Anthemurgus passiflorae

Robertson, 1902

passion flower bee

A small solitary in the Andrenidae, Anthemurgus passiflorae is a monolectic that forages exclusively on yellow passionflower (Passiflora lutea). It is one of the few andrenid bees with a published -level assembly, making it valuable for studying the genomic basis of -plant specialization and conservation.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Anthemurgus passiflorae: /ˌæn.θɪˈmɜːr.ɡəs ˌpæs.ɪˈflɔː.riː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from other andrenid bees by its strict monolectic association with Passiflora lutea; specific morphological characters distinguishing it from congeneric and related are not documented in available sources.

Habitat

Associated with supporting its plant Passiflora lutea (yellow passionflower); specific habitat requirements beyond host plant presence are not documented.

Distribution

North America; specific range details are not documented in available sources.

Diet

Oligolectic (strictly monolectic) forager; pollen and nectar collection restricted to Passiflora lutea.

Host Associations

Passiflora lutea L. - monolectic pollen and nectar Exclusive plant for foraging; is a host-plant

Behavior

Exhibits monolectic foraging , specializing on a single plant rather than foraging broadly across multiple floral resources.

Ecological Role

of Passiflora lutea; potential role in maintaining genetic connectivity of this passionflower through pollen transfer.

Human Relevance

assembly (249 Mb, 12 , 12,098 genes) serves as a research resource for studying specialization, health, and conservation; one of few available andrenid genomes.

Similar Taxa

Other AndrenidaeMost andrenid bees are polylectic ( foragers) on diverse floral , whereas A. passiflorae is strictly monolectic on Passiflora lutea.
Other Protandrena speciesFormerly classified within Protandrena; differs in -plant specialization pattern and has been reclassified to Anthemurgus based on distinct biological and presumably morphological characteristics.

More Details

Genomic Resources

-level assembly published in 2025 (G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics); 249 Mb nuclear genome, 150x coverage, scaffolded into 12 chromosomes, scaffold N50 of 21.4 Mb, BUSCO score 97.2% for 5991 hymenopteran genes. Mitochondrial genome resolved at 12.7 kb. Assembly based on single male specimen.