Review of the Epeolus cruciger species group (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Epeolus Latreille, 1802) of Asia, with the description of two new species

Abstract

The six species of the Epeolus cruciger species group from Asia are reviewed. Two new species, Epeolus asiaticus Astafurova & Proshchalykin, sp. nov. (Mongolia, Russia) and E. gorodkovi Astafurova, sp. nov. (Tajikistan, Afghanistan) are described and illustrated. Epeolus alpinus Friese, 1893 is newly recorded from Kazakhstan; E. cruciger (Panzer, 1799) is newly recorded from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan; and E. mongolicus Astafurova & Proshchalykin, 2021 is newly recorded from Kyrgyzstan and Russia. An identification key for both sexes of all Asian members of this species group is presented.