Revision of the historical type collections of long-horn bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Eucerini) preserved in the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris

This work presents a first taxonomic revision of the historical type collections of West Palaearctic bees in the tribe Eucerini (Apidae) that are preserved in the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris. A total of 72 species names are revised, 147 type specimens are recognised, and 33 synonyms are newly proposed. Unexpectedly, some of the oldest bee names were found to be misinterpreted and have been incorrectly used for a period of nearly 200 years, demonstrating a substantial lack of knowledge. Actions are taken to settle the taxonomy of these and many other species, the names of which are continuously being used in biodiversity studies and databases. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Tetralonia Spinola, 1838 is reestablished as a valid genus and not as a subgenus of Eucera Scopoli, 1770 (based on F. Freitas, in litt.) (stat. rev.); Eucera speculifera Perez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera aeolopus Perez, 1910; Eucera conspersa Perez, 1895 n. syn. of Eucera algira Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera dentipes Saunders, 1908 n. syn. of Eucera algira Lepeletier, 1841; Tetralonia atroalba Perez, 1895 n. syn. of Tetralonia brachycera Gribodo, 1893 [Eucera (Synhalonia) brachycera (Gribodo)]; Eucera wahrmani Benoist, 1950 n. syn. of Eucera cinnamomea Alfken, 1935; Eucera fasciatella Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera clypeata Erichson, 1835; Eucera decolorata Gribodo, 1924 n. syn. of Eucera confinis Perez, 1895; Eucera bolivari Dusmet y Alonso, 1926 n. syn. of Eucera confinis Perez, 1895; Tetralonia mucida Perez, 1895 n. syn. of Eucera (Synhalonia) cuniculina Klug, 1845; Eucera fulvescens Walker, 1871 (and its replacement name E. aegyptiaca Dalla Torre, 1896) n. syn. of Eucera dimidiata Brulle, 1832; Eucera gracilipes Perez, 1910 (and its replacement name E. duplicata Dusmet y Alonso, 1926) n. syn. of Eucera furfurea Vachal, 1907; Eucera bicolor Lepeletier, 1841 (as well as its replacement name E. algeriensis Dalla Torre, 1896) n. syn. of Eucera hispana Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera ephippia Dours, 1873 n. syn. of Eucera hispana Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera hispaliensis Perez, 1902 n. syn. of Apis longicornis Linnaeus, 1758 [Eucera longicornis (Linnaeus)]; Eucera fallax Dusmet y Alonso, 1926 n. syn. of Apis longicornis Linnaeus, 1758 [Eucera longicornis (Linnaeus)]; Eucera subvillosa Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera nigra Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera contigua Dusmet y Alonso, 1928 n. syn. of Eucera nigrifacies Lepeletier, 1841; Tetralonia lucasi Gribodo, 1893 [Eucera (Synhalonia) lucasi (Gribodo)] n. syn. of Macrocera obscura Brulle, 1832 [Eucera (Synhalonia) obscura (Brulle)]; Eucera grisea var. effasciata Alfken 1926 n. syn. of Eucera oraniensis Lepeletier, 1841; Eucera aciculata Perez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera polita Perez, 1895; Eucera bipartita Perez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera proxima Morawitz, 1875; Eucera sulamita Vachal, 1907 n. syn. of Eucera syriaca Dalla Torre, 1896; Eucera kervillei Perez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera syriaca Dalla Torre, 1896; Eucera maxima Tkalcu, 1987 n. syn. of Eucera taurea Vachal, 1907; Eucera obsoleta Perez, 1910 n. syn. of Eucera terminata Perez, 1895 (as also the latter's replacement name E. xanthura Perez, 1895); Eucera unicincta Lepeletier, 1841 n. syn. of Eucera vidua Lepeletier, 1841; Tetralonia carbonaria Perez, 1895 n. syn. of Eucera atrata Klug, 1845 [Tetralonia atrata (Klug)]. In addition, Eucera eucnemidea Dours, 1873 is confirmed as a synonym, and formally synonymised with Eucera grisea Fabricius, 1793 (n. syn.).