EuryglossinaEuryglossina fuscescens Euryglossina sulcata

Photographs & Author Marc Newman â—¦

Euryglossina (Euryglossina) cf fuscescens is 4mm long on Melaleuca in Ballandean Queensland.

Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

I suggested Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens to Michael and he said:-
I think it is distinctly possible, but E. fuscescens, E. hypochroma and E. flaviventris are among the most common Euryglossina species and there is some colour variation within species. E. cockerelli and even E. atomaria may be possibilities. While there are several other euryglossine genera with species having the right size and general colour, I can’t think of any with yellow face marks like the ones in your photo.

Turning the question around the other way, I don’t see anything in the pictures that would permit anyone to say that the bee was not E. fuscescens. And you could always quote Elizabeth Exley who said

“The females of this species, as it is understood by the author, demonstrate considerable colour variation on the face. Common to all is a large splash of yellow colour on the clypeus and supraclypeal area. The yellow colour may continue to the eye, or there may be an orbital streak of yellow. There appears to be a continuous gradation in colour marking.”


I’m going for Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens  🙂

Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Apiformes
  • Family: Colletidae
  • Subfamily: Euryglossinae
  • Genus: Euryglossina
  • Subgenus: infrageneric Euryglossina
  • Species: Euryglossina fuscescens

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens © Marc Newman, Flickr, https://flickr.com/photos/koolbee/albums
  2. Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens Cockerell, 1929, Plasterer Bee, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Euryglossina (Euryglossina) fuscescens

EuryglossinaEuryglossina fuscescens Euryglossina sulcata

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