The subgenus Chelostoma Latreille is confined to the Palaearctic region. It contains 21 described species.
Female of Chelostoma (Chelostoma) florisomne (Linnaeus, 1758) on a flower of Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae), its exclusive pollen host (Foto A. Krebs).
Species accounts
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) carinocaudatum Wu, 2004
2004 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) carinocaudata Wu, Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 29: 534. Type material: Holotype f, “Yunnan, Zhongdian Tuyingcun (27.7°N, 99.7°E), 2700 m” [China], IZCAS (Beijing).
Distribution-Northern Asia: RC(SW).
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Wu (2006). Note: Male unknown.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Unknown.
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) carinulum Pérez, 1895
1895 Chelostoma carinula Pérez, Espèces nouvelles de mellifères de Barbarie, p. 19. Type material: Syntypes m(m), f(f) [Algeria], MNHN (Paris).-Combination Heriades carinulus (Pérez) in Friese (1911b: 19).
Distribution-Northern Africa: DZ, MA, TN.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Friese (1898); Müller et al. (2025).
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) (Sedivy et al., 2008).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) comosum Müller, 2012
2012 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) comosum Müller, Zootaxa, 3355: 30. Type material: Holotype m, “South Cyprus, Troodos, Kato Platres S of Foini, 900m” [Cyprus], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes mm, ff.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: CY, IL, IRQ, RL, SYR, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Mavromoustakis (1951, as Chelostoma lucens); Müller et al. (2025).
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Probably oligolectic on Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) (Sedivy et al., 2008, as Chelostoma species 2).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) diodon Schletterer, 1889
1889 Chelostoma diodon Schletterer, Zoologisches Jahrbuch für Systematik, 4: 627. Type material: Lectotype f, by designation of Müller et al. (2025), “Amasia” [Turkey], NMW (Wien); paralectotype m.-Combination Heriades diodon (Schletterer) in Dalla Torre (1896: 376).
1951 Eriades diodon cypriaca Mavromoustakis, The Annals and Magazine of Natural History (London), ser. 12, 4: 350. Type material: Holotype f, “Yerasa” [Cyprus], DAAN (Nicosia); paratypes mm, ff.-Synonymy in Müller et al. (2025).
Distribution-Europe: GR, GR(Aegean Islands). Southwestern Asia: CY, IL, IR, IRQ, JOR, RL, SYR, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Müller et al. (2025).
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Several females were observed to enter their nests in dried wood of old houses (Mavromoustakis 1951).
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Asteroideae and Cichorioideae (Asteraceae) with a clear preference for the former subfamily (Sedivy et al. 2008). Flower records: Anthemis libanotica (Mavromoustakis 1951), Glebionis coronaria, Picris altissima (label records).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) xizangense Wu, 1982
1982 Chelostoma xizangensis Wu, Insects of Xizang, vol. 2, p. 406, p. 424. Type material: Holotype f, “Xizang: Mangkam” [China], IZCAS (Beijing).
Distribution-Northern Asia: RC(WP).
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Wu (2006). Note: Male unknown.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Unknown.
Chelostoma emarginatum species group
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) edentulum Pérez, 1895
1895 Chelostoma edentulum Pérez, Espèces nouvelles de mellifères de Barbarie, p. 20. Type material: Lectotype f, by designation of G. van der Zanden (Müller et al., 2025), “Alger” [Algeria], MNHN (Paris).-Combination Heriades edentulus (Pérez) in Friese (1911b: 22).
Distribution- Europe: E, P. Northern Africa: DZ, MA, TN.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Müller et al. (2025); Torres et al. (2012).
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Unknown. Nesting material: A female was observed to collect mud on the ground (I. Cross, personal communication).
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Brassicaceae (Sedivy et al., 2008).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) emarginatum (Nylander, 1856)
1856 Heriades emarginata Nylander, Memoires de la Société des Sciences Naturelles de Cherbourg, 4: 109. Type material: Syntypes m(m), f(f), “Gallia meridionali” [France], MNHN (Paris).
1871 Heriades appendiculata Morawitz, Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae (St. Petersburg), 8: 209. Type material: m(m), “Calabria” [Italy], ZIN (St. Petersburg).-Synonymy in Warncke (1986: 73).
1872 Heriades angustata Chevrier, Mittheilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 3: 505. Type material: Syntypes ff, “Environs de Nyon” [Switzerland], MHNG (Genève) or NHMB (Basel).-Combination Chelostoma angustatum (Chevrier) in Schletterer (1889: 629).-Synonymy in Frey-Gessner (1905: 103).
1872 Heriades intermedia Chevrier, Mittheilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 3: 506. Type material: Holotype f, “Environs de Nyon” [Switzerland], MHNG (Genève) or NHMB (Basel).-Synonymy with Chelostoma foveolatum (Morawitz) in Schletterer (1889: 636), rejected by Frey-Gessner (1905: 103). Synonymy with Chelostoma emarginatum (Nylander) in Frey-Gessner (1905: 103).
1879 Chelostoma quadrifidum Kriechbaumer, Entomologische Nachrichten (Berlin), 5: 312. Type material: Holotype m, “um Bozen” [Italy].-Synonymy with Heriades appendiculatus Morawitz in Dalla Torre (1896: 374).-Synonymy with Chelostoma emarginatum (Nylander) in Schwarz et al. (1996: 116).
1890 Chelostoma incertum Pérez, Actes de la Société Linnéenne de Bordeaux, 44: 189. Type material: Lectotype m, by designation of G. van der Zanden (Müller et al., 2025), “Bogan” [France], MNHN (Paris); paralectotype f.-Combination Heriades incertus (Pérez) in Dalla Torre (1896: 378).-Synonymy in Benoist (1928d: 108).
1935 Heriades ursina Benoist, Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 40: 280.Type material: Lectotype m, by designation of G. van der Zanden (Müller et al., 2025), “Transcaucasie: Lenkoran” [Azerbaijan], MNHN (Paris).-Synonymy in Schwarz et al. (1996: 116).
Distribution-Europe: A, AZ, BG, BIH, CH, CZ, E, F, GE, GR, GR(Aegean Islands, Ionian Islands, Cr), H, HR, I, I(Si), I(Sa), MK, P, RO, SCG, SK, SLO. Northern Asia: TM. Southwestern Asia: IR, IRQ, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Amiet et al. (2004); Benoist (1929a); Friese (1898); Müller et al., 2025; Scheuchl (1996); Schletterer (1889); Torres et al. (2012).
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) (Amiet et al., 2004; Sedivy et al., 2008).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) levantense Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma levantense Müller in Müller et al., 2025, Zootaxa, 5717: 336. Type material: Holotype f, “Mount Hermon, 3km N Majdal al-Shams” [Israel], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes mm, ff.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IL, JOR, RL, SYR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Polylectic; pollen sources known so far include Cistaceae, Ranunculaceae, Brassicaceae, Resedaceae and Zygophyllaceae (Sedivy et al. 2008, as Chelostoma species 3). Flower records: Diplotaxis erucoides (Brassicaceae), Caylusea hexagyna (Resedaceae) (label records).
Chelostoma florisomne species group
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) florisomne (Linnaeus, 1758)
1758 Apis florisomnis Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, 10th edn, vol. 1, p. 577. Type material: Lectotype m, by designation of Day (1979: 62), “in Europa” [Sweden], LSUK (London). Type species of Chelostoma Latreille.-Combination Heriades florisomnis (Linnaeus) in Dalla Torre (1896: 376).
1767 Apis maxillosa Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, 12th edn, vol. 1, p. 954. Type material: Holotype f, “in Europa” [Sweden], LSUK (London).-Combination Chelostoma maxillosa (Linnaeus) in Latreille (1809: 162).-Synonymy in Kirby (1802: 252).
1841 Chelostoma culmorum Lepeletier, Histoire Naturelle des Insectes, Hyménoptères, vol. 2, p. 408 [not seen]. Type material: Syntypes m(m), f(f).-Combination Heriades florisomnis culmorum (Lepeletier) in Dalla Torre (1896: 377).-Synonymy in Schwarz et al. (1996: 116).
1932 Heriades parumcrinitus Alfken, Konowia, 11: 113. Type material: Holotype, f, “Ebelsbach am Main” [Germany], ZMHB (Berlin); paratypes mm, ff.-Synonymy with Heriades maxillosus (Linnaeus) in Benoist (1945: 28).
Distribution-Europe: A, AL, AND, ARM, B, BG, BIH, BY, CH, CZ, D, DK, E, EST, F, FIN, FL, GB, GE, GR, H, HR, I, L, LT, LV, MD, N, NL, P, PL, RO, RUS(CR,SR), S, SCG, SK, SLO, UA, UA(Crimea). Southwestern Asia: TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Amiet et al. (2004); Banaszak and Romasenko (2001); Benoist (1929a); Friese (1898); Medvedeva (1978); Müller et al. (2025); Scheuchl (1996); Schletterer (1889); Torres et al. (2012). Misapplication: In many older publications Chelostoma florisomne auct. [not (Linnaeus, 1758)] is Chelostoma campanularum (Kirby).
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Preexisting cavities: insect burrows and drilled borings in dead wood; hollow stems (e.g. Phragmites) and drilled borings in stems; clay walls; glass tubes. Nesting material: Cell partitions and nest plug made of mud. Small pebbles, sand grains, small snail shells and other particles are embedded in the outer plug surface. Nectar is added to the mud for the construction of partitions and plug. (Banaszak and Romasenko, 1998; Bonelli, 1967b, 1968; Brechtel, 1986; Ferton, 1895; Friese, 1923; Grünwaldt, 1939; Käpylä, 1978; Maréchal, 1933; Rozen and Praz, 2016; Ruszkowski et al., 1995; Stoeckhert, 1933; Van Lith, 1957; Westrich, 1989; G. Else, unpublished manuscript)
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) (Amiet et al., 2004; Sedivy et al., 2008; Westrich, 1989).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) stefanii Nobile, 1995
1995 Chelostoma stefanii Nobile, Grifone, 4: 2. Type material: Holotype f, “M. Nebrodi, C. da Pomarazzo, 1550m” [Sicily], type depository unknown.
2012 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) siciliae Müller, Zootaxa, 3355: 32. Type material: Holotype f, “Madonie mountains, Collesano env., 1-600m” [Sicily], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes ff.-Synonymy in Müller et al. (2025).
Distribution-Europe: I(Si).
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Müller et al. (2025).
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Polylectic; pollen sources known so far include Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) and Helianthemum (Cistaceae) (Müller, 2012a).
Chelostoma grande species group
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) grande (Nylander, 1852)
1852 Heriades grandis Nylander, Notiser ur Sällskapets pro Fauna et Flora Fennica Förhandlingar, vol. 2, p. 277. Type material: f(f), “Helvetia” [Switzerland].
Distribution-Europe: A, BG, E, F, FL, GR, I, RO, SCG, SLO. The southernmost record is from the Panaitoliko mountain range in western Greece (Ebmer, 2011).
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Amiet et al. (2004); Banaszak and Romasenko (2001); Benoist (1929a); Friese (1898); Medvedeva (1978); Müller et al. (2025); Scheuchl (1996); Schletterer (1889).
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Preexisting cavities: insect burrows in dead wood; hollow stems. Nesting material: Cell partitions and nest plug made of mud mixed with small pebbles. (Frey-Gessner, 1880; Friese, 1923; Westrich, 2002; A. Müller, personal observation)
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Dipsacoideae (Amiet et al., 2004; Sedivy et al., 2008; Westrich, 1993).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) lucens (Benoist, 1928)
1928 Heriades lucens Benoist, Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 97: 418. Type material: Lectotype f, by designation of G. van der Zanden (Müller et al., 2025), “Asie mineure: Taurus” [Turkey], MNHN (Paris).
Distribution- Europe: BG, GR(Rhodos, Samos). Southwestern Asia: IL, JOR, RL, SYR, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Müller et al. (2025). Misapplication: Chelostoma “lucens” in Mavromoustakis (1951: 353-354) is Chelostoma comosum Müller.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Dipsacoideae (Müller et al., 2025).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) scabiosae Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) scabiosae Müller in Müller et al. (2025), Zootaxa, 5717: 342. Type material: Holotype f, “19 km S Beytisebap” [Turkey], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes mm.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IR, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Probably oligolectic on Dipsacoideae (Müller et al., 2025).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) transversum (Friese, 1897)
1897 Eriades transversus Friese, Entomologische Nachrichten (Berlin), 23: 193. Type material: Lectotype m, by designation of G. van der Zanden (Müller et al., 2025), “Graecia” [Greece], ZMHB (Berlin).
Distribution-Europe: GR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Friese (1898); Müller et al. (2025).
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Dipsacoideae (Sedivy et al., 2008; Ebmer, 2009; Müller et al., 2025). Flower records: Knautia integrifolia, Scabiosa argentea (Ebmer, 2009).
Chelostoma meronense species group
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) dolichocephalum Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) dolichocephalum Müller in Müller et al. (2025), Zootaxa, 5717: 345. Type material: Holotype m, “Dahuk, Mount Gara” [Iraq], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes ff, m.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IRQ, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Unknown, but presumably oligolectic on Lamiaceae (Müller et al., 2025).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) meronense Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) meronense Müller in Müller et al. (2025), Zootaxa, 5717: 347. Type material: Holotype m, “Mount Meron, Station” [Israel], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes ff, mm.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IL.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Probably oligolectic on Lamiaceae (Müller et al., 2025).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) miripalpum Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) miripalpum Müller in Müller et al. (2025), Zootaxa, 5717: 349. Type material: Holotype m, “Pozanti” [Turkey], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes f, mm.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IRQ, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Unknown, but presumably oligolectic on Lamiaceae (Müller et al., 2025).
Chelostoma mocsaryi species group
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) kurdistanicum Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) kurdistanicum Müller in Müller et al. (2025), Zootaxa, 5717: 352. Type material: Holotype m, “Yasuj, Sarb-e Taveh” [Iran], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes ff, mm.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IR, IRQ, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Probably oligolectic on Ornithogalum (Asparagaceae) (Müller et al., 2025).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) mocsaryi Schletterer, 1889
1889 Chelostoma mocsaryi Schletterer, Zoologisches Jahrbuch für Systematik, 4: 622. Type material: Syntypes mm, “Dalmatien (Spalato), Süd-Russland (Krim), Kleinasien (Amasia, Aphrodisias), [Croatia, Ukraine, Turkey], NMW (Wien) and HNHM (Budapest).-Combination Heriades mocsaryi (Schletterer) in Dalla Torre and Friese (1895: 69).
1935 Heriades dolosa Benoist, Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 40: 279. Type material: Lectotype f, by designation by Zanden (Müller et al., 2025), “Asie mineure: Brousse” [Turkey], MNHN (Paris).-Synonymy in Müller et al. (2025).
Distribution-Europe: ARM, AZ, BG, F, GE, GR, GR(Aegean Islands, Cr), HR, I, I(Si), RO, SCG, SLO, UA, UA(Crimea). Southwestern Asia: CY, IL, IR, IRQ, JOR, RL, TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: Banaszak and Romasenko (2001); Benoist (1928e: 120, 1929a); Friese (1898); Medvedeva (1978); Müller et al. (2025).
Nesting biology-Nesting site: Preexisting cavities: insect burrows in dead wood, hollow stems (e.g. Phragmites). (Banaszak and Romasenko, 1998; Westrich, 2010; Ivanov et al., 2019; A. Gogala, personal communication)
Flower preferences: Oligolectic on Ornithogalum (Asparagaceae), e.g. O. narbonense, O. pyramidale, O. pyrenaicum (Gogala 1999, 2014; Sedivy et al. 2008; Westrich 2010).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) negevense Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) negevense Müller in Müller et al. (2025), Zootaxa, 5717: 355. Type material: Holotype m, “Lakhish” [Israel], Steinhardt Museum of Natural History (Tel Aviv); paratype m.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: IL.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known. Note: Female unknown.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Unknown, but presumably oligolectic on Ornithogalum (Asparagaceae) (Müller et al., 2025).
Chelostoma (Chelostoma) ornithogali Müller, 2025
2025 Chelostoma (Chelostoma) ornithogali Müller in Müller et al. (2025), Zootaxa, 5717: 357. Type material: Holotype f, “Bozkir, dry forest near Üçpinar” [Turkey], ETHZ (Zurich); paratypes ff, mm.
Distribution-Southwestern Asia: TR.
Identification-Keys, Descriptions: No supplementary or more detailed morphological description known.
Nesting biology: Unknown.
Flower preferences: Probably oligolectic on Ornithogalum (Asparagaceae) (Müller et al., 2025).