Apidae is the largest family within the superfamilyApoidea, containing at least 5700 species ofbees. The family includes some of the most commonly seen bees, includingbumblebees andhoney bees, but also includesstingless bees (also used for honey production),carpenter bees,orchid bees,cuckoo bees, and a number of other less widely known groups.[1][2] Many are valuablepollinators in naturalhabitats and for agriculturalcrops.[3]
| Apidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Apis mellifera (aWestern honey bee), on aCanada thistle | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Superfamily: | Apoidea |
| Clade: | Anthophila |
| Family: | Apidae Latreille, 1802 |
| Type genus | |
| Apis Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Subfamilies | |
Taxonomy
editIn addition to its historical classification (honey bees, bumble bees, stingless bees and orchid bees), the family Apidae presently includes all the genera formerly placed in the families Anthophoridae andCtenoplectridae.[3] Although the most visible members of Apidae are social, the vast majority of apid bees are solitary, including a number ofkleptoparasitic species.[4]
The old family Apidae contained four tribes (Apinae:Apini,Euglossini and Bombinae:Bombini,Meliponini) which have been reclassified as tribes of the subfamilyApinae, along with all of the former tribes and subfamilies of Anthophoridae and the former family Ctenoplectridae, which was demoted to tribe status. The trend to move groups down in taxonomic rank has been taken further by a 2005 Brazilian classification that places all existing bee families together under the name "Apidae",[5] but it has not been widely accepted in the literature since that time.
Subfamilies
editApinae
edit
The subfamilyApinae containshoney bees,bumblebees,stingless bees,orchid bees, anddigger bees, among others. The bees of mosttribes placed in Apinae are solitary with nests that are simple burrows in the soil. However, honey bees, stingless bees, and bumblebees areeusocial or colonial. These are sometimes believed to have each developed this trait independently, and show notable differences in such characteristics as communication between workers and methods of nest construction.
Tribes include:[2]
- Ancylaini[6]
- Anthophorini
- Apini
- Bombini
- Centridini
- Ctenoplectrini
- Emphorini—(Subtribe Ancyloscelidina; Subtribe Emphorina)
- Ericrocidini
- Eucerini
- Euglossini
- Exomalopsini
- Isepeolini
- Melectini
- Meliponini
- Osirini
- Protepeolini
- Rhathymini
- Tapinotaspidini
- Tarsaliini[6]
- Tetrapediini
- Teratognathini
Nomadinae
edit
The subfamilyNomadinae, or cuckoo bees, has 31 genera in 10 tribes which are allcleptoparasites in the nests of other bees.
Tribes include:[2]
- Ammobatini
- Ammobatoidini
- Biastini
- Brachynomadini
- Caenoprosopidini
- Epeolini—(Subtribe Epeolina; Subtribe Odyneropsina; Subtribe Thalestriina)
- Hexepeolini
- Neolarrini
- Nomadini
- Townsendiellini
Xylocopinae
edit
The subfamilyXylocopinae, which includescarpenter bees, is ancestrally eusocial and in most of species is documented facutlative eusoicality[7] However, colinies are only small, usually contains only two or little more females[8] The most advanced eusociality is in tribeAllodapini.
Most members of this subfamily make nests in plant stems or wood.
Tribes include:[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Danforth, Bryan N.; Cardinal, Sophie; Praz, Christophe; Almeida, Eduardo A.B.; Michez, Denis (2013). "The Impact of Molecular Data on Our Understanding of Bee Phylogeny and Evolution".Annual Review of Entomology.58 (1):57–78.doi:10.1146/annurev-ento-120811-153633.ISSN 0066-4170.PMID 22934982.
- ^abcdBugGuide.Net: the FamilyApidae (of bees) . accessed 6.23.2013
- ^ab[Michener, Charles D. (2007)The bees of the world. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Londres.]
- ^[O'Toole, Christopher, Raw, Anthony (1999)Bees of the world. Cassell Illustrated.ISBN 0-8160-5712-5]
- ^Gonçalves, Rodrigo B. (2005)."Higher-level bee classifications (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae sensu lato)".Melo, Gabriel AR, And"Revista Brasileira de Zoologia.22 (1):153–159.doi:10.1590/S0101-81752005000100017.
- ^abEngel, M. S.; Alqarni, A. S.; Shebl, M. A. (2017)."Discovery of the bee tribe Tarsaliini in Arabia (Hymenoptera: Apidae), with the description of a new species".American Museum Novitates (3877):1–28.doi:10.1206/3877.1.hdl:2246/6703.S2CID 89812681.
- ^ Groom SVC, Rehan SM (2018) Climate-mediated behavioural variability in facultatively social bees. Biol J Linn Soc 125:165–170.https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/bly101.
- ^ Mikát M, Fraňková T, Benda D, Straka J (2022) Evidence of sociality in european small carpenter bees (Ceratina). Apidologie 53:18.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-022-00931-8.
- Arnett, R. H. Jr. (2000)."Ch. 25: Hymenoptera (Wasps, Ants, and Bees)".American insects (2nd ed.). CRC Press. pp. 531–614.ISBN 978-0-8493-0212-1.
- Borror, D. J.; DeLong, D. M.; Triplehorn, C. A. (1976).An introduction to the study of insects (4th ed.). Holt, Rinehart and Winston.ISBN 978-0-03-088406-1.
- Mitchell, T. B. (1962).Bees of the Eastern United States. Vol. 2. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station. Tech. Bul. No. 152.
External links
edit
