Description of Three New Cleptes Species from Cyprus and Lebanon with Updates and Revisions to the Genus (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae)

Abstract

Three new species of Cleptes Latreille, 1802, in the C. nitidulus species group are described: C. sfenthourakisi Rosa & Makris, sp. nov. (from Cyprus), C. christi Rosa & Makris, sp. nov. (Cyprus), and C. adonis Rosa & Boustani, sp. nov. (Lebanon). A new synonymy is proposed: C. ignitus var. chevrieri Frey-Gessner, 1887, syn. nov. of C. splendidus (Fabricius, 1794). The two members of the C. morawitzi species group, and the single member of the C. rugulosus group are transferred to the C. nitidulus group. The Cleptes semenovi species group is transferred from the subgenus Chrysocleptes Móczár, 1962 to the subgenus Leiocleptes Móczár, 1962, and synonymised with the C. nitidulus species group. Cleptes viridis Gravenhorst, 1806, is considered nomen dubium. An updated checklist of the C. nitidulus group is given, including all the species described and synonymised after the latest revision by Móczár.