The large carpenter bees of central Saudi Arabia, with notes on the biology of Xylocopa sulcatipes Maa (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Xylocopinae)

• DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.201.3246
• Publication Date: 2012-06-14T11:23:15Z
• Authors: Michael Engel; Mohammed Hannan; Abdulaziz Alqarni; Ayman Owayss
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; nesting; biology; Xylocopini; Biodiversity; Bees; 01 natural sciences; Article; QL1-991; Systematics; host plants; Arabian Peninsula; systematics; Entomology; Apoidea; Zoology; Taxonomy; Anthophila

The large carpenter bees (Xylocopinae, Xylocopa Latreille) occurring in central Saudi Arabia are reviewed. Two species recognized the fauna, (Koptortosoma) aestuans (Linnaeus) and (Ctenoxylocopa) sulcatipes Maa. Diagnoses for keys to of these prominent components Arabian bee fauna provided aid their identification by pollination researchers active region. Females males both figured biological notes sulcatipes. Notes on nesting biology ecology appended. As studies this from elsewhere, nests were found dried stems Calotropis procera (Aiton) (Asclepiadaceae) Phoenix dactylifera L. (Arecaceae).