Author: Spinola, 1808

Type species: Rophites quinquespinosus Spinola, 1808, monobasic.
Synonyms: Rhophites Agassiz, 1846.
Clade: Anthophila
Family: Halictidae
Subfamily: Rophitinae
Tribe: Rophitini
Distinctive traits
  • 2 submarginal cells
  • short clypeus so that antennae are inserted below the middle of the eyes
  • scutellum longer than the propodeal horizontal area
  • females have frontal spines
  • labial palpi segments very elongated
Pictures of distinctive traits.
Morphologically close genera and how to distinguish them
  • Rophites - Rophitoides
Rophites species have very elongated labial palpi, with segments 1-3 much longer than those of maxillary palpi. Females have frontal spines. Males have long antennae, with segments distinctly longer than wide.
Rophitoides species have labial palpi not very elongate, with segments 1-3 about the length of those of maxillary palpi. Females have no frontal spines. Males have antennae with segments about as long as wide.
  • Rophites - Dufourea
Rophitoides have abdominal hairs bands and a propodeal horizontal area shorter than the scutellum and forming a clear angle with the posterior face of the propodeum.
Dufourea have no abdominal hairs band, and a propodeal horizontal area longer than the scutellum and posteriorly rounded.
General comments on Rophites species identification
Species identification involves criteria on sternites, legs and body sculpture, so legs and wings should be slightly spread out.
Sorry, but the species identification tool is not yet available for Rophites. 
Please check the reference(s) below for traditional keys.
List of the 8 Rophites species found in Europe (IUCN 2014 + Rasmont et al 2017):
Rophites (Rophites) algirus Pérez, 1895
Rophites (Rophites) clypealis Schwammberger, 1976
Rophites (Rophites) foveolatus Friese, 1900
Rophites (Rophites) hartmanni Friese, 1902
Rophites (Rophites) hellenicus Ebmer, 1984
Rophites (Rophites) leclercqi Schwammberger, 1971
Rophites (Rophites) quinquespinosus Spinola, 1808
Rophites (Rophites) thracius Ebmer, 1993
References with identification keys for some of the species:
  • Amiet F., Müller A. & Neumeyer R.,1999. Apidae 2: Colletes, Dufourea, Hylaeus, Nomia, Nomioides, Rhophitoides, Rophites, Sphecodes, Systropha (Fauna Helvetica 4). Centre suisse de cartographie de la faune (CSCF), Neuchâtel, 239 pp.
  • Pesenko, Y.A., Banaszak, J., Radchenko, V.G. & Cierzniak, T. 2000. Bees of the family Halictidae (excluding Sphecodes) of Poland. Bydgoszcz. 348pp.
Online resources:
Atlas hymenoptera (World, Europe & Belgium)
BWARS (UK)
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.