| Eucerini | |
|---|---|
| Female Tetraloniella sp | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Superfamily: | Apoidea |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Subfamily: | Apinae |
| Tribe: | Eucerini |
| Genera | |
|
Over 30, see text |
|
The Eucerini is the most diverse tribe in the family Apidae, with over 32 genera worldwide that were previously classified as members of the family Anthophoridae. All species are solitary, though many nest in large aggregations, and it is also occasionally possible to find large "sleeping" aggregations of males. Most, but not all, genera are distinctive in the unusually long male antennae from which the tribe derives its name (eucer- means true horned). They are most diverse in the Western Hemisphere.
The classification within the tribe is rather chaotic, as many of the genera are small and poorly characterized, with the bulk of species (~500) in only 5 genera. This is a group in serious need of a thorough taxonomic overhaul, and the fusion of many genera would likely result (the most recent revision in 2000 eliminated 7 genera).