Ceramius caucasicus André, 1884

Ceramius caucasicus André, 1884 View in CoL

( Fig. 9A, D View FIGURE 9 )

Ceramius caucasicus André, 1884: 820 View in CoL , ♂ ( type locality: “ Caucase ” [presumably Armenia]), type depository unknown, probably Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France ( Carpenter 2001).

Material examined. ARMENIA: Etschmiadsin [Vagharshapat], 1 ♂ [ ZISP]; Arsakiand [Arzakan], 22.VI.1904, 1 ♀, leg. N. Briansky [ ZISP]; bei Erivan [ Yerevan], 6300', 2.VII.1912, 2 ♂ [ ZISP]; prope Mis-chana [Hankavan], 7000', 1924, 1 ♂ [ ZISP]; Vallis Araxis, Mt. Saraj-bulag [ 8 km NE Armash], 5000', 8.VI.1926, 1 ♂, leg. A. Shelkovnikov [ ZMMU]; Kotaik [ Kotayk], prope Eilar [Abovyan], 1 ♂, leg. A. Shelkovnikov [ ZMMU]; Kotaik [ Kotayk], Mt. Gadis [Hatis], 6000', 1.VII.1926, 9 ♂, leg. A. Shelkovnikov [ ZMMU]; Kotaik [ Kotayk], Jelidja [ 4 km E Zovashen], 7100', 24.VII.1926, 4 ♀, 7 ♂, leg. A. Shelkovnikov [ ZMMU]; Gokcha [Lake Sevan], northern coast, 19.VII.1927, 1 ♂, leg. Arnoldi [ ZISP]; Karabakhlar [Vedi], 3.VI.1959, 2 ♂, leg. G. Viktorov [ ZMMU]; Dzhrvezh [Jrvezh], 6.VI.1959, 1 ♂, leg. G. Viktorov [ ZMMU]; Ashtarak District , Byurakan, 16.VII.1959, 1 ♂, leg. G. Viktorov [ ZMMU] . AZERBAIJAN. Main territory: Adshikent [Hajikend], 2 ♀, 3 ♂ [ ZISP]. Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic : Ordubad ( Arax ), 1892, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. E. Reitter [ ZISP]; Ordubad, Aghdara , 39°06'N, 45°54'E, 2000 m, 17.VI.2019, 1 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, Kh. Aliyev, M. Maharramov [ CAFK] GoogleMaps .

Additional literature records. ARMENIA: Erivan [ Yerevan] and Kalp [Koghb] ( Richards 1962); Kotaik [ Kotayk], Keilan [probably Kuyli, 3 km NE Zovashen ] ( Kostylev 1929) .

Distribution. Armenia, Azerbaijan (main territory, Nakhchivan AR) ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ); Turkey, Iran.

Biology. Nesting of this species was studied in Turkey by Mauss et al. (2005). The only discovered nest was excavated by the female wasp in clayey but quite crumbly soil; the burrow was surmounted by a turret constructed by the female using mud extracted from within the burrow. The nest had a vertical to sub-vertical main shaft of approximately 13 cm length. At its base the main shaft turned outwards and continued into a short sub-horizontal secondary shaft terminated by a cell. The cell was sub-horizontal; there was no constructed mud cell within the excavated cell. Water was used to soften the soil; females visited water collection sites where they stood on wet ground, on or in dense vegetation, or on soil covered by a thin film of water. The provision consisted of pollen from plants of the families Campanulaceae and Lamiaceae . Pollen of the same two families was also present in the alimentary tract of females and males. Furthermore, the alimentary tract of males contained also pollen of Resedaceae , Fabaceae , and Caprifoliaceae (= Dipsacaceae ) in lower proportions ( Mauss et al. 2005). Therefore, C. caucasicus is a polylectic species. Flower-visiting records in Turkey: Ziziphora clinopodioides ( Lamiaceae ), Papaver orientale L. ( Papaveraceae ), and Acantholimon venustum Boiss. ( Plumbaginaceae ) ( Fahringer 1922; Mauss et al. 2005).