Systropha

The genus Systropha comprises several species of Old World sweat bees, primarily specialist pollinators of plants in the genus Convolvulus. Males of the genus have unusual curled antennae, and females have pollen-carrying hairs covering almost the entire abdomen.[1]

Systropha
Systropha planidens male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Hexapoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hymenoptera
Suborder:
Apocrita
Superfamily:
Apoidea
Family:
Halictidae
Subfamily:
Rophitinae
Genus:
Systropha

Illiger, 1806
species

~25 species

Distribution

Systropha species occur from Spain and Morocco east to Tajikistan, and north as far as southern Germany. They occur in both eastern and western parts of Africa, south to Namibia. Asian species range as far south as Sri Lanka and Thailand.[1]

Life history

So far as is known, all species are oligolectic on flowers of Convolvulus, with unusual modifications of the scopa, such that almost the entire abdomen (including the dorsal surface) is used for carrying pollen, rather than the legs, as in most bees.[1] Pollen is carried to nests in the ground, formed into pollen masses, on each of which a single egg is laid before the cell containing the pollen is sealed, and another cell is then constructed and provisioned.[1]

Species

Species according to Catalogue of Life:[2]

Systropha 
 

Systropha aethiopica

 
 

Systropha alfkeni

 
 

Systropha androsthenes

 
 

Systropha arnoldi

 
 

Systropha bispinosa

 
 

Systropha curvicornis

 
 

Systropha diacantha

 
 

Systropha difformis

 
 

Systropha glabriventris

 
 

Systropha hirsuta

 
 

Systropha inexspectata

 
 

Systropha iranica

 
 

Systropha kazakhstaniensis

 
 

Systropha krigei

 
 

Systropha macronasuta

 
 

Systropha maroccana

 
 

Systropha martiali

 
 

Systropha norae

 
 

Systropha pici

 
 

Systropha planidens

 
 

References
  1. Michener, C.D. (2000). The Bees of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press
  2. Bisby F.A.; Roskov Y.R.; Orrell T.M.; Nicolson D.; Paglinawan L.E.; Bailly N.; Kirk P.M.; Bourgoin T.; Baillargeon G.; Ouvrard D. (red.) (2011). "Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist". Species 2000: Reading, UK.
  • Media related to Systropha at Wikimedia Commons
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