Euodynerus (Euodynerus) semidantici IQ Dihe

Euodynerus (Euodynerus) semidantici (Giordani Soika, 1952) * Material examined IRAQ: Kurdistan, Duhok, 5 km E of Ashewa, Mt. Gara, 1750–1950 m, 37.0158°N 43.3505°E, 30 May-12 June 2024, 3 ♂ 1 ♀ (DUMAI, MSVI, PQ676358); Kurdistan, Duhok, 2 km NNE of Dihe, 1135 m, 37.149444°N 43.166944°E, 1–11 June 2024, 1 ♀ (MSVI, PQ676359). Remarks Giordani Soika (1952) described this species based on a single male from Rosh, comparing it with Euodynerus dantici (Rossi) due to the sculpture of the tegula, and to E. curictensis Blüthgen and E. velutinus Blüthgen due to the vestiture of the mesosoma. A morphological study of new material from Iraq and specimens from Turkey identified by Giordani Soika showed how the sculpture of the tegula is in fact variable, ranging from clearly punctate in the posterior half to mostly smooth with very fine scattered punctures, and the species does not show any clear affinity with E. dantici. The comparison with E. curictensis and E. velutinus is instead supported by the dense brush-like vestiture of the mesosoma and by other morphological similarities; however, E. semidantici is readily distinguished by having different clypeal morphology, a not-modified hind femur and more developed inferior and lateral carinae of propodeum, as mentioned in the original description. DNA barcoding of an Iraqi pair (Table 1) further supports the treatment of E. semidantici as a distinct species, presenting a genetic distance of 8.25–9.72% from E. velutinus and 38.70–41.43% from E. curictensis. Distribution Turkey, Israel, Iraq *, Iran (Gusenleitner 2013a).