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 Some unpublished data, obtained from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
Limited
distribution within
RECORDS
In the course of the years,
some areas have been investigated more frequently and
thoroughly than others. The distribution in
- 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
- In a number of cases, a
record has been reported by some Authors without a precise geographical
indication, as
- A few records need further verification: these cases
are accompanied by a question mark and/or by the indication
“presence
in
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 =
Islands:
Si =
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),
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
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
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).
Risk of extinction
|
HIGH |
CRITIC |
MODERATE |
LOW |
SLIGHTEST |
NOT
ASSESSED |
TOTAL |
Corresponding
IUCN category |
EN/EW |
CR |
VU |
NT |
LC |
NA |
|
|
No. of
species
% |
No. of
species
% |
No. of
species
% |
No. of
species
% |
No. of
species
% |
No. of
species
% |
|
COLLETIDAE |
6 = 6,5% |
3 = 3,2% |
21 = 22,6% |
40 = 43% |
11 = 11,9% |
12 = 12,9% |
93 |
ANDRENIDAE |
7 = 2,8% |
8 = 3,3% |
69 = 27,5% |
112 = 44,7% |
16 = 6,4% |
39 = 15,6% |
251 |
HALICTIDAE |
5 = 2,4% |
6 = 2,8% |
55 = 26,1% |
108 = 51,2% |
25 = 11,8% |
12 = 5,7% |
211 |
MELITTIDAE |
2 = 11,8% |
2 = 11,8% |
2 = 11,8% |
8 = 47,1% |
1 = 5,9% |
2 = 11,8% |
17 |
MEGACHILIDAE |
11 = 4,2% |
5 = 1,9% |
56 = 21,5% |
122 = 46,9% |
36 = 13,8% |
30 = 11,5% |
260 |
APIDAE |
35 = 10,3% |
10 = 2,9% |
76 = 22,4% |
139 = 40,9% |
47 = 13,8% |
34 = 9,7% |
341 |
TOTAL |
66 = 5,6% |
34 = 2,9% |
279 = 23,8% |
529 = 45,1% |
136 = 11,6% |
129 = 10,9% |
1173 |