Author: Friese 1911

Type species: Eucera breviceps Friese, 1911, monobasic.
Subgenera: Cubitalia s.str.; Pseudeucera.
GENUS ID
DIFFICULTY
 HARD
Clade: Anthophila
Family: Apidae
Subfamily: Apinae
Tribe: Eucerini
Distinctive traits
  • Males with very long antennae and yellow clypeus (in common with other Eucerini)
  • Eucerini with two submarginal cells (in common with Eucera (Synhalonia) )
Picture
Pictures of traits to come... if you have some, please contact us.
Morphologically close genera and how to distinguish them
  • Eucera
Cubitalia has 4 maxillary palpus segments, a submarginal cell 1 equal to submarginal cell 2, and in males, the first flagellar segment is about as long or longer than segment 2. Eucera has 5-6 maxillary palpus segments, a submarginal cell 1 smaller than submarginal cell 2, and in males, the first flagellar segment is smaller than segment 2.
General comments on Cubitalia species identification
While there are only two species in the genus Cubitalia in Europe, they are morphologically close from Eucera (Synhalonia) species and can easily be confused with them.
List of the 2 Cubitalia species found in Europe (IUCN 2014 + Rasmont et al 2017)
Cubitalia morio
Cubitalia parvicornis

According to Michener, 2007, the males of the two species can be differentiated by their mandible and antennae: Cubitalia (Cubitalia s.str) morio has bidentate mandibles longer than eyes and short antennae reaching only the propodeum while C. (Pareucera) parvicornis has smaller bidentate mandibles and longer antennae reaching the metasoma.
References with identification keys to Cubitalia species:
  • Tkalců, B., 1984. Revision der Gattung Cubitalia Friese, 1911 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Slovenské Národné Múzeum, Prírodovedný Ústav.
  • Michener, C.D., 2007. The bees of the world (2nd edition). JHU press.
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.