Melissodes tepaneca

Cresson, 1879

Tepanec Long-horned Bee

Melissodes tepaneca is a of long-horned in the . It is distributed across Central America and North America. The species belongs to a characterized by males with notably elongated . Like other Melissodes species, it is a solitary ground-nesting bee that contributes to of flora.

Melissodes tepaneca by (c) Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）. Used under a CC-BY license.

Melissodes tepaneca, f, side, SC, Jasper Co 2015-11-24-18.09 (24875401931) by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Tepanec long-horned bee, male (Apidae, Melissodes tepaneca (Cresson)) (35634678902) by Insects Unlocked
. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melissodes tepaneca: //mɛˈlɪsoʊˌdiːz ˌtɛpəˈnɛkə//

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

Identification

Males of Melissodes tepaneca possess the elongated characteristic of the , which serve as the primary distinguishing feature from many other genera. Specific identification features distinguishing M. tepaneca from such as M. agilis, M. robustior, and M. communis have not been documented in available sources.

Images

Distribution

Central America and North America. Distribution records indicate presence in Middle America and North America.

Ecological Role

As a member of the tribe Eucerini, Melissodes tepaneca functions as a . The Melissodes is known to visit a variety of flowering plants, though specific floral associations for M. tepaneca have not been documented.

Similar Taxa

Melissodes agilisCongeneric long-horned with overlapping geographic range in North America; males share the characteristic elongated and sleeping on vegetation
Melissodes robustiorCongeneric with similar male and ; has been observed in sleeping on flowers
Melissodes communisAnother North with similar general appearance and ecological role

More Details

Taxonomic Note

Authority sometimes cited as Cresson, 1878 in some databases (NCBI), though 1879 is the standard accepted date.

Genus Characteristics

The Melissodes comprises approximately 130 of long-horned . Males typically have approximately as long as or longer than their bodies, a trait reflected in the . Females nest in the ground and collect pollen from diverse floral sources.