A preliminary cladistic investigation of relationships among the bumble bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

摘要

ABSTRACT.The cladistic method is used to classify sixty species of bumble bees by characters of the male genitalia selected for their functional importance. A system of three genera is recommended, preserving the holophyletic groupsMendacibombusSkorikov,PsithyrusLepeletier andBombusLatreille, with the retention of the named subgroups ofBombusin subgeneric status. A new subgenusBrachycephalibombusis recognized in order to avoid paraphyletic groupings. The phylogenetic interpretation of the cladogram is considered and biogeographic problems discussed.