''Bombus cryptarum'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
bumblebee
A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gener ...
. It is native to the northern hemisphere, where it is "one of the most widespread bumblebees in the world."
[NatureServe. 2015]
''Bombus cryptarum''.
NatureServe Explorer Version 7.1. Accessed 8 March 2016. It occurs throughout Europe, Asia, and western North America. It is known commonly as the cryptic bumblebee.
[
The species' complete distribution is unclear due to taxonomic uncertainties. It is part of a ]species complex
In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...
of several bees in the subgenus ''Bombus'' ''sensu stricto
''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...
'', which are very similar and difficult to tell apart.
It has only recently been identified in the British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
.[''Bombus'' (''Bombus'') ''cryptarum'' (Fabricius, 1775).]
Atlas Hymenoptera.
The Bombus cryptarum taxa is different from the Bombus magnus which was determined after research found that the Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 and labial gland secretions distinguished the two taxa apart. The Bombus cryptarum florilegus, an endangered species of Bombus in the region of Japan, had previously been identified as having a closely relationship with Bombus Lucorum. In reference back the endangered species, Bombus cryptarum florilegus, these were found to be low in genetic diversity and maintained their own population with immigration from Notsuke Peninsula to the Chishima (Kuril) Islands[Sasaki, T., Mitsuhata, M., Kiyoshi, T., Nishimoto, M., Takeuchi, T., Nomura, T., & Takahashi, J. (2019). Low mitochondrial DNA variation in the endangered bumble bee Bombus cryptarum florilegus. Journal of Apicultural Research, 58(4), 591–596. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2019.1614735]
In northern areas this bee lives on plains, especially in heather ecosystems. In southern regions it can be found in mountain habitat.[
]
References
Bumblebees
Hymenoptera of Europe
Insects described in 1775
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius
{{bombus-stub