Engel, Engel & Herhold & Davis & Wang & Thomas, 2021

Engel, Michael S., Herhold, Hollister W., Davis, Steven R., Wang, Bo & Thomas, Jennifer C., 2021, Stingless bees in Miocene amber of southeastern China (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2021 (105), pp. 1-83 : 79-80

Necrotrigona Engel , new subgenus

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8EE70210-E246-4033-BFD3-2B14B2015983

TYPE SPECIES: Trigona hypogea Silvestri, 1902 .

DIAGNOSIS: This group includes the obligate necrophages. The subgenus is characterized by the following combination of traits: integument entirely dark brown to black; forewing membrane hyaline and typically lightly infumate, particularly proximally, sometimes slightly lighter apically; mandible quinquedentate; labrum simple, surface gently and evenly convex; vertex with distinct postocellar ridge; distance from median ocellus to postocellar ridge subequal to ocellar diameter; metatibia without defined corbicula, superior distal angle rounded, penicillum absent, retromarginal fringe setae sparse ( Fig. 131 ).

ETYMOLOGY: The new subgeneric name is a combination of the Greek nekrós (νεΚρός, meaning, “dead”) and Trigona . The gender of the name is feminine.

INCLUDED SPECIES: Aside from the type species, the subgenus includes T. crassipes (Fabricius) and T. necrophaga Camargo & Roubik .

Figures

Figures 131–132. Prolateral surfaces of metatibiae and metatarsi of workers of Trigona Jurine. 131. Trigona (Necrotrigona) hypogea Silvestri. 132. T. (Dichrotrigona) dimidiata Smith.