Systematics of Medeus
Pedro Tan
Volgin (1974) proposed the genus Medeus for M. vesparius, collected as adults from the nest of Vespula germanica (Vespidae) in Kazakhstan. OConnor (1996) described M. ithacaensis from adults and deutonymphs associated with Anthophora bomboides (Apidae: Anthophorini) and its nests in New York, USA. Examination of large collections of Hymenoptera in various North American museums has yielded numerous new collections of M. ithacaensis from several species of Anthophora and Diadasia (Apidae: Emphorini) from various localities in the United States and Mexico and an additional new species from two species of Anthophora from South Africa. In this project, we are redescribing M. vesparius from the type specimens, describing the new South African species and expanding the known host and geographic distributions of M. ithacaensis.
Medeus ithacaensis,
deutonymph and male, associated with Anthophora bomboides, New York,
USA.
Medeus ithacaensis deutonymphs on Anthophora bomboides