Kufur; 4–5 May 2012; ibid. ● 2♀; North Shuna; 20–22 Apr. 1996; Ma. & Mi. Halada leg.; OLML. – SYRIA ● 1♀; Jisr ash Shugur; 26 May 1996; Mi. Halada leg.; OLML. – WEST BANK ● 1♀; Har ‘Eval, Yehoshua binNun Althar; 780–856 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 2016; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 243681 ● 1♀; Har Kabbir; 750 m a.s.l.; 5 Feb. 2015; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL411-25; SMNHTAU 202863 ● 1♀; Ma’ale Shomeron; 6 May 2015; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 244190 ● 1♂; Qedumim, Karme Qedem; 435 m a.s.l.; 2 Feb. 2018; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 284512.

Endemic to the southern Levant, in scrublands and semi-arid habitats (northern Israel, Jordan; Pisanty et al. 2022b).

Mid-March to early June.

One female collected from Apiaceae (Ferula).

HOLOTYPE: JORDAN ● ♀; NW, 16 km WWN of Ajlun; 600 m a.s.l.; 21 May 2007; Z. Kejval leg.; OLML. – PARATYPES: JORDAN ● 38♀,2♂; ibid. ● 2♀; ibid.; SMNHTAU 354502, 354503 ● 1♀; Ajlun, 30 km W Jarash; 2 Jun. 2006; Z. Kejval leg.; OLML ● 1♂; Ajloun; 7 May 2012; M. Kafka leg.; OLML ● 3♂; Kufur; 4–5 May 2012; ibid. ● 6♀; 20 km SW Madaba; 31 May 2006; F. Kantner leg.; OLML ● 4♂; North Shuna; 29–30 Apr. 1996; Ma. Halada leg.; OLML ● 3♀,86♂; Zadba/Zadaba [?]; 6 May 2012; M. Kafka leg.; OLML. – non-type material: ISRAEL ● 1♀; 10 km S Haifa, Har Karmel/Bet Oren; 14 May 1996; C. Schmid-Egger leg.; CSE ● 1♀; Har Dov, Karst; 33°18.6’ N 35°43.2’ E; 1380 m a.s.l.; 25 May 2010; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 63665 ● 2♀; Jordan Valley, Maale Gilboa, 7 km W Bet Shean; 17 May 1996; C. Schmid-Egger leg.; CSE ● 1♀; Karé Deshe; 19 Mar. 2012; T. Shapira leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL027-22; SMNHTAU 132159 ● 3♀; Nahal Batra, Plot C11; 32.913° N 35.681° E; 43 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2019; A. Dorchin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 306699, 306715, 306723 ● 2♀; Nahal Batra, Plot C12; 32.916° N 35.688° E; 85 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2019; A. Dorchin & T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 306787, 306820 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL090-22; SMNHTAU 306809 ● 1♀; Nahal Meshushim; 32.939° N 35.662° E; 1 May 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL051-22; SMNHTAU 213934 ● 1♂; Nahal Oren; 24 May 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353485 ● 2♀; Park haYarden; 32°54.7’ N 35°37.6’ E; –190 m a.s.l.; 22 May 2011; M. Guershon leg.; SMNHTAU 94355, 94362 ● 1♀; Qazrin; 32°59.2’ N 35°41.8’ E; 335 m a.s.l.; 22 May 2011; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 94277 ● 1♀; Ravid; 17 May 2009; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 34368 ● 1♂; Ravid; 32.847° N 35.468° E; 29 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462763 ● 1♂; Sea of Galilee, 9 km E Tiberias/En Gev; 17 May 1996; C. Schmid-Egger leg.; CSE ● 1♀; Ya’ar Kedoshim; 30 Mar. 2014; N. Shamir leg.; on Ferula communis; BOLD accession no. ANDIL034-22; SMNHTAU 152547 ● 1♀; Zomet Ha’Amaqim (Jalame) [HaAmakim Junction]; 18–22 May 1993; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 354465 ● 2♀; ibid.; 26–30 May 1993; SMNHTAU 354466, 354467 ● 1♀; ibid.; TJWC.

Broadly west and central Palaearctic (Gusenleitner & Schwarz 2002). Newly reported from the Levant* (Jordan*, Lebanon*).

Late April to mid-May, in Europe until June.

Presumably broadly oligolectic on Brassicaceae (Brassica, Capsella, Cardaria, Crambe, Erucastrum, Isatis, Sinapis, Sisymbrium). Also visits Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Plantaginaceae and Rosaceae (Westrich 1989; IUCN 2024).

The two Lebanese specimens show a 2.5% difference in COI barcodes compared to Central European populations. Morphologically, there are some slight differences. In the female sex, the Lebanese specimens show the scutum between the punctures with fine granular microreticulation, the surface dull, whereas European specimens (e.g. from Bulgaria) have the scutum polished and shining between the punctures. Specimens from Turkey are intermediate, with the scutum broadly shining but with fine shagreen. The tergal discs of Lebanese females are also slightly more finely punctate (Fig. 15I). In the male sex, this same structural difference can be seen, but the genital capsule displays the same truncate gonocoxites, enlarged gonostyli, and narrow penis valves which are produced into extremely acute points (Fig. 20U). Given the only small genetic distance and the overall very similar morphology (particularly in the genital capsule), we prefer to treat Levantine specimens as a slightly isolated and slightly diverging population of a widely distributed Andrena enslinella.

JORDAN ● 1♀; west, Jordan Valley, Dayr Alla [Dayr ‘Allah]; 27 Apr. 1996; Ma. Halada leg.; OLML. – LEBANON ● 1♂; Mount Lebanon Governorate, Jabal Moussa Biosphere Res.; 1400 m a.s.l.; 14 May 2023; V. Soon leg.; BOLD accession no. NATBE234-25; TUZ 341644 ● 1♀; Mount Lebanon Governorate, Kesrouane, Jabal Moussa Biosphere Res., Mchati; 1100 m a.s.l.; 16 May 2023; V. Soon leg.; BOLD accession no. NATBE233-25; TUZ 347651. – TURKEY ● 1♀; Pozantı, Tekir; 7 Jun. 2006; M. Kafka leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDGP013-25; OLML.

Named after the Israeli coleopterist Ariel Leib Leonid (a.k.a. Laibale) Friedman, who collected most of the type series, as well as many other rare and unusual Hymenoptera.

Andrena friedmani is distinguished from other Levantine Micrandrena by the combination of small body size, finely transversely striated clypeus in the female (Figs 8B, 16B), dark flagellum (Fig. 8A, B), polished-smooth scutum (Figs 8C, 16H), and partly smooth, finely punctate tergum 1 (Figs 8D, 16L). Andrena tkalcui Gusenleitner & Schwarz and A. calandra Warncke are also small-sized with a shiny scutum, but easily differ by the flagellum which is anteriorly orange. In addition, in A. tkalcui, the female clypeus is not striated (Fig. 17C), the scutum is often partly shagreened centrally (Fig. 17H), tergum 1 is shagreened and impunctate, the dorsal gonocoxite lobe is rounded apically (Fig. 20F), and sternum 8 is apically emarginate (Fig. 20W). In the female of A. calandra, tergum 1 is shagreened and impunctate, whereas in the male, all terga are more strongly punctured (Fig. 6D), and the genitalia lacks a strong dorsal gonocoxite lobe (Fig. 20H).

Figure 8. 

Andrena friedmani Pisanty sp. nov. A Female habitus; B female head; C female vertex and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male vertex and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

Female. Body length: 5.5–6 mm. — Integumental colour: Body black. Flagellum dark brown, slightly tinted reddish. Legs brown to black. Wings slightly infuscate, veins golden to brown, stigma golden centrally (Fig. 8A). Tergal marginal zones black basally, more brownish apically (Fig. 8D). — Pubescence: Clypeus with rather sparse, medium-lengthed, semi-erect white hair. Supraclypeal area with short erect white hair. Paraocular area and scape with dense, medium-lengthed erect white hair (Fig. 8A, B). Frons and ocellar triangle with sparse, medium-lengthed white hair. Preoccipital ridge with long, erect whitish hair (Fig. 8A–C). Lower of half of facial fovea with whitish hair, upper half with brownish to whitish hair, depending on angle of view (Fig. 8C). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with erect whitish hair of varying length, longer and thicker peripherally, mostly minute and inconspicuous centrally, underlying cuticle visible (Fig. 8A, C). Mesepisternum with very long white hair (Fig. 8A). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsoposterior fringe with long white hair, corbicular surface with sparse and long, simple white hairs. Leg hair mostly whitish; flocculus incomplete, white; tibial scopa composed of white simple hairs (Fig. 8A). Tergal discs centrally with minute inconspicuous hair, laterally with small patches of sparse, short white hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–3 with broadly interrupted, weak bands of white hair; 4 with very weak, almost continuous band of extremely sparse whitish hair. Terminal fringe yellowish- to brownish-white (Fig. 8A, D). — Head: 1.2 times broader than long. Galea very finely shagreened (Fig. 8B). Labral process trapezoidal, apical margin blunt (Fig. 16B). Clypeus moderately domed, basal half matt and finely transversely striated, apical half gradually more finely shagreened, becoming partly shiny near apex. Clypeus punctation of moderate strength and size, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters (Figs 8B, 16B). Upper part of paraocular area longitudinally striated. Flagellomere 1 about 1.2 times longer than 2+3, 2 slightly shorter than 3 (Fig. 8A, B). Frons finely, strongly rugose-areolate, with complete medial carina, flanked by very fine areolation almost resembling dense punctures (Fig. 8B). Facial fovea moderately broad and very shallow above, 0.4 times as broad as antennocular distance, deeper and somewhat narrower below, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to slightly above base of clypeus, fovea almost adjacent to compound eye, lower half occasionally separated by very narrow, shiny cuticular strip. Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 2 ocellus diameters (Fig. 8B, C). Ocelloccipital distance about 0.8 ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge moderately carinate (Fig. 8C). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum and scutellum very shiny, almost completely smooth, strongly and densely punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameter (Figs 8C, 16H). Posterior part of mesepisternum finely alveolate, anterior part strongly and densely, obliquely punctured. Surface of propodeal corbicula finely alveolate, with large punctures around hair bases, surrounded by weak star-shaped wrinkles. Posterior part of propodeum strongly differentiated into horizontal vs. vertical regions, strongly rugose-areolated. Propodeal triangle poorly differentiated from flanking regions, basal half very coarsely rugose-areolated, becoming more radially rugose near basal margin, apical half gradually very finely sculptured (Fig. 8C). Hind pretarsal claw with distinct inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meeting submarginal cell 2 close to its middle. Nervulus more or less interstitial (Fig. 8A). — Metasoma: Tergal disc 1 shiny and more or less smooth, with fine, irregular punctation becoming dense apically (Figs 8D, 16L). Tergal discs 2–4 strongly shagreened and matt, essentially impunctate. Tergal marginal zones weakly depressed, weakly arched, 2–3 centrally occupying 0.4–0.5 of tergal length, cuticle shiny, mostly shagreened, apically often partly smooth, punctation absent (Fig. 8D). Pygidial plate normally developed. — Male. Body length: 5–5.5 mm. — Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Flagellum black to brown. Apical tarsomeres black to brown. Wings almost hyaline, veins golden to light brown, stigma golden centrally (Fig. 8E). Tergal marginal zones black basally, dark brown to reddish-brown apically (Fig. 8H). — Pubescence: Completely white. Clypeus with dense long hair, underlying cuticle partly concealed. Paraocular area with moderately dense, medium-lengthed hair. Scape and area around antennal sockets with dense long hair (Fig. 8E, F). Frons and ocellar triangle with moderately dense, medium-lengthed erect hairs. Preoccipital ridge with long erect hairs. Genal area with medium-lengthed hair dorsally, long hair ventrally (Fig. 8E–G). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with sparse, short to long erect hair, longest and most prominent peripherally, underlying cuticle visible (Fig. 8G). Mesepisternum with very long hair (Fig. 8E). Propodeum with long hair. Terga centrally with inconspicuous short thin hair, laterally with moderately dense medium-lengthed hair, on marginal zones 2–4 creating distinct, broadly interrupted hair bands (Fig. 8E, H). — Head: 1.25 times broader than long (Fig. 8F). Labral process broad trapezoidal, apical margin concave. Clypeus domed, very shiny, strongly and very densely punctured, distance between punctures 0–1 puncture diameters, without impunctate midline. Lower part of paraocular area smooth and densely punctate, upper part with a narrow, finely punctured strip near inner margin of compound eye, elsewhere strongly longitudinally striated. Flagellomere 1 0.9 times shorter than 2+3, 2 distinctly shorter than 3 (Fig. 8F). Frons strongly rugose-areolate, punctures blended within the rugosity can occasionally be discerned. Ocelloccipital distance about 1 ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge moderately carinate (Fig. 8G). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum very shiny, partly shagreened on anterior margin, elsewhere weakly roughened to almost completely polished, punctation dense and strong, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters. Scutellum completely polished, similarly punctured (Fig. 8G). Mesepisternum finely alveolate, overlayed by dense, shallow oblique punctures creating an almost honeycomb-like shallow rugosity. Anteroventral edge of propodeum reticularly shagreened, rest of propodeum coarsely areolated. Propodeal triangle strongly and coarsely sculptured, basal part radially rugose, apical part rugose-areolate (Fig. 8G). Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 close to its middle or proximal to it. Nervulus interstitial to very slightly postfurcal. — Metasoma: Tergal disc 1 shiny and more or less smooth basally, weakly to strongly shagreened apically, punctation fine, distance between punctures 0.5–2 puncture diameters. Tergal discs 2–4 matt, strongly granularly shagreened, apically occasionally partly smooth, punctation dense, usually hardly discernible from underlying shagreening, distance between punctures about 1 puncture diameter. Tergal marginal zones weakly to strongly shagreened basally, gradually smooth apically, impunctate, 2–4 distinctly depressed (Fig. 8H). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Gonocoxites with strong, elongate and pointed, parallel-sided dorsal lobes. Gonostyli simply built, elongate, finger-shaped, blade flattened. Penis valves narrow and elongate, very slightly broadening close to visible base, hereafter gradually tapering apically (Fig. 20K). Sternum 8 columnar, broadening apically, apical margin blunt-ended.

Endemic to scrublands in the southwestern Levant (northern Israel, West Bank).

February to early March.

None.

HOLOTYPE: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Hare Gilboa’ [Mount Gilboa], Har Ahino’am; 32.502° N 35.414° E; 450 m a.s.l.; 23 Feb. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 118591. – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Har Ahino’am; 32.502–6° N 35.408–14° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 463992 ● 1♂; ibid.; 32.5035° N 35.413° E; 438 m a.s.l.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 463903 ● 1♀; Hare Gilboa’, Har Ahino’am; 32.502° N 35.414° E; 450 m a.s.l.; 23 Feb. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 118600 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 118594, 118606. – WEST BANK: ● 1♂; Har Kabbir; 750 m a.s.l.; 5 Feb. 2015; L. Friedman leg.; RMNH ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL410-25; SMNHTAU 202856 ● 1♀; Zomet Gittay Avisar [Gitai Avisar Junction], 3 km W Ariel, Rt. 5; 19 Feb. 2016; L. Friedman leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL424-25; SMNHTAU 234151.

Nominative feminine singular form of the Latin adjective “hebraicus” (= Hebrew).

Within the Andrena minutula species group, A. hebraica belongs to the species around A. spreta Pérez, which are characterized in the female by a clypeus which is non-rugose, weakly domed and partly to fully shagreened, a scutum which is shagreened to partly smooth, with fine, relatively sparse punctures, and terga which are mostly shagreened and impunctate. In the Levant and Cyprus, these include A. aphroditae sp. nov., A. minutuloides, A. spreta, A. tiaretta and A. tkalcui. Andrena hebraica differs from all the above species by the sculpturing of tergal disc 3 and to a lesser extent 2, which are apically shiny, instead of completely shagreened and matt. This difference is difficult to illustrate by photographs, but is clearly visible to the eye under magnification. In addition, the clypeus is more clearly domed and more strongly and extensively shagreened compared to A. spreta and A. tiaretta (Figs 8B, 17E), the clypeus is more finely punctured and the scutum more densely punctured compared to A. minutuloides, and the flagella and wing veins are darker compared to A. tkalcui.

Figure 9. 

Andrena hebraica Pisanty & Wood sp. nov. A Female habitus; B female head; C female vertex and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male vertex and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

Within the Levantine and Cypriot members of the A. minutula species group, the male of A. hebraica is characterized by a flagellomere 1 which is subequal to slightly longer than 3, clypeus and scutum which are partly to fully shagreened and densely punctured, tergal discs 2 and 3 which are more strongly shagreened basally vs. apically, and characteristic genitalia lacking dorsal gonoxocite lobes and with gonostyli that converge apically. The genitalia are almost identical to those of A. povolnyi Warncke stat. nov. from Afghanistan, but they clearly differ from other similar species in the region of study as follows: lack of dorsal gonocoxite lobes (present in A. cervina and A. spreta), gonostyli more strongly converging apically compared to A. spreta and A. aphroditae, gonostyli slenderer compared to A. aphroditae, gonostyli shorter and penis valves shorter and narrower compared to A. tiaretta (Figs 20J, 21G, I, J).

Female. Body length: 5.5–6.5 mm. — Integumental colour: Body and legs predominantly black. Flagellum black, partly covered by grayish setae, distal flagellomeres occasionally brownish. Apical tarsomeres brown to black. Wings weakly infuscate, veins brown, stigma brownish centrally (Fig. 9A). Tergal marginal zones black, apical margins black to brown (Fig. 9D). — Pubescence: Body and leg hair mostly brightly coloured. Clypeus with sparse, short and thin, semi-erect white hairs. Supraclypeal area with short whitish hairs. Paraocular area and scape with dense, medium-lengthed whitish hairs (Fig. 9A–C). Frons with sparse, medium-lengthed whitish hairs. Facial fovea in dorsal view with brownish hair on upper ⅓ of fovea, white hair on lower ⅔ (Fig. 9B, C). Preoccipital ridge with long erect whitish hair. Genal area with whitish hair, short on dorsal part, medium to long on ventral part (Fig. 9A–C). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with moderately dense, erect whitish to yellowish hair, centrally minute to short, with some scattered longer hairs, underlying cuticle visible, peripherally short to medium-lengthed (Fig. 9A, C). Mesepisternum with long whitish hair (Fig. 9A). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, posterodorsal fringe with long whitish plumose hairs, corbicular surface with sparse, long simple whitish hairs. Leg hair mostly whitish, some golden reflections appear especially on tarsi. Flocculus incomplete, white. Tibial scopal hairs simple, whitish, becoming brownish near posterobasal edge of tibia (Fig. 9A). Tergal discs centrally with sparse, inconspicuous minute thin hair, laterally with sparse short to medium white hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with distinct bands of white hair, moderately dense and broadly interrupted on 2–3, sparser but almost continuous on 4. Terminal fringe golden to brownish, flanked by some long white hairs (Fig. 9A, D). — Head: 1.2 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea finely shagreened (Fig. 9B). Labral process fairly large, trapezoidal, not much broader than long. Clypeus weakly domed, surface entirely finely shagreened and matt, except for an occasional shinier apical margin, punctation moderately strong, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters, an impunctate midline is not clearly discernible (Figs 9B, 17E). Supraclypeal area finely longitudinally striated. Lowermost part of paraocular area smooth and shiny, densely and finely punctured. Frons and rest of paraocular area strongly longitudinally striated, some interspersed punctures can occasionally be discerned on frons. Flagellomere 1 as long as 2+3, 2 about as long as 3 (Fig. 9B). Facial foveae narrow and elongate, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to slightly above base of clypeus, upper part 0.4–0.5 times as broad as antennocular distance, lower ⅔ distinctly narrowed, here separated from compound eye by distinct strip of smooth cuticle. Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 2 ocellus diameters (Fig. 9B, C). Lateral ocelli connected posteriorly by trough-shaped horizontal furrow. Ocelloccipital distance about 0.9 ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge weakly to distinctly carinate (Fig. 9C). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Entire scutum strongly shagreened and matt, densely punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters, puncture strength varying among individuals. Scutellum similar, occasionally somewhat shinier (Figs 9C, 17J). Mesepisternum strongly, finely reticulated, anterior part overlayed with dense, strong oblique punctures. Surface of propodeal corbicula finely reticulated, with few large punctures around hair bases. Posterior part of propodeum strongly differentiated into horizonal vs. vertical regions. Propodeal triangle delineated by lateral carinae, horizontal part strongly and coarsely rugose, radially rugose near base, rugose-areolate further down, vertical part very finely areolated (Fig. 9C). Posterolateral part of propodeum strongly, finely rugose-areolate. Hind pretarsal claw with inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 at its middle or slightly proximal to it. Nervulus interstitial to weakly antefurcal (Fig. 9A). — Metasoma: Tergal disc 1, basal part of disc 2 and occasionally of 3 strongly shagreened and matt, impunctate. Tergal disc 4, apical part of tergal disc 2 and at least apical part of disc 3 shiny, partly to fully smooth, the tight shagreening of basal areas here gradually disintegrating into irregular, dense fine punctation, distance between punctures up to 1 puncture diameter. Tergal marginal zones weakly depressed, impunctate, 2–3 centrally occupying 0.4–0.5 of tergum length, 1–2 distinctly shagreened, the following gradually more weakly so (Fig. 9D). Pygidial plate normally developed. — Male. Body length: 5–6 mm. — Integumental colour: As in female (Fig. 9E, H). — Pubescence: Clypeus with moderately dense, medium-lengthed, semi-erect white hairs, underlying cuticle visible (Fig. 9E, F). Supraclypeal area with short erect whitish hair. Paraocular area with moderately dense, medium-lengthed erect hair, whitish to black on outer part bordering compound eye, whitish on inner part. Frons and paraocular area with sparse, erect short to medium hair of varying brightness, usually with predominantly dark hairs on dorsal parts (Fig. 9F, G). Preoccipital ridge with long erect whitish hairs. Genal area often with few short to medium erect dark hairs around upper margin of compound eye, elsewhere with whitish hairs, short dorsally, gradually long ventrally (Fig. 9E–G). Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with moderately dense erect whitish hair, centrally with mixed short and long hairs, underlying cuticle visible, peripherally medium to long. Mesepisternum and propodeum with very long white hairs (Fig. 9E, G). Leg hair mostly white, with some subtle golden reflections mostly on tarsi (Fig. 9E). Tergal discs centrally with minute inconspicuous bright hair, laterally and on base of disc 1 with moderately dense, medium-lengthed white hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with strong, broadly interrupted bands of white hair, slightly extending onto following discs. Tergal marginal zone 5 with very sparse, continuous band of long whitish hair. Terminal fringe whitish (Fig. 9E, H). — Head: About 1.2 times broader than long (Fig. 9F). Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea finely shagreened. Labral process trapezoidal to almost rectangular, apical margin concave. Clypeus moderately domed, strongly shagreened and matt basally, shiny and weakly shagreened apically, extent of shagreening highly variable among individuals, punctation moderately dense, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters, without impunctate midline. Outer part of paraocular area bordering compound eye smooth and finely punctured. Supraclypeal area, frons and inner part of paraocular area longitudinally striated, occasionally with hints of punctures blended into the rugosity. Flagellomere 1 1.1–1.3 times longer than 3, distinctly shorter than 2+3, 2 distinctly shorter than 3 (Fig. 9F). Ocelloccipital distance about 1 ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge moderately carinate (Fig. 9G). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum and scutellum usually strongly shagreened and matt, rarely weakly shagreened and shiny, punctation distinct, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters (Fig. 9G). Mesepisternum finely alveolated, overlayed by weak oblique punctures. Anterolateral part of propodeum ventrally reticulated, dorsally gradually rugose-areolate. Posterior part of propodeum rugose-areolate, triangle weakly delineated, radially rugose near base, coarsely rugose-areolate further down, very finely so on vertical part (Fig. 9G). Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 at its middle or slightly proximal to it. Nervulus interstitial to weakly antefurcal (Fig. 9E). — Metasoma: As in female (Fig. 9H). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Gonocoxites apically truncate, without dorsal lobe. Gonostyli more or less finger-shaped, inner and outer margins with slight kink at mid-length, distal part more strongly converging apically. Penis valves moderately narrow basally, gradually tapering apically (Fig. 21J). Sternum 8 columnar, broadening apically, apical margin blunt to slightly rounded.

Mediterranean shrublands in Israel, the West Bank, Jordan and Lebanon. Mostly absent from the coastal plain, where it is replaced by A. tiaretta.

Late January to mid-May.

Collected mostly on Brassicaceae (Hirschfeldia, Isatis, Ochtodium, Rapistrum, Sinapis), also on Apiaceae (Ferula), Asteraceae (Anthemis, Leontodon), Campanulaceae (Campanula), Fabaceae (Trifolium) and Lamiaceae (Nepeta, Salvia).

HOLOTYPE: ISRAEL ● 1♀; Nahal Keziv [Nahal Kziv]; 33.0465° N 35.226° E; [197 m a.s.l.]; 26 Feb. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL490-25; SMNHTAU 357574. – PARATYPES: ISRAEL ● 2♂; Ahu Binyamina Nature Reserve; 32°30’ N 34°56’ E; 8 Mar. 2017; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 269485, 269486 ● 1♀; Avivim; 25 Apr. 1983; A. Hefetz leg.; SMNHTAU 353608 ● 3♀; Banias; 18 Apr. 1992; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353683 to 353685 ● 1♀; Bar’am; 4 Apr. 2014; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 183658 ● 1♀; Basmat Tab’un; 14 Apr. 1999; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 367678 ● 1♀; Beit Govrin; 15 Apr. 2017; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 272634 ● 1♀; ibid.; 20 Apr. 2017; SMNHTAU 272874 ● 1♂; Beit Nir; 11 Mar. 2018; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 290320 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Apiaceae; RMNH ● 1♀; ibid.; on Anthemis; SMNHTAU 290302 ● 3♀; Bene Yehuda – Golan; 31 Mar. 1991; R. Kasher leg.; on Trifolium purpureum; SMNHTAU 353736 to 353738 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353509 ● 1♂; Bet Guvrin; 10 Mar. 2004; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353483 ● 1♀; Biriyya Forest; 32.99–33.00° N 35.52–53° E; 19 May 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 429812 ● 1♀; Carmel; 12 Mar. 1940; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♂; Deganya A, Bet Gordon; 3 Mar. 1942; Y. Palmoni leg.; on Diplotaxis & Sinapis alba; SMNHTAU 180731 ● 3♀; ‘En Tina NR; 33.08417° N 35.642° E; 70–80 m a.s.l.; 24 Mar. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 310136, 310227, 310279 ● 1♂; ‘En Ziwan, camping cite [site]; 955 m a.s.l.; 16 Mar. 2020; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 332994 ● 1♀; Gal’on; 4 Apr. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Isatis lusitanica; SMNHTAU 290448 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Hirschfeldia incana; SMNHTAU 290473 ● 1♀; Gal’on, 2kmNW; 31.649° N 34.837° E; 5 Apr. 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 209389 ● 1♀; Gamla; 29 Apr. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353715 ● 3♀; Gilat Forest; 31.341° N 34.654° E; 1 Mar. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 422802 to 422804 ● 1♀; Gilat Forest; 31.35° N 34.66° E; 2 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; p.trap; SMNHTAU 386118 ● 1♂; Gilat Research Center, 500m NNE; 31.341° N 34.6693° E; 2 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 386292 ● 1♂; Gilat Research Center, 500m NNE, fallow field; 31.3405° N 34.670° E; 2 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 385044 ● 1♂; ibid.; NHMUK ● 1♂; Gonen, 21km NW Zefat; 10 Mar. 1990; R. Kasher leg.; on Sinapis alba; SMNHTAU 353508 ● 1♀; HaGolan, N Nahal Yadbir; 33.052° N 35.646° E; 120–130 m a.s.l.; 24 Mar. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 310202 ● 1♀; HaGolan, S Nahal Neshef; 33.092° N 35.644° E; 100 m a.s.l.; 24 Mar. 2019; Dorchin, T. Roth & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 310151 ● 1♀; Haifa Univ.; 10 Apr. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353713 ● 1♂; Hanita; 27 Mar. 1976; D. Gerling leg.; SMNHTAU 353469 ● 3♀; Har Ahino’am; 32.502–6° N 35.408–14° E; 440 m a.s.l.; 3 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 463990, 463994, 464001 ● 4♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 463946, 463947, 463951, 463952 ● 2♂; ibid.; OLML ● 1♂; ibid.; ZMB ● 1♀; ibid.; on yellow Asteraceae; SMNHTAU 463935 ● 3♀; Har Karmila; 31.78–79° N 35.02–04° E; 5 Mar. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 268883, 268884, 268886 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 268882 ● 1♀; Har Meron; 32.9949° N 35.4166° E; 21 Apr. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 270981 ● 1♀; Har Tuv; 3 Mar. [19]54; Kadman leg.; SMNHTAU 353581 ● 1♂; Hare Gilboa’, Har Ahino’am; 32.502° N 35.414° E; 450 m a.s.l.; 23 Feb. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 118603 ● 1♀; HareGilboa’, Merav, HarAvinadav; 32°27.7’ N 35°26’ E; 420 m a.s.l.; 11 Apr. 2011; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 91746 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL512-25; SMNHTAU 91745 ● 2♀; Harel; 10 Mar. 2020; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 346514, 346557 ● 1♀; ibid.; 21 Feb. 2020; on Isatis lusitanica; SMNHTAU 338454 ● 1♂; Hof Rosh Haniqra N.R.; 33.076–85° N 35.105–9° E; 18 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 464967 ● 1♀; Horbat Kefar Lakhish; 31.575° N 34.853° E; 15 Mar. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 358991 ● 2♀; ibid.; 31.575° N 34.8532° E; 5 Mar. 2021; sweep; SMNHTAU 358851, 358861 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 358864 ● 1♀; Hulda; 23 Mar. 2017; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 272678 ● 2♂; Jer[usalem?]; 27 Feb. 1940; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; ibid.; 10 Apr. 1940 ● 1♀; Jerusalem; 28 Jan. 1940; H. Bytinski-Salz leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; ibid.; 10 Feb. 1940 ● 1♀; ibid.; 7 Mar. 1940 ● 1♀; ibid.; 24 [or 29?] Mar. 1940 ● 1♀; ibid.; 18 Apr. 1940 ● 1♀; Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus; 19 Apr. 1945; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Jerusalem, Mt.Scopus – U.[niversity?]; 15 Mar. 1946; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Jish; 29 Mar. 2014; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 183606 ● 1♂; Kabri; 17 Mar. 1973; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 353463 ● 1♀; Kefar Giladi S; 1 Apr. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353756 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353550 ● 2♀; ibid.; 12 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353767, 353768 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353549 ● 1♀; Kfar Masaryk; 32.87° N 35.13° E; 4 Apr. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462866 ● 1♀; Kfar Menahem; 1 Mar. 2008; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 31528 ● 2♀; Kfar Menahem; 18 Mar. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Sinapis alba; SMNHTAU 276683, 276686 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♂; ibid.; on Ferula communis; SMNHTAU 290271 ● 1♂; ibid.; on Campanula rapunculus; SMNHTAU 276679 ● 2♀; Kfar Shammay; 13 Apr. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353717, 353718 ● 1♀; Kiryat Gat; 19 Apr. 1977; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353617 ● 2♀; Kokhav HaYarden, moat of castle; 26 Mar. 2001; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Lahav; 27 Feb. 1974; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀; Lakhish; 18 Feb. 2013; T. Shapira leg.; SMNHTAU 133191, 133245 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 133247 ● 1♀; ibid.; 19 Mar. 2013; SMNHTAU 150243 ● 1♀; Lakhish, 3km NE; 31.575° N 34.870° E; 11 Mar. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 236050 ● 1♀; ibid.; 31.578° N 34.870° E; 19 Feb. 2016; SMNHTAU 234220 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 234219 ● 2♀; ibid.; 26 Feb. 2016; SMNHTAU 234630, 234640 ● 1♂; ibid.; 4 Mar. 2016; BOLD accession no. ANDIL426-25; SMNHTAU 235274 ● 1♀; ibid.; 31.579° N 34.871° E; on Sinapis; SMNHTAU 235195 ● 1♀; Lehavim, 400m SE; 31.368° N 34.829° E; 27 Jan. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 354989 ● 1♂; Ma’ale Gamla; 32.885–92° N 35.681–4° E; 28 Feb. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 385113 ● 2♀; Majdal Shams; 33.262° N 35.755° E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 27 Apr. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 334295, 334296 ● 1♀; Malkiyya; 27 Apr. 2014; N. Atkin leg.; SMNHTAU 182993 ● 6♀; Ma’yan Barukh; 33.232° N 35.611° E; 29 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462796, 462799, 462808, 462809, 462815, 462816 ● 1♂; Me’arat Yishah, 0.5km E; 32.718° N 35.007° E; 22 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL466-25; SMNHTAU 321645 ● 2♀; Merom-Golan, N Golan Height; 30 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; ZMB ● 1♀; ibid.; 3 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353752 ● 1♀; ibid.; 1000 m a.s.l.; 23 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353751 ● 1♂; Monfort; 33°02.635’ N 35°13.271’ E; 4 Mar. 2010; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 47055 ● 1♂; Montfort, Nahal Keziv; 28 Feb. 2018; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL451-25; SMNHTAU 286331 ● 1♂; Moradot HaGolan NR, Nahal Neshef, Site B3; 33.094° N 35.650° E; 184 m a.s.l.; 24 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & O. Halbershtat leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL461-25; SMNHTAU 308947 ● 1♂; Moradot HaGolan NR, Tel ‘Arfiyya, Plot A2; 33.105° N 35.657° E; 264 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, A. Sviri & O. Halbershtat leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL460-25; SMNHTAU 308860 ● 1♀; Mt. Carmel, En Hod; 4 Apr. 1999; S.P.M. Roberts leg.; TJWC ● 1♀; Mt. Meron; 900 m a.s.l.; 14–15 Apr. 1999; S.P.M. Roberts leg.; TJWC ● 1♀; MtMeron; 1000 m a.s.l.; 13 Apr. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353720 ● 2♂; Nachshon; 20 Feb. 2020; T. Roth leg.; on Leontodon tuberosus; SMNHTAU 338538, 338539 ● 1♀; Nachson; 20 Feb. 2020; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 346691 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 346688 ● 8♀; Nahal Dishon; 1 Apr. 1991; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353741, 353742, 353744 to 353748, 353750 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 353749 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Ochtodium aegyptiacum; SMNHTAU 353739 ● 1♂; Nahal Hazav, BitronotRuhama; 31°32’ N 34°42’ E; 5 Apr. 2005; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 353496 ● 5♀; Nahal Maresha; 31.577° N 34.858° E; 220 m a.s.l.; 15 Mar. 2021; G. Pisanty leg.; sweep; SMNHTAU 359305, 359306, 359315, 359316, 359319 ● 2♂; Nahal Mezar; 32.75–7° N 35.69° E; 1 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; SMNHTAU 385149, 385168 ● 2♂; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♀; Nahal Shemarya; 31.341° N 34.6567° E; 2 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 386162 ● 1♀; ibid.; OLML ● 3♀; ibid.; 31.341° N 34.6568° E; sweeping; OLML ● 1♀; ibid.; 31.3412° N 34.657° E; M. Ben-Yosef leg.; SMNHTAU 386227 ● 1♀; Nahal Zilzal; 31.7° N 35.03° E; 25 Feb. 2019; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 321739 ● 1♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 321751 ● 1♂; Nahshon; 25 Mar. 2010; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL507-25; SMNHTAU 60450 ● 1♀; Nahshon; 26 Mar. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Sinapis alba; SMNHTAU 290562 ● 1♀; Nahshon junction; 9 Mar. 2017; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 276554 ● 1♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL448-25; SMNHTAU 274104 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 274072, 274119 ● 1♀; Nahshonim; 25 Apr. 2023; S. Asis leg.; SMNHTAU 414794 ● 1♂; Netanya, Irus Ha’Argaman NR; 24 Feb. 2021; ITI Bee Course leg.; SMNHTAU 366434 ● 1♀; Netiv Halamed He; 26 Feb. 2009; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 27558 ● 1♀; Netiv Halamed Heh; 27 Mar. 2017; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 272976 ● 1♀; Park Britannia; 24 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 354431 ● 1♀; ibid.; 24 Mar. 2016; T. Chaprazaro leg.; SMNHTAU 251264 ● 1♀; Park Britanya; 7 Apr. 2010; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 59443 ● 1♀; Pura Nature Reserve; 31°29.7’ N 34°46.8’ E; 200 m a.s.l.; 18 Mar. 2010; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 48496 ● 1♂; Pura Nature Reserve; 31.496° N 34.778° E; 27 Mar. 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL419-25; SMNHTAU 208231 ● 1♂; Qedma; 17 Feb. 2010; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 31849 ● 1♀; R.[amat] Hanadiv; 4 Mar. 1990; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353631 ● 1♂; Ramat HaNadiv; 32.54–6° N 34.94–6° E; 16 Mar. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 425831 ● 1♀; Ravid; 32.847° N 35.468° E; 29 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462768 ● 1♀; Rd. 918, Nahal Gonen; 33.111° N 35.645° E; 76 m a.s.l.; 24 Mar. 2019; A. Dorchin, T. Roth & A. Sviri leg.; SMNHTAU 310180 ● 8♀; Rekhes HaSullam; 33.091° N 35.112° E; 80 m a.s.l.; 18 Mar. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 464898 to 464900, 465057 to 465061 ● 3♀; ibid.; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 464905 to 464907 ● 2♀; Revadim; 15 Mar. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Sinapis alba; NHMUK ● 2♀; ibid.; 27 Mar. 2018; SMNHTAU 290959, 290960 ● 3♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 7♀; ibid.; on Ferula communis; SMNHTAU 290935, 290936, 290945 to 290947, 290990, 290993 ● 1♀; ibid.; RMNH ● 1♀; Road 869, 2.12Km NE Ma’ale Gamla Jcn, Plot D8; 32.895° N 35.676° E; –51 m a.s.l.; 11 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, Y. Mersman & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 307424 ● 1♀; Road 87, 260m E Yehudiyya Jcn, Plot D6; 32.902° N 35.650° E; –160 m a.s.l.; 11 Apr. 2019; A. Dorchin, Y. Mersman & O. Halbershtat leg.; SMNHTAU 307447 ● 2♀; Rosh Ha’ayin Forest; 32.1013° N 34.9695° E; 28 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; SMNHTAU 388615, 388616 ● 1♀; Sasa; 11 Apr. 2014; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 183027 ● 3♀; Sha’alvim; 16 Mar. 2017; T. Roth leg.; SMNHTAU 272535, 276419, 276430 ● 2♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 272532, 272534 ● 1♀; Shoham; 26 Mar. 2014; E. Morgulis & A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU 179267 ● 1♀; Shoham Forest Park; 32.00° N 34.963° E; 28 Mar. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; SMNHTAU 388587 ● 1♂; Snir - Hermon Field Study Center; 27 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 353558 ● 1♀; Snir, Hermon Field Study Center; 13 Mar. 1997; R. Kasher leg.; SMNHTAU 354450 ● 1♂; ibid.; 1 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353560 ● 1♀; ibid.; 3 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353788 ● 1♀; ibid.; 18 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353781 ● 1♀; ibid.; 21 Apr. 1997; SMNHTAU 353782 ● 1♂; Tal Shachar; 20 Mar. 2017; T. Roth leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL445-25; SMNHTAU 273153 ● 1♂; Tanur; 15 Mar. 1975; F. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 354489 ● 1♀; Tel Aviv; 32.0990° N 34.8042° E; 10–24 Apr. 2024; E.L.A.E. leg.; Malaise trap; SMNHTAU 462740 ● 2♀; Tel ‘Eton; 31.492° N 34.925° E; 3 Apr. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; sweeping; SMNHTAU 388491, 388493 ● 1♀; Tel Sokho; 31°41’ N 34°58’ E; 290 m a.s.l.; 10 Apr. 2016; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 239592 ● 1♀; Tel Zafit; 31 Mar. 2018; T. Roth leg.; on Rapistrum rugosum; SMNHTAU 290882 ● 7♀; Tiberias; 32.765° N 35.523° E; 27 Mar. 2023; E.L.A.E. leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 462969, 462971, 462973, 462977, 462978, 462983, 462990 ● 1♀; W.Habiz [Nahal Kziv], Mt. Meron; 8 Apr. 1972; Zultan leg.; SMNHTAU 353615 ● 2♀; Ya’ar Adulam; 2013; Y. Berner leg.; on Nepeta curviflora; SMNHTAU 151548, 151555 ● 2♀; Ya’ar ‘Adullam; 20 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 354424, 354425 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Kedoshim; 23 Mar. 2014; N. Shamir leg.; SMNHTAU 152640 ● 1♀; ibid.; 13 Apr. 2014; SMNHTAU 152648 ● 1♀; ibid.; 2 Mar. 2014; on Sinapis alba; SMNHTAU 152576 ● 1♀; ibid.; 21 Mar. 2014; SMNHTAU 152566 ● 1♀; ibid.; 30 Mar. 2014; SMNHTAU 152545 ● 1♀; ibid.; 6 Mar. 2014; on Sarcopoterium spinosum; SMNHTAU 152571 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Kedoshim; 7 Mar. 2017; Y. Farago leg.; SMNHTAU 272264 ● 1♂; Ya’ar Nehosha; 18 Mar. 2015; T. Chaprazaro leg.; SMNHTAU 184896 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Nehusha; 25 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 354436 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Odem NR; 33.205° N 35.736° E; 27 Apr. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; BOLD accession no. ANDIL479-25; SMNHTAU 334583 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL478-25; SMNHTAU 334551 ● 1♀; Ya’ar Yish’i; 26 Apr. 2011; T. Koznichki leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 81398 ● 1♀; Yarkon; 27 Mar. 1996; T. Kimchi leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Yerushalayim [Jerusalem]; 13 Apr. 2014; I. Arar; on Anthemis; SMNHTAU 184498 ● 1♀; ibid.; on Sinapis arvensis; SMNHTAU 184551 ● 1♀; Yiftach; 5 Apr. 2014; O. Winberger leg.; SMNHTAU 183181 ● 1♀; ibid.; 17 Apr. 2014; N. Atkin leg.; on Sinapis; SMNHTAU 183159 ● 1♀; Zekharya; 3 Apr. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353712 ● 1♀; Ziv’on; 17 Apr. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 124704 ● 1♀; Ziv’on, 1kmSW; 33.019° N 35.407° E; 5 Apr. 2016; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL427-25; SMNHTAU 239289 ● 1♂; Zomet Haela; 4 Apr. 1999; O. Greif leg.; SMNHTAU 353481 ● 1♂; Zomet Oren; 8 Apr. 1988; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU 353506 ● 1♂; Zomet Oren, 10 km S Haifa; 8 Apr. 1988; C. O’Toole leg.; “Andrena petraensis War.” paratype label; OUMNH ● 1♀; כרמל [Carmel]; 1 May [19]72; Kuty Yefenof leg.; SMNHTAU 353593. – JORDAN ● 2♀; S of At Tafila; 27–30 Mar. 2013; M. Snižek leg.; OUMNH. – LEBANON ● 1♀; Beqaa, Anjar, 1 km E, reforestation area; 33.7311° N 35.9478° E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 2023; T. Wood leg.; TJWC ● 1♀; Beqaa, Beqaa valley, Qaraoun, 3.5 km W of Madjal Balhis; 33.5377° N 35.7038° E; 900 m a.s.l.; 5 Apr. 2023; T. Wood leg.; BOLD accession no. WPATW1108-23; TJWC ● 1♂; Beqaa, Beqaa valley, Qob Elias, valley 500 m NW; 33.7989° N 35.8192° E; 900 m a.s.l.; 3 Apr. 2023; T. Wood leg.; TJWC. – WEST BANK ● 2♀; Berakha, 1kmS, ‘Amassa Spring; 595 m a.s.l.; 6 Mar. 2015; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 206346, 206406 ● 1♂; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL416-25; SMNHTAU 206347 ● 2♀; Deir Nidham Nat.Res.; 32.00° N 35.07° E; 420–530 m a.s.l.; 30 Mar. 2014; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 176991, 176994 ● 3♀; Har-Gilo; 14 Apr. 1991; R. Kasher leg.; 10min sweeping; SMNHTAU 353688 to 353690 ● 1♀; ibid.; 17 Apr. 1991; SMNHTAU 353691 ● 1♂; ibid.; 14 Apr. 1991; on Salvia fructosa [fruticosa]; SMNHTAU 353507 ● 1♀; Har Gilo, 5 km SW Jerusalem; 850 m a.s.l.; 30 Mar. 1989; C. O’Toole leg.; “Andrena petraensis War.” paratype label; OUMNH ● 1♀; Herodyon; 31°40’ N 35°14’ E; 31 Mar. 2009; M. Guershon leg.; SMNHTAU 354461 ● 2♀; Itamar, 5kmE, ThreeSeas’ Lookout; 860 m a.s.l.; 5 Mar. 2021; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 357727, 357733 ● 1♀; Jeriho; 20–28 Apr. [19]27; Dr. Enslin leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2♀; Nahal Teqoa’; 31°38’ N 35°14’ E; 650 m a.s.l.; 31 Mar. 2009; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 353699, 353701 ● 1♀; ibid.; M. Guershon leg.; SMNHTAU 353700 ● 2♀; Qedumim, 1kmSW, Mizpe ‘Ami; 390 m a.s.l.; 13 Mar. 2015; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 206944, 206947 ● 1♂; Shechem [Nablus]; 1 Mar. 1973; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 353648 ● 1♀; Shilo, Nahal Shilo; 10 Apr. 2012; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU 125335 ● 3♀; W. Faria [Nahal Tirza]; 1 Mar. 1973; M. Kaplan leg.; SMNHTAU 353626, 353628, 354462 ● 2♂; ibid; SMNHTAU 353570, 353574 ● 1♀; Wadi Faria; 8 Mar. 1973; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU ● 1♀; Zur Natan 800mNE; 32.247° N 35.023° E; 23 Mar. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDIL477-25; SMNHTAU 333737.

From the Latin name for Mount Lebanon, “Libanus”, with the feminine suffix -ica, thus “libanica” meaning “of Mount Lebanon”, given the observed geographic distribution of the species.

Andrena libanica is a typical member of the A. minutula species group with the propodeal triangle entirely rugose (Fig. 10C, G). Within this group, it belongs to the species with more or less the apical half of the clypeus polished and shining (Fig. 10B, F), the facial foveae relatively narrow along their entire length (equaling the diameter of a flagellum, Fig. 10B), the head overall relatively elongate, around 1.1 times wider than long (Fig. 10B, F), and the terga distinctly punctate. These are the species around A. rugulosa Stöckhert, which in the Levant and Cyprus are found in mountainous regions usually above 1200 m and include A. libanica, A. alshaykh Pisanty sp. nov. and A. lindbergella Pittioni. The female of Andrena libanica can be separated from all three comparison species due to the punctation of the terga, which have the punctures of the tergal discs separated by <0.5–0.5 puncture diameters, these punctures clearly defined against the underlying sculpture (Figs 10D, 15J). In A. rugulosa, the tergal punctures are slightly sparser, separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters, but obscure and difficult to see, disappearing into the underlying sculpture. In A. alshaykh and A. lindbergella, the tergal punctation is sporadic, with punctures separated by 0.5–3 puncture diameters (Fig. 15K, L).

Figure 10. 

Andrena libanica Wood sp. nov. A Female habitus; B female head; C female head and mesosoma; D female metasoma; E male habitus; F male head; G male head and mesosoma; H male metasoma.

As in the females, the males can be recognised as close to A. alshaykh and A. lindbergella due to the clearly punctate terga combined with the clypeus smooth and strongly punctured in the apical ½ (Figs 10F, H, 20A). Males of A. rugulosa are very similar, but in this species the terga are slightly more obscurely punctate, with punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters and not so strongly differentiated from the underlying shagreen (in A. libanica with punctures clearly distinct against the shagreened and weakly shining terga, punctures separated by <0.5–0.5 puncture diameters, Figs 10H, 20A), and the scutal punctation slightly disappears into the strongly microreticulate and dull scutum (in A. libanica with the scutum more finely microreticulate, weakly shining, punctures remaining distinct across the entire disc, Fig. 10G). Male A. libanica can be separated from A. alshaykh and A. lindbergella due to the tergal punctation and genital capsule. The genital capsule has the outer margin of the gonostyli straight, without a kink in the inner or outer margins (in A. alshaykh with a noticeable kink in the inner and outer margins of the gonostyli; Fig. 20L, M), and the terga are strongly and densely punctate, with punctures separated by <0.5–0.5 puncture diameters (in A. lindbergella with the tergal punctures slightly but noticeably sparser, separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters; Fig. 20A, B).

Female. Body length: 6–7 mm. — Integumental colour: Body black. Flagellomeres 3–10 ventrally slightly lightened by presence of greyish scales. Legs black, apical tarsomeres slightly lightened orange-brown. Wings hyaline, stigma dark brown, venation dark orange (Fig. 10A). Terga including marginal areas uniformly dark (Fig. 10D). — Pubescence: Body hair relatively sparse. Face and gena with short whitish hairs, becoming light brown on vertex. Facial foveae filled with light brown hairs (Fig. 10A–C). Dorsal mesosomal surfaces with short chestnut to dark brown hairs, these densely plumose, almost subsquamous (Fig. 10A, C). Mesepisternum with longer white plumose hairs (Fig. 10A). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsoposterior fringe composed of moderately long plumose brownish hairs. Corbicular surface with abundant long light brown hairs. Leg hair whitish to light brown. Flocculus incomplete. Femoral and tibial scopae well-developed, femoral scopa composed of simple white hairs, tibial scopa composed of simple hairs, white ventrally, brown dorsally, tibial scopa thus bicoloured (Fig. 10A). Tergal discs with very short pale hairs, visible only in profile. Marginal areas of terga 2–4 with apical hair fringes laterally, hairs emerging from base of marginal area and apical rim, thus apical fringes are formed from two rows of hairs; apical fringes widely interrupted, not forming complete bands. Terminal fringe dark brown (Fig. 10A, D). — Head: 1.1 times broader than long (Fig. 10B). Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossing apically. Labral process small, narrowly trapezoidal, slightly longer than wide to as long as wide. Clypeus weakly domed, smooth to polished in apical ¼ to ½, finely shagreened in basal ½, punctation distinct, punctures separated by 0.5–3 puncture diameters, densest basally (Fig. 10B). Facial foveae narrow, occupying ¼ space between compound eye and lateral ocellus, uniformly narrow, equaling width of flagellum, ventrally extending to just below lower margin of antennal insertions, very slightly separated from inner margin of compound eye. Flagellomere 1 slightly exceeding 2+3, shorter than 2+3+4. Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus 2.2 ocellus diameters (Fig. 10B, C). Ocelloccipital distance equals 0.6 ocellus diameter. Vertex distinctly angulate but not carinate (Fig. 10C). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum rounded. Scutum and scutellum finely shagreened and shining, scutum densely and deeply punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters (Fig. 10C). Mesepisternum finely reticulate. Propodeum with dense network of raised reticulation, propodeal triangle lacking lateral carinae, internally with dense network of strongly raised rugae with shining interspaces (Fig. 10C). Hind pretarsal claw with small inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meeting submarginal cell 2 near its middle. Nervulus interstitial (Fig. 10A). — Metasoma: Tergal discs finely shagreened, weakly shining, densely and deeply punctate, punctures separated by <0.5–0.5 puncture diameters. Punctures on disc of tergum 1 most coarse, almost confluent, becoming slightly finer on subsequent terga, punctures not extending onto marginal areas. Tergal margins slightly depressed (Fig. 10D). Pygidial plate rounded, surface flat, with granular shagreen. — Male. Body length: 5–6 mm. — Integumental colour: As in female (Fig. 10E, H). — Pubescence: Body hair longer and denser than in female, but more finely and less densely plumose, all pubescence white. Face, gena, and vertex with long white hairs, longest equaling length of scape (Fig. 10E–G). Dorsal mesosomal surfaces with long erect white hair, long hairs present also on mesepisternum and propodeum (Fig. 10E, G). Leg hair white (Fig. 10E). Tergal discs with very short pale hairs, visible only in profile. Marginal areas of terga 2–4 with apical hair fringes laterally, hairs emerging from base of marginal area and apical rim, thus apical fringes are formed from two rows of hairs; apical fringes widely interrupted, not forming complete bands. Terminal fringe whitish-brown (Fig. 10H). — Head: Clypeus structurally as in female, with clypeal shagreen uniformly weak, clypeus weakly shining over entire surface. Process of labrum very small, trapezoidal, slightly broader than long. Flagellomere 1 exceeding length of 2, shorter than 2+3; flagellomere 2 short, subsquare (Fig. 10F). Ocelloccipital distance subequal to diameter of lateral ocellus (Fig. 10G). — Mesosoma: As in female, with exception of slightly stronger scutal sculpture, becoming dull (Fig. 10G). — Metasoma: As in female (Fig. 10H). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Dorsal gonocoxal lobes weakly but distinctly developed, forming short points. Gonostyli in dorsal view depressed below level of gonocoxites, dorsal surface subtly concave basally, apically becoming flattened and spatulate, inner margin slightly raised. Penis valves moderately broad basally, occupying ½ space between gonostyli, narrowing subapically to narrow point (Fig. 20M). Sternum 8 simple, columnar, apex rounded to truncate, ventral surface covered with spreading fan of pale golden hairs.

Andrena libanica is known from remnant cedar forest habitats in the central part of the Mount Lebanon mountain chain. It has been collected between 1726–1885 m above sea level, making it a high altitude species. Previously reported from Lebanon as A. rugulosa (Boustani et al. 2021)