— see Xanthesma | Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra

A study by Curtin and Flinders Universities has found that what were once thought to be two different species of native Australian bee are in fact one. Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera are conspecific (in biology, conspecific describes a member of the same species).

Lead researcher Dr. Kit Prendergast from the Curtin School of Molecular and Life Sciences said the study, based on native bee surveys at Perth locations of Wireless Hill, Shenton Park and Russo Reserve, fundamentally alters previous thinking.

Co-authored by Dr. James Dorey from Flinders University and published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy, the research is titled “Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera are conspecific based on DNA barcodes.”

Source: Lucien Wilkinson, Curtin University2

More information: Kit Prendergast et al, Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera are conspecific based on DNA barcodes, Australian Journal of Taxonomy (2023). DOI: 10.54102/ajt.df83w

Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra, Muchea WA © Marc Newman
Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra, Muchea WA © Marc Newman
Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra, Canning River East Branch WA © Jean and Fred Hort
Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra, Canning River East Branch WA © Jean and Fred Hort
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Apiformes
  • Superfamily: Euryglossinae
  • Genus: Xanthesma
  • Subgenus: infrageneric Xenohesma
  • Species: Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra (Cockerell, 1916)
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Apiformes
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Apiformes
  • Family: Colletidae
  • Subfamily: Euryglossinae
  • Genus: Xanthesma
  • Subgenus: infrageneric Xanthesma
  • Species: Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera (Cockerell, 1914)

Footnote & References

  1. Prendergast KS & Dorey JB (2023). Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera are conspecific based on DNA barcodes. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 39: 1–10. doi: https://doi.org/10.54102/ajt.df83w (First published 27 October 2023)
  2. Prendergast KS & Dorey JB (2023). Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera are conspecific based on DNA barcodes. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 39: 1–10. doi: https://doi.org/10.54102/ajt.df83w
  3. Two bee species become one as researchers solve identity puzzle, 30 OCT 2023, Lucien Wilkinson, Curtin University, https://www.curtin.edu.au/news/media-release/two-bee-species-become-one-as-researchers-solve-identity-puzzle/
  4. Two bee species become one as researchers solve identity puzzle, 30 October 2023, by Curtin University, Phys.org, Science X Network, https://phys.org/news/2023-10-bee-species-identity-puzzle.html
  5. Xanthesma (Xenohesma) Michener, 1965, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Xanthesma (Xenohesma)
  6. Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera (Cockerell, 1914), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera
  7. Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra (Cockerell, 1916), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra
  8. Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra, Muchea WA © Marc Newman
  9. Genus Xanthesma, Moore River National Park WA © Jean and Fred Hort

XanthesmaXanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera

EuryglossinaeEuryglossinae Index Callohesma Dasyhesma Euhesma Euryglossa Eurglossa adelaidae Euryglossa calaina Euryglossa calaina female Euryglossa ephippiata Euryglossa salaris Euryglossina Euryglossina fuscescens Euryglossina sulcata Xanthesma Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera

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