A checklist of bee species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) recorded from the Arabian Peninsula

The first checklist of bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) of the Arabian Peninsula is presented. 343 species and 61 genera are included. A further 23 morphospecies and 7 doubtful records are noted. The checklist adds 76 new country records. The United Arab Emirates presently has the richest fauna with 175 species followed by Saudi Arabia (157), Oman (150), Yemen (119), Kuwait (22), Qatar (14), and Bahrain (8). The Arabian fauna shows a clearer overlap with that of North Africa rather than other eastern arid faunas.