Pseudoanthidium astafurovae

Pseudoanthidium astafurovae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Megachilidae
Genus:	Pseudoanthidium
Species:	P. astafurovae
Binomial name
Pseudoanthidium astafurovae Fateryga, Maharramov & Proshchalykin, 2025

Pseudoanthidium astafurovae is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae described in 2025. ^[1]

Identification

Pseudoanthidium astafurovae is characterized in the males by the following combination of features: ^[1]

1. Tergum 6 laterally bulging, without hooked or spiniform protrusions.
2. Emargination of tergum 7 only slightly widening in the apical third, with a rather pointed base (V-shaped emargination).
3. Emargination of tergum 7 bearing a translucent margin.
4. Posterior margin of the scutellum rather rounded in dorsal view.
5. Apical margin of sternum 2 truncate, without a medial protrusion.
6. Yellow preoccipital band reaching the mandibular base.

Pseudoanthidium astafurovae differs from the closely related P. eximium by a more slender penis valve, particularly in its apical part, bearing much shorter hairs. It also differs in having distinctly pointed (rather than rounded) apical margins of sternum 7 and a distinctly pointed apical margin of sternum 8. ^[1]

Naming

The new species is named after Yulia V. Astafurova of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. ^[1]

Distribution

• Azerbaijan

Described male is collected from Kotam, Ordubad, Nakhchivan.

References

1. Fateryga, Alexander V.; Maharramov, Mahir M.; Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu. (2025-12-05). "A survey of megachilid bees of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, with description of a new species of Pseudoanthidium Friese, 1898 (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)". ZooKeys (1262): 221–240. Bibcode:2025ZooK.1262..221F. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1262.173271 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   12701355 . PMID   41395211.  This article incorporates textfrom this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.