Two New Records of Coelioxys Latreille, 1809 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae) from Iraq

Five Coelioxys Latreille, 1809 species previously recorded in Iraq; Coelioxys emargintus Förster, 1853 and Coelioxys brevis Eversmann, 1852 newly recorded species. A brief re-description of each is given, supported by photographs; as well as a provided for their global distribution.


Introduction
Megachilidae includes two subfamily Megachilinae and Fideliinae, Megachilini includes five tribes, Anthidini, Dioxyini, Megachilini, Lithurgini and Osmiini; Coelioxys Latreille, 1809 among the genera that belong to Megachilinae, this genus widespread within Megachilini tribe, it is known as sharptailed bees, sharp-abdomen bees, sharp-bellied bees, cuckoo bees and cleptoparasitic bees since their larvae feed on food stolen from leaf-cutter bees Megachile Latreille, 1802 or flower bees Anthophora Latreille, 1803 unlike females of other genera, females of this genus lack pollen scopa [1,2].Cleptoparasitism is defined as an ecological connection in which the young of one species feed and develop on the food given for the young of another species [3].Coelioxys characterized by several morphological features, that including: metasoma in females pointed distally and lack pollen scopa, but metasoma in males bifurcate [4].Globally, there are 490 species within this genus [5], in the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East, the genus has five subgenera: Allocoelioxys, Boreocoelioxys, Coelioxys, Mesocoelioxys, and Liothyrapis [6,7].There were five recognized species in Iraq; Coelioxys afra Lepeletier, 1841, C. coturnix Pérez, 1884, C. circumscriptus Schulz, 1906, C. haemorrhoa Förster, 1853 and C. obtusus Pérez, 1884 [8].Studies on this family were carried out in Iraq, including surveys of the species of pollinators from some regions, which including species related to the Megachilidae [9,10].Other studies have concentrated on honey bees [11][12][13][14][15][16], whereas wild bees have received ,insufficient attention from researchers despite their critical role as pollinators and the potential for serving as environmental indicators of the health of biodiversity.The present study to knowledge of the megachilid bees based on previous collection that deposited in Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum throughout the our survey of Megachilidae species in Iraq.

Materials and Methods
In current paper, the specimens preserved in the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum, University of Baghdad, which were collected previously from the provinces of Erbil and Basra, were relied on.Specimens identified to genus and species based on some diagnostic keys [2,[17][18][19].Photographs of morphological features and insects were captured using a Digital Microscope camera and an RF4 microscope.

Results and Discussion
During the course of our investigation, there are two recognized species Coelioxys emagintus Förster, 1853 collecting from Erbil, Kora 17-8-1962   Description of Male: Body leangth 8-10 mm, structure squamous and puncture, dark-brown color exception antennae, sternites and legs light-brown (Fig. 1,A).Head large and broad compared to thorax, vertex composed of three triangular ocelli, closer together compared with occiput.Front and clypeus with hair pale white dense (Fig. 1, B), flagellomeres twelve, scape around three times longer than the pedicel, scape and pedicel dark-brown.Compound eyes hairy.Gena wide, alittle less than eyes offer, with squamous, subgena with genal patch lack squamous or hair (Fig. 1, C). Thorax less wide than head, pronotal lobe with lamella small and dorsal surface covered with squamous (Fig. 2, A), scutum with puncture large and dense compare with puncture in metasoma, anterior margin squamous, scutellum with axillae extends sideways back (Fig. 2, B), present omaular carina, propodeum semi-vertical.Fore and hind wing hyaline except apical and posterior margin blurry, covered with fine fluff, denser at apical especially fore-wing, veins dark-brown , fore wing wide, length than hind wing, with two submarginal cell, prestigma more than two times longer than broad (Fig. 2, C).Fore coxa, triangular in shape, the dorsal basal surface is covered with white, short and thick hair, longer at apex; mid coxa Semi-rectangular with dorsal surface covered with squamous; hind coxa triangular, dorsal surface covered with squamous, femora thin in shape, broader baselly, narrower apically, thick whitish hairs dorsum.Tibiae narrow basally, wider apically, fore tibia with spur, mid tibia without spur, hind tibia with two spurs, five tarsomeres, with light-brown setae in top (Fig. 2, D,  E ).Basitarsus more taller than other segments, fore basitarsi with notch apically, claws bifid, without arolium.Metasoma with seven segments, bifurcate distally, squamous, puncture; second tergum, behind postgradular groove, with fovea (Fig. 2, F), fifth tergum with two lateral teeth, sixth tergum squamae basally, two lateral teeth, six apically, triangle-shaped set every three, separates with a middle dent (Fig. 2, G).
 Diagnostic characters: Body scaly, eyes hairy, width of genal patches with one-third than genal width (Fig1.C).Antefrons and frons lacking longitudinal mid-carina, fore coxae lacking an upright spine, second tergum with lateral fovea, sixth tergum with band squamae bottom, with eight teeth, lack longitudinal median carina, with two lateral and six apical teeth, seventh tergum without apical median tooth.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the distribution of Megachilidae in Iraq is not well documented and requires further research.Currently, there is limited information on the species of Coelioxys found in Iraq; however, it is likely that Coelioxys species are present throughout Iraq, as they are found in many other parts of the world with similar climates and ecosystems.Further studies on the diversity and distribution of leaf cutter bees in Iraq are necessary to improve our understanding of the diversity of these important pollinators.