Pachymelus ( Pachymelopsis ) conspicuus Smith, 1879

Wood, Thomas J., 2025, A taxonomic update to Pachymelus (Pachymelopsis) Cockerell, with a new species from Ethiopia (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Contributions to Entomology 75 (2), pp. 339-353 : 339-353

publication ID

https://doi.org/10.3897/contrib.entomol.75.e169092

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3CDA594E-8D18-4953-9AD8-C2CDFFDDCD3B

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17723295

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FAC322ED-9338-57C3-A9DD-BCB835790AF0

treatment provided by

by Pensoft

scientific name

Pachymelus ( Pachymelopsis ) conspicuus Smith, 1879
status

 

Pachymelus ( Pachymelopsis) conspicuus Smith, 1879 View in CoL

Pachymelus conspicuus Smith, 1879: 117, ♀ [ Malawi, NHMUK, examined] (Fig. 1). View in CoL

Pachymelus insulanus Stadelmann, 1898 View in CoL : ♀ [ Tanzania, ZMB, not examined].

Habropoda bettoni Cockerell, 1910: 215, ♂ [ Kenya, NHMUK, examined] (Fig. 2) syn. nov. View in CoL

Material examined.

Ethiopia • 1 ♂; Abyssinia, Busika ; 5 Nov. 1911; R. J. Stordy leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♂; Abyssinia, Higo Samula ; 30 Oct. 1911; R. J. Stordy leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK ; Kenya • 1 ♂; B. E. Africa ; C. S. Betton leg.; NHMUK ( holotype of Habropoda bettoni ) 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Brit. E. Af., 30 miles from Magadi Junc. ; 1–30 Apr; 1912; F. G. Hamilton leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♀; Brit. E. Af., Kibwezi ; 3,000 ft a. s. l.; 2–4 Apr. 1911; S. A. Neave leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Brit. E. Af., Mtito Andei ; 2, 500 ft a. s. l.; 26–28 Mar. 1911; S. A. Neave leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♀; Brit. E. Af., Voi ; 8–10 Feb. 1912; S. A. Neave leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♂; Brit. E. Africa, E. shore Vic. Nyanza, near Karungu ; 28–29 Apr. 1911; S. A. Neave leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♂; Brit. E. Africa, Kuja Valley, S. Kavirondo ; 4,000 ft a. s. l.; 30 Apr. – 1 May 1911; S. A. Neave leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Nzoi [probably Nzaui Hill], Ukambani Country ; 1 Jan. – 28 Feb. 1889; F. J. Jackson leg.; NHMUK 8 ♂, 2 ♀; Taita Hills, Voi river ; 14 Apr. 2007; M. Halada leg.; OÖLM / TJWC 1 ♀; Voi (Tsavo) env. ; 22 Nov. – 2 Dec. 1996; Mi. Halada leg.; OÖLM 1 ♀; Afrique Orient. Angl., Kibwezi ( Wa-Kamba ); 1904; Ch. Alluaud leg.; T. J. Wood det.; MNHN ; Malawi • 1 ♀; [label illegible]; NHMUK ( holotype of Pachymelus conspicuus ) ; Tanzania • 1 ♂; German E. Africa, Stigi [? Sijiji Hill] ; 19 Apr. 1917; Dr. G. D. H. Carpenter leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♂; Mkomazi Game Res., Mbula Hill ; 25 Dec. 1994; G. N. Stone leg.; T. J. Wood det.; OUMNH 1 ♀; Rukwa Valley, Tanganyi a.; 1–31 May 1953; FitzGerald leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 1 ♀; Tanganyika: Old Shinyanga ; 23 Mar. 1952; E. Burtt leg.; G. E. J. Nixon det.; 1958; NHMUK 1 ♂; W. Shore of K. Manyara ; 1 Feb. – 31 May 1935; B. Cooper leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK ; Zambia • 1 ♀; N. Rhodesia, Road to Nangereri ; 6 Feb. 1911; Silverlock leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK 4 ♂, 2 ♀; N. E. Rhodesia, Up. Luangwa Valley ; 1800–2000 ft a. s. l.; 8–9 Mar. 1908; S. A. Neave leg.; D. B. Baker det. 1988; OUMNH 2 ♂; N. E. Rhodesia, Up. Luangwa Valley ; 1800–2000 ft a. s. l.; 22–26 Mar. 1908; S. A. Neave leg.; D. B. Baker det. 1988; OUMNH 1 ♀; Siovonga [Siavonga] ; 11 Apr. 1981; G. G. M. Schulten leg.; C. Eardley det. 1993; RMNH .

Notes.

Although P. conspicuus was nominally reported from Ethiopia by Eardley (1993), the specific male specimens cited were actually P. armatipes . The presence of P. conspicuus in Ethiopia is supported by the additional specimens presented above, although the exact localities within “ Abyssinia ” cannot currently be traced. As discussed above, it is appropriate to synonymise P. bettoni under P. conspicuus as its male.

Distribution.

Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia ( Smith 1879; Cockerell 1910; Eardley 1993, as Pachymelus conspicuus partim and Pachymelus bettoni ).

NHMUK

Natural History Museum, London

ZMB

Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (Zoological Collections)

MNHN

Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

RMNH

National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Apidae

Genus

Pachymelus

Loc

Pachymelus ( Pachymelopsis ) conspicuus Smith, 1879

Wood, Thomas J. 2025
2025
Loc

Habropoda bettoni

Cockerell TDA 1910: 215
1910
Loc

Pachymelus conspicuus

Smith F 1879: 117
1879
Loc

Pachymelus insulanus

Pachymelus insulanus Stadelmann, 1898