Author: Latreille, 1809

Type species: Apis conica Linnaeus, 1758 = Apis quadridentata Linnaeus, 1758, by designation of Curtis, 1831.
Subgenera: Allocoelioxys Tkalcu, 1974; Coelioxys s.str. Latreille, 1809; Liothyrapis Cockerell, 1911; Melissoctonia Rocha-Filho, 2016; Paracoelioxys Gribodo, 1884; Rozeniana Rocha-Filho, 2016.
Synonyms: Coelioxita Pasteels, 1977; Coelioxula Pasteels, 1982; Liothgraphis Sandhouse, 1943.
Clade: Anthophila
Family: Megachilidae
SubF: Megachilinae
Tribe: Megachilini
Distinctive traits
  • females with a very pointed tip of the abdomen
  • 2 submarginal cells
  • no ventral scopa in females (cleptoparasitic bees)
  • patches of short and appressed hairs on the abdomen
  • males with 4 to 8 teeth at the tip of the abdomen
  • axillae tooth-like
  • arolium absent
  • hairs on the compound eyes (trait shared only with Apis mellifera)
Pictures of distinctive traits.
Morphologically close genera and how to distinguish them
  • Coelioxys - Paradioxys
Coelioxys species have 2 tooth-like axillae and a rounded scutellum.
Paradioxys species have rounded axillae, and 2 spine-like postero-lateral projections of the scutellum.
  • Coelioxys - Aglaoapis, Dioxys & Metadioxys.
Coelioxys species have 2 tooth-like axillae and a rounded scutellum. The tip of the abdomen is pointed in females.
Aglaoapis, Dioxys & Metadioxys species have rounded axillae, and 2 spine-like postero-lateral projections of the scutellum. The tip of the abdomen is not pointed in females.
  • Coelioxys - Megachile
Coelioxys species have 2 tooth-like axillae. Females don't have a scopa. Males have four long preapical teeth on tergite 7, sometime divided or crenulate.
Megachile species have 2 rounded axillae. Females do have a scopa. Males have only crenulate, emarginate or two small teeth on tergite 7.
General comments on Coelioxys species identification
Species can be distinguished based on the patterns of hairs patches and apical shape of tergites 6 (females) and 7 (males).
Sorry, but the species identification tool is not yet available for Coelioxys. 
Please check the reference(s) below for traditional keys.
List of the 28 Coelioxys species found in Europe (IUCN 2014 + Rasmont et al 2017):
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) acanthopygus Alfken, 1940
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) acanthurus (Illiger, 1806)
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) afrus Lepeletier, 1841
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) argenteus Lepeletier, 1841
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) artemis Schwarz, 2001
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) brevis Eversmann, 1852
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) caudatus Spinola, 1838
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) coturnix Pérez, 1884
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) echinatus Förster, 1853
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) elegantulus Alfken, 1934
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) elongatulus Alfken, 1938
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) elsei Schwarz, 2001
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) emarginatus Förster, 1853
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) haemorrhous Förster, 1853
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) obtusus Pérez, 1884
Coelioxys (Allocoelioxys) polycentris Förster, 1853


Coelioxys (Coelioxys) quadridentatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Coelioxys (Liothyrapis) decipiens Spinola, 1838
Coelioxys (Melissoctonia) conoideus (Illiger, 1806)
Coelioxys (Paracoelioxys) alatus Förster, 1853
Coelioxys (Paracoelioxys) elongatus Lepeletier, 1841
Coelioxys (Paracoelioxys) inermis (Kirby, 1802)
Coelioxys (Paracoelioxys) mandibularis Nylander, 1848
Coelioxys (Paracoelioxys) osmiae Alfken, 1928
Coelioxys (Rozeniana) aurolimbatus Förster, 1853
Coelioxys (Rozeniana) rufescens Lepeletier & Serville, 1825
Coelioxys (?) lanceolatus Nylander, 1852
Coelioxys (?) obtusispinus Thomson, 1872
References with identification keys for some of the species:
  • Amiet, F., Herrmann, M., Müller, A., & Neumeyer, R. (2004). Apidae 4: Anthidium, Chelostoma, Coelioxys, Dioxys, Heriades, Lithurgus, Megachile, Osmia, Stelis. Fauna Helvetica 9. Centre suisse de cartographie de la faune (CSCF), Neuchâtel 273pp.
  • Ortiz-Sánchez, F. J., Torres, F., & Ornosa, C. (2009). Claves de identificación para las especies ibéricas del género Coelioxys Latreille, 1809 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae). Graellsia, 65(2), 155-170.
  • Falk S.J. (2015) Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury wildlife guides. 432 p.
Online resources:
Atlas hymenoptera (Belgium)
BWARS (UK) 
Exotic Bee ID (World)
Discover Life (World)
WestPalBees (West Palearctic)
Page contributors:
  • Adrien Perrard (Dec. 2019)

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References used to write this page:
  • Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World, 2nd Edition. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
  • Michez D., Rasmont P., Terzo, M., Vereecken, N. 2019. Abeilles d'Europes. Hymenoptères d'Europes, Volume 1. N.A.P. Editions.
  • Nieto, A., Roberts, S. P., Kemp, J., Rasmont, P., Kuhlmann, M., García Criado, M., ... & Michez, D. 2014. European red list of bees. Luxembourg: Publication Office of the European Union, 98.
  •  Rasmont, P., Devalez, Jelle, Pauly, A., Michez, D. & Radchenko, V.G. 2017. Addition to the checklist of IUCN European wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Annales de la Société entomologique de France 53: 17-32.