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A preliminary cladistic investigation of relationships among the bumble bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae)
Author(s) -
Williams Paul H.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
systematic entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1365-3113
pISSN - 0307-6970
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3113.1985.tb00529.x
Subject(s) - biology , cladogram , cladistics , paraphyly , subgenus , apidae , hymenoptera , zoology , phylogenetic tree , taxonomy (biology) , genetics , gene , clade
. The cladistic method is used to classify sixty species of bumble bees by characters of the male genitalia selected for their functional importance. A system of three genera is recommended, preserving the holophyletic groups Mendacibombus Skorikov, Psithyrus Lepeletier and Bombus Latreille, with the retention of the named subgroups of Bombus in subgeneric status. A new subgenus Brachycephalibombus is recognized in order to avoid paraphyletic groupings. The phylogenetic interpretation of the cladogram is considered and biogeographic problems discussed.