Tetragonula

Engel, Michael S., Herhold, Hollister W., Davis, Steven R., Wang, Bo & Thomas, Jennifer C., 2021, Stingless bees in Miocene amber of southeastern China (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2021 (105), pp. 1-83 : 23-24

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.17161/jom.i105.15734

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3637F70F-42FC-461E-82B3-A847752A071A

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D58783-FFDB-FFFD-FE16-EC56FB66F90E

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Tetragonula
status

s.str.

Key to Species Groups of Tetragonula View in CoL s.str.

(worker caste)

Note that these groups are seemingly not natural, with the possible exception of the carbonaria -group ( Rasmussen & Cameron, 2010). Accordingly, these groups are merely a convenience for aiding identification through the exclusion of blocks of diversity in this complicated and large genus, and should not be considered as representing natural groups from which evolutionary hypotheses can be based. Once the genus is comprehensively revised and a more extensive robust phylogeny including all of the known species is produced, then natural species groups should be circumscribed to aid the identification of these bees. For the time being, two groups of Sakagami (1978) — the gressiti -group and geissleri -group — are considered synonymous with the laeviceps -group. The key is adapted from Sakagami (1978) and Dollin et al. (1997).

1. Mesepisternum posteriorly sparsely setose, contrasting with rather densely setose anterior portion and metepisternum ( Fig. 36 View Figures 35–39 ); malar space linear or nearly so ( Figs. 20 View Figures 18–22 , 32 View Figures 32–34 ) ............................................................................................................ 2

—. Mesepisternum and metepisternum densely and evenly covered with fine short setae; malar space developed, not linear [mesoscutal setal banding present, albeit sometimes poorly defined] ..................................................... carbonaria View in CoL -group

2(1). Small bees, forewing including tegula 3.0–4.0 mm; mesoscutum with distinct setal bands separated by broad glabrous interspaces ............... iridipennis View in CoL -group

—. Larger bees, forewing including tegula 3.9–4.8 mm; mesoscutum rather evenly setose (e.g., Fig. 38 View Figures 35–39 ) .............................................................................. laeviceps View in CoL -group

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Apidae

Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF