Euglossa

Euglossa
	Male of unidentified Euglossa species
	Female E. hyacinthina
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Apidae
Tribe:	Euglossini
Genus:	Euglossa ; Latreille, 1802
Diversity
	> 110 species

Last updated November 04, 2023

Euglossa is a genus of orchid bees (Euglossini). Like all their close relatives, they are native to the Neotropics; an introduced population exists in Florida. They are typically bright metallic blue, green, coppery, or golden.

Distribution

Euglossa occurs naturally from Mexico to Paraguay, northern Argentina, western Brazil, Jamaica,^[2] and Trinidad and Tobago, but one species ( E. dilemma ) has recently been introduced to Florida in the United States ^[3]

Species

E. adiastola Hinojosa-Díaz, Nemésio & Engel, 2012
E. alleni Moure, 1968
E. allosticta Moure, 1969
E. amazonica Dressler, 1982
E. analis Westwood, 1840
E. annectans Dressler, 1982
E. anodorhynchi Nemésio, 2005
E. asarophora Moure & Sakagami, 1969
E. ashei Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2014
E. atroveneta Dressler, 1978
E. augaspis Dressler, 1982
E. aurantia Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2011
E. aureiventris Friese, 1899
E. auriventris Friese, 1925
E. azurea Ducke, 1902
E. bazinga Nemesio, 2013
E. bidentata Dressler, 1982
E. bigibba Dressler, 1982
E. bursigera Moure, 1970
E. celiae Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2014
E. cetera Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2014
E. chalybeata Friese, 1925
E. championi Cheesman, 1929
E. chlorina Dressler, 1982
E. clausi Nemésio & Engel, 2012
E. cognata Moure, 1970
E. cordata (Linnaeus, 1758)
E. cosmodora Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2007
E. cotylisca Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2007
E. crassipunctata Moure, 1968
E. crininota Dressler, 1978
E. cupella Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2014
E. cyanea Friese, 1899
E. cyanochlora Moure, 1995
E. cyanura Cockerell, 1917
E. cybelia Moure, 1968
E. deceptrix Moure, 1968
E. decorata Smith, 1874
E. despecta Moure, 1968
E. dilemma Bembé & Eltz, 2011
E. dissimula Dressler, 1978
E. dodsoni Moure, 1965
E. dressleri Moure, 1968
E. embera Hinojosa-Díaz, Nemésio & Engel, 2012
E. erythrochlora Moure, 1968
E. fimbriata Rebêlo & Moure, 1995
E. flammea Moure, 1969
E. fuscifrons Dressler, 1982
E. gibbosa Dressler, 1982
E. gorgonensis Cheesman, 1929
E. granti Cheesman, 1929
E. hansoni Moure, 1965
E. hemichlora Cockerell, 1917
E. heterosticta Moure, 1968
E. hugonis Moure, 1989
E. hyacinthina Dressler, 1982
E. ignita Smith, 1874
E. igniventris Friese, 1925
E. imperialis Cockerell, 1922
E. inflata Roubik, 2004
E. intersecta Latreille, 1838
E. iopoecila Dressler, 1982
E. ioprosopa Dressler, 1982
E. iopyrrha Dressler, 1982
E. jacquelynae Nemésio, 2007
E. jamaicensis Moure, 1968
E. laevicincta Dressler, 1982

E. lazulina Friese, 1923
E. leucotricha Rebêlo & Moure, 1995
E. liopoda Dressler, 1982
E. lugubris Roubik, 2004
E. macrorhyncha Dressler, 1982
E. maculilabris Moure, 1968
E. magnipes Dressler, 1982
E. mandibularis Friese, 1899
E. marianae Nemésio, 2011^[4]
E. melanotricha Moure, 1967
E. micans Dressler, 1978
E. milenae Bembé, 2007
E. mixta Friese, 1899
E. modestior Dressler, 1982
E. monnei Nemesio, 2012^[5]
E. moratoi
E. moronei Engel, 1999
E. mourei Dressler, 1982
E. nigropilosa Moure, 1965
E. nigrosignata Moure, 1969
E. obrima Hinojosa-Díaz, Melo & Engel, 2011
E. obtusa Dressler, 1978
E. occidentalis Roubik, 2004
E. oleolucens Dressler, 1978
E. orellana Roubik, 2004
E. paisa Ramírez, 2005
E. parvula Dressler, 1982
E. pepei Nemésio & Engel, 2012
E. perfulgens Moure, 1967
E. perpulchra Moure & Schlindwein, 2002
E. perviridis Dressler, 1985
E. pictipennis Moure, 1943
E. piliventris Guérin-Méneville, 1845
E. platymera Dressler, 1982
E. pleosticta Dressler, 1982
E. polita Ducke, 1902
E. prasina Dressler, 1982
E. purpurea Friese, 1899
E. retroviridis Dressler, 1982
E. rufipes Rasmussen & Skov, 2006
E. rugilabris Moure, 1967
E. samperi Ramírez, 2006
E. sapphirina Moure, 1968
E. securigera Dressler, 1982
E. singularis Mocsáry, 1899
E. solangeae Nemésio, 2007
E. sovietica Nemésio, 2007
E. stellfeldi Moure, 1947
E. stilbonata Dressler, 1982
E. subandina Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2014
E. tiputini Roubik, 2004
E. townsendi Cockerell, 1904
E. tridentata Moure, 1970
E. trinotata Dressler, 1982
E. truncata Rebêlo & Moure, 1995
E. turbinifex Dressler, 1978
E. urarina Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2007
E. variabilis Friese, 1899
E. villosa Moure, 1968
E. villosiventris Moure, 1968
E. violaceifrons Rebêlo & Moure, 1995
E. viridifrons Dressler, 1982
E. viridis (Perty, 1833)
E. viridissima Friese, 1899
E. williamsi Hinojosa-Díaz & Engel, 2011

Related Research Articles

The tribe Euglossini, in the subfamily Apinae, commonly known as orchid bees or euglossine bees, are the only group of corbiculate bees whose non-parasitic members do not all possess eusocial behavior.

Trigona is one of the largest genera of stingless bees, comprising about 32 species, exclusively occurring in the New World, and formerly including many more subgenera than the present assemblage; many of these former subgenera have been elevated to generic status.

Eufriesea is a genus of euglossine bees. Like all orchid bees, they are restricted to the Neotropics.

Eulaema is a genus of large-bodied euglossine bees that occur primarily in the Neotropics. They are robust brown or black bees, hairy or velvety, and often striped with yellow or orange, typically resembling bumblebees. They lack metallic coloration as occurs in the related genus Eufriesea.

Exaerete is a genus of euglossine bees found from Mexico to northern Argentina. Like all orchid bees, they are restricted to the Neotropics. All but one species is metallic green, and they are cleptoparasites in the nests of other euglossines in the genera Eufriesea and Eulaema. It contains the following species:

Aglae is a genus of euglossine bees, with the only described species Aglae caerulea. Like all orchid bees, it is restricted to the Neotropics. They are metallic blue. This species, like the genus Exaerete, is a nest parasite on free-living Euglossini. A. caerulea lays its eggs in the nests of Eulaema nigrita, and possibly other Eulaema species.

Pappognatha is a genus of mutillid wasps. Some members of this genus are ant mimics. These wasps occur in Central and South America, and are parasites in the arboreal nests of orchid bees in the genus Euglossa.

Euglossa hyacinthina, is a species of the orchid bee tribe Euglossini in the family Apidae. With a tongue that can get up to as long as 4 cm, this orchid bee species is found in Central America. Living in a neotropical climate, E.hyacinthina has adapted to hot and humid weather. The bee has darkly shaded, translucent wings and a metallic, glossy blue skeleton.

Euglossa bazinga is a euglossine bee species found in Brazil. It is named after the catchphrase of the fictional character Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the television show The Big Bang Theory. It was previously misidentified as Euglossa ignita, and is threatened with habitat loss.

Euglossa dilemma, the green orchid bee or dilemma orchid bee, is a species of solitary euglossine bee native to a broad area of Central America, and recently introduced to Florida in the United States. It was first detected in Broward County, Florida in 2003, and initially identified as Euglossa viridissima, but further study revealed that E. viridissima as previously defined consisted of two cryptic species, and the one present in Florida was new to science.

Eulaema meriana is a large-bodied bee species in the tribe Euglossini, otherwise known as the orchid bees. The species is a solitary bee and is native to tropical Central and South America. The male collects fragrances from orchid flowers, which it stores in hollows in its hind legs. Orchids can be deceptive by mimicking the form of a female and her sex pheromone, thus luring male bees or wasps. Pollination will take place as the males attempt to mate with the labellum, or the tip petal of the flower. Male E. meriana are territorial and have a particular perch on a tree trunk where it displays to attract a female. After mating, the female builds a nest with urn-shaped cells made with mud, feces, and plant resin, and provisions these with nectar and pollen before laying an egg in each. These bees also have complex foraging and wing buzzing behaviors and are part of a mimicry complex.

Euglossa cordata is a primitively eusocial orchid bee of the American tropics. The species is known for its green body color and ability to fly distances of over 50 km. Males mostly disperse and leave their home nests, while females have been observed to possess philopatric behavior. Because of this, sightings are rare and little is known about the species. However, it has been observed that adults who pollinate certain species of orchids will become intoxicated during the pollination.

Euglossa jacquelynae is a Euglossine bee species found in Central Brazil.

Euglossa solangeae is a Euglossine bee species found in coastal southeastern Brazil. It is believed to be part of the Euglossa stellfeldi group.

Euglossa sovietica is a Euglossine bee species found in the western Brazilian Amazon. It is believed to be part of the Euglossa purpurea group.

Eufriesea surinamensis belongs to the tribe of euglossine bees and as such is a species of orchid bee. This should not be mistaken with the species group surinamensis, which includes Ef. surinamensis among other Eufriesea species.

Euglossa imperialis is a bee species in the family Apidae. It is considered to be one of the most important pollinators to many Neotropical orchid species in mainland tropical America. It is also one of the most common non-parasitic euglossine species in lowland Panama. E. imperialis, unlike many other bee species, is not a social bee in the sense that there is no apparent morphological or physiological division within the species to distinguish individual bees to be part of a worker or reproductive caste.

Euglossa mixta is a species of orchid bee native to Central America and South America, it is a member of the genus Euglossa a group of brilliant green and blue bees specialized in pollinating certain species of orchids.

Euglossa viridissima is a species of orchid bee native to Central America, historically confused with a cryptic sister species, Euglossa dilemma.

Eulaema cingulata, also known as the belted orchid bee, is a large-bodied black and orange corbiculate bee in the genus Eulaema. It is characterized by its size and flashy orange segments of its metastoma. Unlike other Eulaema, E. cingulata has white markings on its face. Specifically, T1 andT3 are black while T2 and T4 through T7 are cream or slightly orange in color. These bees are easily mistaken for bumblebees . However, they are actually members of the Euglossini, or orchid bees.

References

↑ Williams, Norris H. & Whitten, W. Mark (1983): Orchid floral fragrances and male euglossine bees: methods and advances in the last sesquidecade. Biol. Bull.164: 355-395.
↑ dos Anjos-Silva, Evandson J.; Camillo, Evandro & Garófalo, Carlos A. (2006): Occurrence of Aglae caerulea Lepeletier & Serville (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) in the Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Neotrop. Entomol.35(6) doi : 10.1590/S1519-566X2006000600024
↑ Skov, C.; Wiley, J. (2005). "Establishment of the Neotropical Orchid Bee Euglossa viridissima (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Florida". Florida Entomologist. 88 (2): 225. doi: 10.1653/0015-4040(2005)088[0225:EOTNOB]2.0.CO;2 .
↑ Nemésio, André (2012): Species of the Euglossa Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossina) belonging to the purpurea species group occurring in eastern Brazil, with description of Euglossa monnei sp.n. Zootaxa3151: 35-52.
↑ Nemésio, André (2011): Euglossa marianae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Apidae): a new orchid bee from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the possible first documented local extinction of a forest-dependent orchid bee. Zootaxa2892: 59-68.

External links

David Roubik (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute): Diagnostic photographs of several Euglossa species
Euglossa dilemma on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures website.

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[1] Williams, Norris H. & Whitten, W. Mark (1983): Orchid floral fragrances and male euglossine bees: methods and advances in the last sesquidecade. Biol. Bull.164: 355-395.

[2] s Anjos-Silva, Evandson J.; Camillo, Evandro & Garófalo, Carlos A. (2006): Occurrence of Aglae caerulea Lepeletier & Serville (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) in the Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Neotrop. Entomol.35(6) doi : 10.1590/S1519-566X2006000600024

[3] Skov, C.; Wiley, J. (2005). "Establishment of the Neotropical Orchid Bee Euglossa viridissima (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Florida". Florida Entomologist. 88 (2): 225. doi: 10.1653/0015-4040(2005)088[0225:EOTNOB]2.0.CO;2 .

[4] Nemésio, André (2012): Species of the Euglossa Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossina) belonging to the purpurea species group occurring in eastern Brazil, with description of Euglossa monnei sp.n. Zootaxa3151: 35-52.

[5] Nemésio, André (2011): Euglossa marianae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Apidae): a new orchid bee from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the possible first documented local extinction of a forest-dependent orchid bee. Zootaxa2892: 59-68.

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