| Meganomiidae | |
|---|---|
| Meganomia gigas | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Suborder: | Apocrita |
| Superfamily: | Apoidea |
| Family: | Meganomiidae |
| Genera | |
|
Ceratomonia |
|
The family Meganomiidae is a very small bee family, with 10 species in 4 genera, found primarily in Africa, primarily in xeric habitats, with the distributional limits in Yemen and Madagascar. Historically, they have been considered a subfamily within the family Melittidae, but recent molecular studies indicate that Meganomiids are their sister taxon.[1].
They are rather different in appearance from the other groups of past/present Melittids, being large bees (10-22 mm), mostly black with strong yellow markings, resembling anthidiine megachilids.