A taxonomic account on the Hylaeus gibbus species-group (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae)

Abstract

Summary The Hylaeus gibbus species-group is a notoriously difficult group, whose nomenclature is currently confusing. To clarify the taxonomy of this species group, the most problematic types of the gibbus species-group were examined. The identity of Hylaeus pictus (Smith, 1853) is unclear. The results suggest that two species are grouped under this name in Western Europe and in North Africa: H. pictus and H. purpurissatus (Vachal, 1895), stat. rev. Twelve synonymies are established: Hylaeus praenotatus Förster, 1871 and Prosopis bicarinata Pérez, 1903, n. syn. of Hylaeus gibbus Saunders, 1850; Prosopis nigripes Pérez, 1903, synonym of Hylaeus confusus Nylander, 1852; Prosopis morawitzi Pérez, 1903, Prosopis pereziana Cockerell, 1906, Prosopis pereziana Schulz, 1906 and Prosopis punctiscuta Alfken, 1909, n. syn. of Hylaeus distinguendus Morawitz, 1876; Prosopis stigmorhina Pérez, 1895, Prosopis stigmorhina var. basalis Pérez, 895, Hylaeus denisonae Cockerell, 1931, Hylaeus denisonae ifranensis Cockerell, 1931 and Hylaeus psilurus Cockerell, 1938, n. syn. of Hylaeus purpurissatus (Vachal, 1895). Lectotypes are designated for Prosopis picta Smith, 1853, Hylaeus praenotatus Förster, H. psilurus Cockerell and Prosopis purpurissata Vachal.