A first revision of the Andrena of Iraq (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae), with the description of two new species from Iraqi Kurdistan and additional records from surrounding countries.

Iraq is a large country in the Middle East region that borders both Turkey and Iran, countries known to host two of the largest bee faunas globally, as expected for a group of insects that favour dry to Mediterranean climates. Despite this huge regional species richness, the bee fauna of Iraq is chronically understudied and poorly known, both in relative and absolute terms. This is true for the hyper-speciose bee genus Andrena, for which only 17 species have been previously published for Iraq. This work is the first modern contribution to the revision of the Andrena fauna of Iraq. Based on new specimen collections in Duhok Governorate (Iraqi Kurdistan) during 2023, a revised total of 59 Andrena species for Iraq (42 species recorded for the first time) is presented, including the description of two new species: Andrena (Aciandrena) duhokensis Wood, sp. nov. and Andrena (Notandrena) baiocchii Wood, sp. nov. The unknown males of A. (Micrandrena) elam Wood, 2022, A. (Micrandrena) obsidiana Wood, 2022, and A. (Notandrena) ayna Wood, 2023 are described. Andrenabakrajoensis Amin & Mawlood, 2019, syn. nov. is synonymised with A. (Holandrena) variabilis Smith, 1853. Additional records are presented from nearby Middle Eastern countries, particularly Lebanon. These results highlight the fundamentally understudied nature of the Iraqi Andrena fauna.

A revision of the Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas Kiesenwetter, 1857 species-group (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini).

The Anthaxia (Anthaxia) midas Kiesenwetter, 1857 species-group is defined and revised. A new species from Turkey, A. (A.) cebecii sp. nov., is described and compared to its most similar species. A. midas oberthuri Schaefer, 1938 is elevated to the rank of species, and a lectotype is designated. A. (A.) spathuligera Obenberger, 1924 and A. (A.) midas muelleri Obenberger, 1925 are reconfirmed synonyms of A. midas Kiesenwetter, 1857.All species of the new species-group are illustrated, including the hitherto unknown male of A. (A.) patsyae Baiocchi, 2008, all type specimens and original data labels. In addition to diagnostic characters, informations on the distribution, biology and taxonomic position of each species are also presented, together with a short definition of the new species-group, and a key to its species.

Taxonomic notes on the genus Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini) 1.

In the present paper I propose the following taxonomic changes: Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) bosdaghensis Obenberger, 1938 (= cavazzutii Bílý, 1980 syn. nov.); A. (Anthaxia) ephippiata Redtenbacher, 1850 (= kreuzbergi Richter, 1944 syn. nov.); A. (H.) pleuralis Faimaire, 1883 (= parapleuralis Obenberger, 1929 syn. nov.); A. (H.) scylla Levey, 1985, removal from synonymy (= aprutiana Gerini, 1955 unavailable name); A. (A.) truncata Abeille, 1900 (= lgockii Obenberger, 1917 syn. nov.; = talyshensis Bílý, 1991 syn. nov.; = adiyamana Svoboda, 1994 syn. nov.).        Lectotypes for A. (A.) kreuzbergi, A. (H.) parapleuralis and A. (A.) truncata are designated. All the studied types are illustrated, together with their original data labels. Each of the valid species is placed in its respective species-group, and notes are given on the distribution.

A revision of the Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) schah Abeille de Perrin, 1904 species-group, with description of two new species from Iran (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini).

Two new species of Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 endemic to Iran, Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) cadusiana sp. nov. and A. (H.) elamita sp. nov., are described and compared to their most similar species. The A. (H.) schah Abeille de Perrin, 1904 species-group is proposed and revised, and lectotypes for A. (H.) schah Abeille de Perrin, 1904 and A. (H.) wethloi Obenberger, 1940 are designated. All species of the new species-group are illustrated, including type specimens. A short definition of the new species-group and a key to its species are given, together with data on the distribution, bionomy and taxonomic position for each of the species that compose it.

Description of a new species of Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 from Jordan, with notes on the Anthaxia winkleri species-group (Coleoptera, Buprestidae).

A new species of Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 endemic to Jordan, Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) nabataea sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The new taxon is compared to its most similar species, and data about its distribution, bionomy and taxonomic position are given, together with some notes on the Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) winkleri species-group.

The Anthaxia (Anthaxia) manca (Linnaeus, 1767) species-group in Iran, with description of a new species and a new synonymy (Coleoptera: Buprestidae).

Anthaxia (Anthaxia) simandli sp. nov., a new endemic species from Iran is described, together with the hitherto unknown male of Anthaxia (Anthaxia) magnifica Bílý, 1983. New synonymy of Anthaxia (Anthaxia) mancatula Abeille, 1900 = Anthaxia (Anthaxia) intermedia Obenberger, 1913 syn. nov. is proposed, and a lectotype for A. mancatula is designated. All species are illustrated, and comments on their bionomy, distribution, and taxonomic position are given, as well as on the current state of the Anthaxia (Anthaxia) manca (Linnaeus, 1767) species-group in Iran.