Bellardii

Bombus bellardii (Gribodo)
Bellardii (Gribodo, 1892:108 [Psithyrus]) examined
pieli (Maa, 1948:29 [Psithyrus]) examined
tajushanensis (Pittioni, 1949:277 [Psithyrus]) examined, not of Pittioni, 1949:244 (= B. bicoloratus Cockerell)

TAXONOMIC STATUS: B. bellardii, B. pieli, and B. tajushanensis are closely similar in morphology and I am unaware of any reason why these nominal taxa should not be considered conspecific.

NOMENCLATURE: For this species, the oldest available name is B. bellardii, which becomes the valid name. The only subsequent publications using the name B. pieli of which I am aware are by Maa (1948), Sakagami (1972), Tkalcu (1987) and Williams (1991 [pdf]), so this change of valid name is not a serious disruption of common usage.

DISTRIBUTION: Oriental Region.