ruficornis species group, Typical Nomad Bees

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Internet References

On the Ceadrhill Golf Course Trail - Nomada

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)

No Taxon (Apoidea (clade Anthophila) - Bees)

Family Apidae (Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees)

Subfamily Nomadinae (Cuckoo Bees)

Tribe Nomadini (Nomad Bees)

Genus Nomada (Nomad Bees)

No Taxon ruficornis species group, Typical Nomad Bees

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

These former subgenera are now lumped with subgenus Nomada (sensu stricto) in a single taxon (now a species group as formal subgenera are no longer recognized in Nomada).

This taxon was recognized by Alexander (and later Michener and others) as a formal species group (assemblage of related species) corresponding to multiple former subgenera (e.g., subgenera sensu Mitchell, 1962) including Gnathias, Heminomada, Nomada, Phor and others.

Whereas other species groups of Alexander are well defined and monophyletic, the ruficornis species group is relatively poorly defined and may prove to be non-monophyletic. However, much of the troublesome diversity is in the Old World so not a problem for BugGuide. The problem of delimiting an appropriate ruficornis-group (=Nomada sensu stricto) taxon is one reason why Alexander did not propose a subgeneric system for this genus.

--J.S. Ascher, 13.iii.2008

Internet References

Alexander, B. A. 1994. Species-groups and cladistic analysis of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Nomada (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 55: 175-238. (Relevant Section)

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 3 May, 2008 - 10:19am
Additional contributions by John S. Ascher, Vox Sciurorum, v belov, Nathaniel Green
Last updated 28 February, 2021 - 8:46pm

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