Melittidae
| Melittidae | |
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| Macropis europaea, female | |
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Melittidae
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| subfamiles | |
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Melittidae is a small bee family, with over 200 described species[1] in three subfamilies.[2] The family has a limited distribution, with all described species restricted to Africa and the northern temperate zone.[1]
Melittids are typically small to moderate-sized bees, which are well known for their specialist and oligolectic foraging habits.[3]
Fossil melittids have been found occasionally in Eocene amber deposits, including those of Oise, France[4] and the Baltic amber.[5]
Taxonomy
Early molecular work suggested that the family Melittidae was sister to all other bees, and also that it was paraphyletic.[6][7] Because of this finding, it was suggested that the three subfamilies of Melittidae should be elevated to family status.[6] Neither study included many melittids, due to their rarity. A 2013 investigation included a greater number of melittid bees and concluded that the family was probably monophyletic, thus supporting Melittidae sensu lato as a family sister to all other bees.[2]
References
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Michez D. (2008) Monographic revision of the melittid bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Melittidae sensu lato). Proc. Neth. Entomol. Soc. Meet. 19: 31-39.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ C. D. Michener (2000) The Bees of the World, Johns Hopkins University Press.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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