''Hylaeus anthracinus'' is a species of

bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyly, monophyletic lineage within the ...

, also known by the common name anthricinan yellow-faced bee. It is endemic to Hawaii and known from only 16 populations. In September 2016, along with six other Hawaiian ''Hylaeus'' species, ''H. anthracinus'' was listed for protection under the United States

Endangered Species Act The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA or "The Act"; 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) is the primary law in the United States for protecting imperiled species. Designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of ec ...

. This marked a first listing for any bee species in the US.

Description

''Hylaeus anthracinus'' is colored black and of medium size. Its legs are black and the wings are clearish. Males have a large facial yellow spot whereas females are completely black.

Distribution and habitat

''Hylaeus anthracinus'' is found in coastal and lowland dry forest. Populations are now only known from the islands of Hawaii, Kahoolawe,

Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...

Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...

and Oahu. Threats to the species include habitat degradation by nonnative animals and plants, predation by nonnative insects, fires and climate change.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2191047 Colletidae Insects of Hawaii Endemic fauna of Hawaii Endangered fauna of Hawaii Hymenoptera of Oceania Insects described in 1853 ESA endangered species