''Melipona'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

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 ...

s, widespread in warm areas of the

Neotropic The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In bi ...

s, from

Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and ...

and

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...

(México) to Tucumán and

Misiones Misiones (, ''Missions'') is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes P ...

(Argentina). About 70

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), 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 ...

are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution''. ''Springer Nature'', 385 pp. The largest producer of honey from ''Melipona'' bees in Mexico is in the state of

Yucatán Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate mun ...

where bees are studied at an interactive park called "Bee Planet" which is within the

Cuxtal Ecological Reserve The Cuxtal Ecological Reserve (from the Mayan language meaning "life"). It's located in the south zone of Mérida, Yucatán, Mérida municipality, between 20° 47' and 20° 55' of north latitude and 89° 33 and 89° 40' of west longitude. The Reser ...

. Several species are kept for

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

production, such as in

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, where some are well-known enough to have common names, including ''uruçu'', ''mandaçaia'', ''jandaíra'', and ''manduri''. ''Melipona'' honey has long been used by humans and now is of minor commercial importance. Research is going on in improved beekeeping techniques. The Melipona bee is the only pollinator known to pollinate the

vanilla Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus ''Vanilla (genus), Vanilla'', primarily obtained from pods of the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla (''Vanilla planifolia, V. planifolia''). Pollination is required to make the p ...

plant.

Pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, birds ...

by Melipona bee has only occurred in Mexico and almost all vanilla for commercial production is hand pollinated.

Subtaxa

The following are some proposed subtaxa of ''Melipona'', although they are not yet widely used. * '' Eomelipona'' * '' Melikerria'' * ''Melipona'' (''

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 c ...

'') * '' Michmelia''

Selected taxa

The genus includes the following species: * '' Melipona amazonica'' (Schulz, 1905) * '' Melipona asilvai'' ( Moure, 1971) * '' Melipona baeri'' (Vachal, 1904) * ''

Melipona beecheii ''Melipona beecheii'' is a species of eusocial stingless bee. It is native to Central America from the Yucatán Peninsula in the north to Costa Rica in the south. ''M. beecheii'' was cultivated in the Yucatán Peninsula starting in the pre- ...

'' (Bennett, 1831) * '' Melipona belizeae'' (Schwarz, 1932) * '' Melipona bicolor'' (Lepeletier, 1836) –'' guarupu, guaraipo'' * '' Melipona boliviana'' (Schwarz, 1932) * '' Melipona brachychaeta'' (Moure, 1950) * '' Melipona bradleyi'' (Schwarz, 1932) (Melipona illustris (Schwarz, 1932)) * '' Melipona capixaba'' (Moure & Camargo, 1995) * ''

Melipona captiosa ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Moure, 1962) * ''

Melipona carrikeri ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Cockerell, 1919) * '' Melipona colimana'' (Ayala, 1999) * ''

Melipona compressipes ''Melipona compressipes'', commonly known as tiúba in Brazil, is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini. References compressipes Hymenoptera of South America Hymenoptera of Brazil Insects des ...

'' (Fabricius, 1804) – ''tiúba'' ** ''Melipona compressipes manaosensis'' – ''jupará'' * ''

Melipona costaricaensis ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Cockerell, 1919) * '' Melipona cramptoni'' (Cockerell, 1920) * ''

Melipona crinita ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Moure & Kerr, 1950) * ''

Melipona dubia ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Moure & Kerr, 1950) * ''

Melipona eburnea ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Friese, 1900) * ''

Melipona fasciata ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Latreille, 1811) * ''

Melipona fasciculata ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Smith, 1854) * ''

Melipona favosa ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Fabricius, 1798) * ''

Melipona fuliginosa ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Lepeletier, 1836) * ''

Melipona flavolineata ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour ...

'' (Friese, 1900) * ''

Melipona fulva ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Lepeletier, 1836) * ''

Melipona fuscata ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Lepeletier, 1836) * ''

Melipona fuscopilosa ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour ...

'' (Moure & Kerr, 1950) * ''

Melipona fuscipes ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Latreille, 1811) * ''

Melipona grandis ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Guérin-Méneville, 1844) * ''

Melipona illota ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Cockerell, 1919) * ''

Melipona indecisa ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour ...

'' (Cockerell, 1919) * ''

Melipona interrupta ''Melipona interrupta'', commonly known as jandaíra in Brazil, is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini Stingless bees, sometimes called stingless honey bees or simply meliponines, are a large group of ...

'' (Latreille, 1811) – ''jandaíra'' * '' Melipona lateralis'' (Erichson, 1848) * ''

Melipona lupitae ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Ayala, 1999) * ''

Melipona mandacaia ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Smith, 1863) * ''

Melipona marginata ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Lepeletier, 1836) – ''manduri, manduri menor, mandurim, minduri, gurupu-do-miúdo, taipeira'' * '' Melipona melanopleura'' (Cockerell, 1919) * ''

Melipona melanoventer ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Schwarz, 1932) * '' Melipona merrillae'' (Cockerell, 1919) * ''

Melipona micheneri ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Schwarz, 1951) * ''

Melipona mimetica ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Cockerell, 1914) * ''

Melipona mondury ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour ...

'' (Smith, 1863) * ''

Melipona nebulosa ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Camargo, 1988) * ''

Melipona nigrescens ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán Province, Tucumán and Misiones Province, Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ...

'' (Friese, 1900) * '' Melipona obscurior'' (Moure, 1971) * ''

Melipona ogilviei ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, alon ...

'' (Schwarz, 1932) * ''

Melipona orbignyi ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Guérin-Méneville, 1844) * ''

Melipona panamica ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Cockerell, 1919) * ''

Melipona paraensis ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behavio ...

'' (Ducke, 1916) * ''

Melipona peruviana ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour ...

'' (Friese, 1900) * '' Melipona puncticollis'' (Friese, 1902) * '' Melipona quadrifasciata'' (Lepeletier, 1836) – ''mandaçaia, amanaçaia, manaçaia, "uruçu"'' ** ''M. q. anthidioides'' * ''

Melipona quinquefasciata ''Melipona quinquefasciata'', commonly known as the mandaçaia-da-terra or mandaçaia-do-chão (Brazilian Portuguese: "ground mandaçaia" bee) in Brazil, is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini Stingles ...

'' (Lepeletier, 1836) – ''mandaçaia-da-terra, mandaçaia-do-chão, uruçu-do-chão'' * ''

Melipona rufescens ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour ...

'' (Friese, 1900 ) * ''

Melipona ruficrus ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' – ''irapuá * ''

Melipona rufiventris ''Melipona rufiventris'', commonly known as tujuba in Brazil, is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini Stingless bees, sometimes called stingless honey bees or simply meliponines, are a large group of be ...

'' (Lepeletier, 1836) – ''uruçu-amarela, tuiuva, tujuba, bugia'' ** ''M. r. paraensis'' – ''uruçu-boca-de-ralo * '' Melipona salti'' (Schwarz, 1932) * ''

Melipona schwarzi ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Moure, 1963) * ''

Melipona scutellaris ''Melipona scutellaris'' is a Eusociality, eusocial stingless bee species of the order Hymenoptera and the genus ''Melipona''. It is considered to be the reared ''Melipona'' species with the largest distribution in the North and Northeast regions ...

'' (Latreille, 1811) – ''uruçu-nordestina, "uruçu"'' * ''

Melipona seminigra ''Melipona seminigra'', commonly known as uruçu-boca-de-renda (literally "laced-mouth uruçu" bee in Brazilian Portuguese), is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini Stingless bees, sometimes called stin ...

'' (Friese, 1903) ** ''M. s. atrofulva'' ** ''M. s. abunensis'' ** ''M. s. merrillae'' – ''boca-de-renda'' ** ''M. s. pernigra'' * ''

Melipona solani ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Cockerell, 1912) * '' Melipona subnitida'' (Ducke, 1911) – ''jandaíra'' * ''

Melipona titania ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Gribodo, 1893) * ''

Melipona torrida ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Friese, 1917) * ''

Melipona triplaridis ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Cockerell, 1925) * ''

Melipona tumupasae ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ec ...

'' (Schwarz, 1932) * ''

Melipona variegatipes ''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). About 70 species are known.Grüter, C. 2020. ''Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, E ...

'' (Gribodo, 1893) ** ''M. v. lautipes'' * '' Melipona yucatanica'' (Camargo, Moure & Roubik, 1988)

References

{{Authority control Bee genera Orchid pollinators Taxa named by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger

Subtaxa

Selected taxa

See also

References