Meliponula beccarii Gribodo, 1879. Eritrea (MCSNG).
= Melipona africana Stadelmann, 1895. Tanzania (MNHUB).
= Trigona beccarii var somalina Magretti 1898. Somalia (MCSNG)
= Melipona (Trigona) ogouensis Vachal, 1903. Gabon (MNHNP).
= Trigona topiorum Cockerell, 1910. Angola (BMNH).
= Trigona africana var. tanganykae Strand, 1911. Tanzania (MNHUB).
= Trigona faecivora Strand, 1911. Rwanda (MNHUB).
= Trigona africana var. bibundicola Strand, 1912. Cameroon (MNHUB).
= Trigona beccarii var. nigrifacies Friese, 1912. Tanzania (MNHUB).
= Trigona beccarii var. albofasciata Friese, 1916. Namibia (MNHUB).
= Trigona beccarii jombenensis Cockerell, 1917. Kenya (USNM).
= Melipona alinderi Alfken, 1929. Kenya (MNHUB).
= Melipona alinderi var. nigrita Alfken, 1932. Ethiopia (MNHUB).
= Melipona alinderi var. mimica Alfken, 1932. Kenya (MNHUB).
= Trigona (Meliponula) africana neavei Cockerell, 1934. Zambia (BMNH).
= Trigona (Meliponula) africana rhodesica Cockerell, 1934. Zimbabwe (BMNH).
= Trigona (Meliponula) africana medionigra Cockerell, 1934. Angola (BMNH).

TYPE MATERIAL (from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia).
Trigona beccarii GRIBODO, 1879: 340, worker lectotype designated here (MCSNG) (examined). Type locality: Eritrea, “Bogos Country”, Keren (15°46’N 38°30’E), 1870, leg. Beccarii.
Trigona beccarii var somalina MAGRETTI 1898b: 586, worker holotype (MCSNG). Type locality: Ethiopia, “Sancurar e gli Amarr” ,II-IV.1896, leg. Bottego (Sankurar, 4°01’N 40°07’E; Amarr, ca 5°10’N 36°40’E).
Melipona alinderi var. nigrita ALFKEN, 1932: 54-55, worker holotype (BMNH). Type locality: Abyssinia", Djem Djem Forest, circa 8000ft, 22-23.IX.1926, 2D, leg. H. Scott.

VARIATIONS.
This species has been described under various species name as well as subspecies and varieties, as showed in the list above. They differs by expansion of yellow marks and size. In the same locality they have the same pattern, probably corresponding to as many ecotypes.
The lectotype and paratypes of T. beccarii from Keren have yellow maculations on terga 1-5 (fig. 1a) and extensive maculation on the face (fig. 2a).
T. beccarii var. nigrita from Alfken is the black form (fig. 1f) with black face (fig. 2d).
The type of somalina has yellow maculations on terga (fig. 1b) but less extensive yellow maculations on the face (fig. 2b).
The lectotype of M. ogoouensis (Vachal, 1903) (Gabon: Ndoro, designated here in MNHNP) is larger with yellow brown maculations (figs 1c, 2f).

Nidification. Kajobe & Roubik (2018), ainsi que Njoya (2009) décrivent le nid dans le sol:
The nests of Meliplebeia beccarii were built in the soil and exhibit architectural characters typical of all other genera of obligatory ground-nesting bees in Africa, like Plebeiella and Plebeina. In Meliplebeia beccarii, however, the nest proper consists of a brood area, an area of involucrum layers, and a storage pot area. The combs are horizontal and the mode of building comb is concentric, while cell construction is synchronous (elaborated in a daily batch, rather than sequentially). The nests are connected to the exterior by a short outer entrance of 0.5– 0.6 cm above the soil and <0.1 cm wall thickness. A drainage tube, for excess moisture, measured 16.5 cm long and 0.7–1.2 cm diameter, below the nest cavity.

Méliponiculture: En Ethiopie, cette espèce est élevée dans des jares enterrées dans le sol.