Genus Stenoheriades
Flowers of the Asteroideae (Asteraceae) are the exclusive pollen source of Stenoheriades asiaticus (Friese, 1921) and probably of the other Stenoheriades species as well. Foto A. Müller.
Biogeography and diversity
The genus Stenoheriades occurs in the Palaearctic and Afrotropical region (Michener, 2007). It contains 10 described species, 5 of which occur in the Palaearctic. At least 6 extra-Palaearctic and 1 Palaearctic species are still undescribed (Michener, 2007; A. Müller, unpublished).
Phylogeny and classification
Stenoheriades is a member of the Heriades group and sister to the genus Hofferia (Praz et al., 2008b). According to Griswold (1985), Stenoheriades is divisible into four species groups, which might deserve subgeneric rank.
Nesting biology
Nesting site and nesting material are unknown. However, several specimens of Stenoheriades maroccanus and Stenoheriades eingeddicus were observed at dead wood (Benoist, 1928f; C. Praz and C. Sedivy, personal observation), indicating that beetle burrows in dead wood might be used as nesting site. The slender body form of Stenoheriades is in line with this assumption. As all other genera of the Heriades group, whose nesting behaviour is known, use resin for cell partitions and nest plug, resin is probably the nesting material of Stenoheriades as well.
Flower preferences
Stenoheriades asiaticus is strictly oligolectic on Asteraceae and visits only flowers of the subfamily Asteroideae. The few pollen loads of S. eingeddicus available so far consist of Asteroideae pollen as well.
Species accounts
Stenoheriades asiaticus (Friese, 1921)
1921 Heriades asiaticus Friese, Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 87: 175. Type material: Syntypes mm, “Airan” [Turkey].-Combination Pseudoheriades (Stenoheriades) asiaticus (Friese) in Tkalcu (1984b: 1).
1935 Heriades coelostoma Benoist, Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 40: 277. Type material: f(f), “Asie mineure: Taurus” [Turkey], MNHN (Paris).-Combination Pseudoheriades (Stenoheriades) coelostomus (Benoist) in Tkalcu (1984b: 1).-Synonymy in Griswold (1994a: 18).
Distribution-Europe: BG, GR, HR. Southwestern Asia: IL, JOR, RL, SYR, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Mavromoustakis (1955b: 334-335); Tkalcu (1984b: 5).
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Asteroideae (Asteraceae) (A. Müller, unpublished, based on 44 pollen samples from 20 different localities).
Stenoheriades eingeddicus Griswold, 1994
1994 Stenoheriades eingeddicus Griswold, Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 67: 18. Type material: Holotype m, “Ejn Geddi Palestine” [Israel], DAAN (Nicosia); paratypes mm, ff.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IL, JOR, OM.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Several individuals were observed at dead Acacia wood in the Negev desert, indicating that insect burrows in dead wood are used as nesting site. Nesting material: Unknown. (C. Praz and C. Sedivy, personal observation)
Flower preferences: Probably oligolectic on Asteroideae (Asteraceae) (A. Müller, unpublished, based on 8 pollen samples from 5 different localities). Flower records: Atractylis carduus (Griswold, 1994a), Anvillea and Pulicaria (both label records).
Stenoheriades hofferi (Tkalcu, 1984)
1984 Pseudoheriades (Stenoheriades) hofferi Tkalcu, Annotationes Zoologicae et Botanicae (Bratislava), 158: 2. Type material: Holotype m, “Bulgaria mer.-occ. Peju Javorov (im Struma-Tal)” [Bulgaria], Tkalcu Collection (Praha). Type species of Stenoheriades Tkalcu.
Distribution-Europe: BG. Southwestern Asia: TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known. Note: Female unknown.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Unknown.
Stenoheriades integer (Benoist, 1934)
1934 Heriades integra Benoist, Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 39: 159. Type material: Holotype m, “Tanger” [Morocco], MNHN (Paris).
Distribution-Northern Africa: MA.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known. Note: Female unknown.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Unknown.
Stenoheriades maroccanus (Benoist, 1928)
1928 Heriades maroccana Benoist, Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Naturelles du Maroc (Rabat), 8: 212. Type material: Syntypes m(m), f(f), “Aïn Leuh” [Morocco], MNHN (Paris).
Distribution-Northern Africa: MA.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Several females and males were observed at a wooden phone post in Morocco, indicating that insect burrows in dead wood are used as nesting site. Nesting material: Unknown. (Benoist, 1928f)
Flower preferences: Unknown.