INTRODUCTION

The catalogue, based on literature, includes all Italian bee species recorded from 1762 (Scopoli, 1762) up to today. Some unpublished data, obtained from public and private collections, are also reported. The Comba private collection contains 651 Italian (and 144 non-Italian)  bee species and about  20 000 specimens

The tables outline taxonomy, (Italian) distribution, risk of (local) extinction, and biology of 1173 species related to approximately    26 000 records distributed throughout the country; 51 species are endemic to Italy. The presence of 32 species (included in the total), based on old records,  is considered uncertain and needs further investigations. For 71 species the nomenclature is not entirely certain (disputed synonyms and/or taxonomy).

TAXONOMY

The taxonomy of Apoidea is not always subscribed unanimously.  In this catalogue, if a species has been reported by other Authors under a different subgenus, the latter is indicated in square brackets (e.g. : [Ceratina]; [no subgenus]). Some subspecies are reported as "ssp.", without Author: they are considered valid, even though a name has not yet been assigned.

DISTRIBUTION

The global geographical distribution of each (sub)species is indicated with a colour code.  Each code comprehends different distribution patterns (Ref.: 568) which are specified, whenever possible, for each species. These distribution categories are reported in Italian.

Colour codes:

        Large distribution within the Oloarctic or Palearctic regions.

       Large distribution within Europe and/or Mediterranean basin.

       Limited distribution within Europe and/or Mediterranean basin;  Italian endemic (sub)species.

RECORDS

In the course of the years, some areas have been investigated more frequently and  thoroughly than others. The distribution in Italy reflects available records and locations.

- Records related to subspecies are not reported separately

- For each species (including related subspecies), the total number of locations where it was found is reported; each site may be related to one or more records

- The presence in Italy of each (sub)species is not stated by single locations but is related to a wider scale, by reporting the administrative regions to whom the related records belong.

- In a number of cases, a record has been reported by some Authors without a precise geographical indication, as Italy, Mainland Italy, Northern Italy, Southern Italy, Alps, Apennines: all these records have been reported here as such

- A few records need further verification: these cases are accompanied by a question mark and/or by the indication  “presence in Italy to be confirmed"

Italian administrative regions are mentioned in the catalogue by  the following abbreviations:

Northern Italy: Ao = Aosta Valley, Pi = Piedmont, Li = Liguria, Lo = Lombardy, V = Veneto, VT = Trentino-Alto Adige, FVG = Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Em = Emilia-Romagna.

Central Italy: To = Tuscany (including Tuscan Archipelago), Ma = Marche, Um = Umbria, La = Lazio (including Pontine Islands), Abr = Abruzzo, Mo = Molise.

Southern Italy: Cp = Campania (including Campanian Archipelago), Bas = Basilicata, Cal = Calabria, Pu = Apulia (including Tremiti Islands).

Islands: Si = Sicily (including Isle of Ustica; Isle of Pantelleria; Aeolian, Egadi, Pelagie Islands), Sa = Sardinia (including smaller neighboring islands).

Some administrative regions (To, La, Cp, Pu, Si, Sa)  include islands to which records may relate: all these islands are reported separetely  only in the table of endemic (sub)species.

The presence in Corsica (F), Malta (M), San Marino (RSM) is reported specifically as stated in the records.

Altitudinal range: For each species/subspecies, the records have also been related to altitude, as follows:

 I = up to 800 m; II = 800-1600 m; III = 1600-2100 m; IV = over 2100.

REFERENCES

In each table, the references related to the geographical distribution are also referred to the nominal subspecies when other ssp. are not reported for Italy.

References are reported in alphabetical order. By the last updates, new entries have been reported at the end of the list.

Last update: June 2019.

BIOLOGY

Available information (obtained from the literature) on the number of annual generations (voltinism), host-parasite relationships, sociality (gen. Halictus, Lasioglossum), and floral preferences is reported. All information is referred to the species as a whole, unless otherwise indicated. Sometimes a question mark precedes the wordings (e.g. ? Oligolectic): this means that there are some indications but more information is needed. A (partially) empty cell means that no information on the aspects mentioned above was found in the literature.

RISK OF EXTINCTION

For many species there has been over the years a considerable decrease in abundance and distribution that may indicate a possible risk of (local) extinction. The level of this risk reflects available data and is expressed on a scale from "high" to "slightest".

In the table below, IUCN categories are reported as a term of comparison. The  IUCN has officially assigned an endangered status to 34 bee species in Italy (ref.: CK12).

     High         Critic          Moderate       Low       Slightest       Lack of data (not assessed)

The "last record" is reported for species with a high risk of (local) extinction.

The degree of risk is referred to each species as a whole (including related subspecies).