Flavomeliturgula

author(s) : Patiny

Sébastien Patiny

Atlas of the European Bees: genus Flavomeliturgula

First on line 1.III.2012

Meliturgula and the related genera are considered as a sister group of Melitturga. Meliturgula are basically African taxa. However, two genera are strictly endemic in southern Palaearctic: Flavomeliturgula and Gasparinahla.
It is worth noting that these two latter genera are morphologically characterized by very long mouthparts (quite longer than face), while the African taxa are small tongued species.

This page is constructed in the framework of the STEP project
Status and Trends of European Pollinators
Coordinator: Simon Geoffrey Potts, University of Reading

STEP Partners to Objective 1 (Document the status and trends of pollinators, map distributions):
University of Mons (Prof. Pierre Rasmont; Denis Michez; Stephanie Iserbyt; Yvan Barbier)
University of Reading (Stuart Roberts)

For this first 1.III.2012 PROVISIONAL VERSION, ...

Sébastien Patiny

Citation:
Patiny S. 2012. Atlas of the European Bees: genus Flavomeliturgula. STEP Project, Atlas Hymenoptera, Mons, Gembloux. http://www.zoologie.umh.ac.be//hymenoptera/page.aspx??ID=29

Flavomeliturgula Patiny, 1999

European bees

Flavomeliturgula spp. Patiny, 1999

Flavomeliturgula berangeriae Patiny, 2002

Flavomeliturgula berangeriae belong to a group of small species including also F.schwarziana. F.berangeriae is highly recognizable according to the unsual reddish discoloration of the terga and sterna margins.
One has few records for this species, which is currently one of the most westernly distributed in the genus. The position of the known data suggest that as most other in the subgenera, it ranges following the Zagros mounts. The western position of the locus typicus let hypothesis that the genus could occurs in Irak as well.

Flavomeliturgula berangeriae (1 specimen)

Flavomeliturgula centaurea (Warncke, 1985)

Flavomeliturgula centaurea (8 specimens)

Flavomeliturgula deserta (Warncke, 1985)

This is probably the most recognizable species in the genus, thanks to the squamous hairs covering the thorax and some other body parts. In regard of this character and others like the head shape, it is also the most atypical species.

Flavomeliturgula lacrymosa (Popov, 1967)

Flavomeliturgula lacrymosa is the first species described in the genus. It was originally described as Poecilomelitta lacrymosa.

Flavomeliturgula lacrymosa (17 specimens)

Flavomeliturgula schwarziana Patiny, 2004

Like F.Berangeriae, F.schwarziana is a very small species. It is worth to note the distribution of that particular species in Pakistan, underlining as the one of Plesiopanurgus cinerarius (e.g.) the existence of an Irano-Pakistani fauna, of which range is centred on Baluchistan.

Flavomeliturgula tapana (Warncke, 1985)

F.tapana is the largest species described so far. We consider it as constituting a distinct group within the genus.

References

	Patiny S. 1999. Etude phylogénétique des Panurginae de l'ancien monde (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae). Linzer Biologische Beiträge. 31(1): 249-275.
	Patiny S. 2001. Monographie des Panurginae de l'ancien monde (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Andrenidae). FuSaGx. Ph-D thesis.
	Patiny S. & Gaspar C. 2000. Biogéographie des Melitturga LATREILLE, 1809, Meliturgula FRIESE, 1903 et des genres proches (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae, Panurginae). Notes fauniques de Gembloux. 39: 3-44. see also:http://www.fsagx.ac.be/zg/Notes%20fauniques/pdf%20zoologie/1201-1250/1242.pdf
	Warncke K. 1985. Beiträge zur bienenfauna des Iran 19.-20. Die gattungen Panurgus Pz. und Meliturgula Fr. (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Venezia. 34 : 221-235.