The
sweat bee genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
''Lasioglossum'' is the largest of all
bee genera, containing over 1800 species in numerous subgenera worldwide.
[Gibbs, J., et al. (2012)]
Phylogeny of halictine bees supports a shared origin of eusociality for ''Halictus'' and ''Lasioglossum'' (Apoidea: Anthophila: Halictidae).
''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 65(3), 926-39. They are highly variable in size, coloration, and sculpture; among the more unusual variants, some are
cleptoparasites, some are
nocturnal
Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite.
Nocturnal creatur ...
, and some are
oligolectic. Most ''Lasioglossum'' species nest in the ground, but some nest in rotten logs.
Social behavior among species of ''Lasioglossum'' is extraordinarily variable; species are known to exhibit solitary nesting, primitive eusociality, and social parasitism. Colony sizes vary widely, from small colonies of a single queen and four or fewer workers to large colonies of >400 workers and perennial life cycles.
The genus ''Lasioglossum'' can be divided into two informal series based on the strength of the distal veins of the forewing. The ''Lasioglossum'' series (or strong-veined ''Lasioglossum'') is mostly composed of solitary or communal species, even if some species like ''L. aegyptiellum'' show signs of division of labour indicative of
eusociality
Eusociality ( Greek 'good' and social) is the highest level of organization of sociality. It is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care (including care of offspring from other individuals), overlapping generations wit ...
.
The ''Hemihalictus'' series (or weak-veined ''Lasioglossum'') includes species with a wide range of sociality.
[Michener, C.D. (1974). ''The Social Behavior of the Bees''. Harvard University Press. 404 pp.] The ''Hemihalictus'' series is composed of species which are solitary, communal, primitively eusocial, cleptoparasitic, or socially parasitic.
Eusocial species may have small colonies with only one or a few workers or large colonies with dozens of workers. Large colony sizes occur in ''L. marginatum'', which forms perennial colonies lasting five or six years, with hundreds of workers; this species is the only halictine bee with perennial colonies.
Subgenera
A list of subgenera (modified from Michener's ''Bees of the World''):
''Lasioglossum'' series: ''
Australictus'', ''
Callalictus'', ''
Chilalictus'', ''
Ctenonomia'', ''
Echthralictus'', ''
Glossalictus'', ''Homalictus, Ipomalictus'', ''Lasioglossum s. str.'', ''
Leuchalictus'', ''
Oxyhalictus'', ''
Parasphecodes'', ''
Pseudochilalictus'', ''
Rubrihalictus'', ''
Urohalictus''.
''Hemihalictus'' series: ''
Acanthalictus'', ''
Austrevylaeus'', ''Biennilaeus, Capalictus'', ''
Dialictus'', ''Eickwortia,
Evylaeus'', ''
Hemihalictus'', ''Rostrohalictus
,'' ''Pyghalictus'', ''
Sphecodogastra''.
Subgeneric classification of ''Lasioglossum'' remains controversial, with disagreement among experts on the number and extent of subgenera.
Two of the better-known species are the European ''
Lasioglossum malachurum'' and the North American species ''
Lasioglossum zephyrus''.
See also
*
List of Lasioglossum species
References
External links
Lasioglossum Identification Guide List of SpeciesWorldwide Species Map
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1939370
Bee genera
Taxa named by John Curtis