Family STENOTRITIDAE
Compiler and date details
30 March 2006 - Updated and revised by Ken L. Walker, Museum Victoria, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
1993 - J.C. Cardale, CSIRO Division of Entomology, Canberra, Australia
Introduction
The Stenotritidae are endemic and comprise two genera of large (12–18 mm), robust, hairy, short-tongued bees. They occur throughout mainland Australia, but the family is best represented in Western Australia; only one genus, Stenotritus, occurs in eastern Australia (Houston 1983a, 1983b, 1985). The family is not known from Tasmania.
Stenotritidae have a short, broad, glossa, which is rounded-acute apically; the ocelli are positioned low on the frons; the first antennal flagellar segment is longer than the scape; and the forewing has three submarginal cells. The females have a vestigial sting and carry pollen externally on scopae on the hind legs.
All species are solitary and nest in the ground. Some nests are over three metres deep. The nests may be quite close to each other but no obvious aggregations are formed (Houston 1975, 1984, 1987a; Houston & Thorp 1984). Fossil brood cells were described by Houston (1987b).
Rozen (1993) compared the larva and biology of Stenotritidae with other short-tongued bees. Michener (2000) summarises the characteristics of the family.
General References
Houston, T.F. 1975. Nests, behaviour and larvae of the bee Stenotritus pubescens (Smith) and behaviour of some related species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Stenotritinae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 14: 145-154 [Date published 31/12/1975]
Houston, T.F. 1983a. A revision of the bee genus Ctenocolletes (Hymenoptera: Stenotritidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum 10: 269-306 [Date published 31/12/1983]
Houston, T.F. 1983b. A new species of Ctenocolletes (Hymenoptera: Stenotritidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum 10: 307-313 [Date published 31/12/1983]
Houston, T.F. 1984. Biological observations in the genus Ctenocolletes (Hymenoptera: Stenotritidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum 11: 153-172 [Date published 31/12/1984]
Houston, T.F. 1985. Supplement to a revision of the bee genus Ctenocolletes (Hymenoptera: Stenotritidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum 12: 293-305 [Date published 31/12/1985]
Houston, T.F. 1987a. A second contribution to the biology of Ctenocolletes bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Stenotritidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum 13: 189-201 [Date published 31/12/1987]
Houston, T.F. 1987b. Fossil brood cells of stenotritid bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from the Pleistocene of South Australia. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 111: 93-97 [Date published 31/12/1987]
Houston, T.F. & Thorp, R.W. 1984. Bionomics of the bee Stenotritus greavesi and ethological characteristics of Stenotritidae (Hymenoptera). Records of the Western Australian Museum 11: 375-85 [Date published 31/12/1984]
McGinley, R.J. 1980. Glossal morphology of the Colletidae and recognition of the Stenotritidae at the family level (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 53: 539-552 [Date published 31/12/1980]
Michener, C.D. 1965. A classification of the bees of the Australian and South Pacific regions. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 130: 1-362 [Date published 31/12/1965]
Rozen, J.G. 1993. Phylogenetic relationships of Euherbstia with other short-tongued bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). American Museum Novitates 3060: 1-17
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22-Oct-2015 | 20-Sep-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 07-Aug-2012 | 07-Aug-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |