Andrena (Melandrena) pyrozonata Friese, 1921 Distribution: Cyprus, Israel, Turkey. Likely present also in Lebanon and Syria. Flight period: March–April. Flower records: Fagaceae: Quercus infectoria (Mavromoustakis 1958); Sapindaceae: Acer monspessulanum. Material examined: HOLOTYPE: TURKEY: Kahramanmaraş, Kayabaşı [Kayabaschi], 8.vii.1913, F. Tölg (♀) (ZMHB); PARATYPE (A. perapedica Mavromoustakis): CYPRUS: Pera Pedi, 4.iv.1952, Mavromoustakis (1♀) (SMNHTAU); non-type material: ISRAEL: Montfort [Monfort], 17.iii.1983, A. Freidberg (1♂); Mount Hermon [Har Hermon], 1640 m, 33.300°N 35.7675°E, 7.iv.2021, G. Pisanty, sweeping (1♀); 1644 m, 33.2992°N 35.7670°E, 16.iv.2022, G. Pisanty, pan trap (1♀); 1649 m, 33.2993°N 35.7679°E, 16.iv.2021, G. Pisanty, on Acer monspessulanum (2♀); Nahal Kziv [Nahal Keziv], 5.iii.2008, L. Friedman (1♂) (SMNHTAU). Remarks. This species was formerly classified in the polyphyletic group known as Poliandrena (now a synoynm of Ulandrena, Pisanty el. 2022). We now reclassify it under Melandrena, as it is closely related morphologically to A. (Melandrena) elmaria Gusenleitner, and the barcode sequences of these two species cluster together with A. (Melandrena) nigroaenea (Kirby) in phylogenetic analyses of barcode sequences.

Published as part of Pisanty, Gideon, Scheuchl, Erwin, Martin, Teresa, Cardinal, Sophie & Wood, Thomas James, 2022, Twenty-five new species of mining bees (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae: Andrena) from Israel and the Levant, pp. 1-109 in Zootaxa 5185 (1) on page 46, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5185.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7073826