''Austroplebeia magna'' is a small

eusocial Eusociality (from Greek εὖ ''eu'' "good" and social), the highest level of organization of sociality, is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care (including care of offspring from other individuals), overlapping generat ...

stingless bee Stingless bees, sometimes called stingless honey bees or simply meliponines, are a large group of bees (about 550 described species), comprising the tribe Meliponini (or subtribe Meliponina according to other authors). They belong in the family A ...

first described by Dollin, Dollin and Rasmussen in 2015 and it is found in Australia (Northern Northern Territory and far North-West Queensland).

Etymology

The Latin feminine adjective, 'magna', meaning 'large', refers to a broad section of their legs (Basitarsus III) and long sting lancet in workers of this species.

Description and identification

''A. magna'' is very similar to A. cassiae in size and colouration. The workers (3.5-4.5mm) are darker in colour compared to '' A. australis''. The hind edge of their thorax usually only has two ochre or cream spots. Their face has a thick white hair with at least one full marking hidden underneath it. Sometimes workers have no marking at all on their face or thorax, like some populations found in Arnhem land in the Northern Territory. The males are brightly marked, with cream bands on their face, thorax and legs. The main differences with A. cassiae are their broad basitarsus III, long sting lancet and fine clypeus hair.

Nest building

The nests of ''A. magna'' studied so far have been in small to medium size hollow trees (10-24 cm diameter at nest level). The nests have a short nest entrance tunnel. The brood structure and storage pots are similar to the ones in A. australis. File:Amagna3.png, Brood structure of ''A. magna'' File:Amagna2.png, The short entrance tunnel of ''A. magna'' File:Amagna4.png, Honey pots of ''A. magna''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q85101451 Bees Insects of Australia Apidae