Squash bee

Taxobox
name = Squash bee
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Hymenoptera
familia = Apidae
subfamilia = Apinae
tribus = Eucerini
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Peponapis" "Xenoglossa"

The name Squash bee is applied to two related genera of bees in the tribe Eucerini; "Peponapis" and "Xenoglossa". Both genera are oligoleges (pollen specialists) on the plant genus "Cucurbita" and closely-related plants (squash, cucumbers, etc.). They are small genera, containing only 13 and 7 described species, respectively, and their combined range is nearly identical to the range of "Cucurbita" in the New World, from South America to North America. Their range has become somewhat expanded along with the movement of cucurbits into other areas (as crop plants). The bees themselves are of moderate size, equal to various bumblebees. The pollen-carrying hairs on their legs (the scopa) are unbranched or nearly so, and sparse, to accommodate the exceptionally large, coarse pollen of the host plants. They have also evolved a matinal daily activity cycle, flying before sunrise. Some "Xenoglossa" species have become morphologically specialized to fly while it is still dark, with greatly enlarged ocelli to allow them to fly in near-darkness.

The two genera are sometimes thought to be sister taxa, but there are enough differences between them to suggest that the similarities may be due to convergent evolution, based on their adaptation to utilize the same host plants.

References

* [http://www.fao.org/AG/AGP/AGPS/C-CAB/Castudies/pdf/1-002.pdf Importance of squash bees (Peponapis & Xenoglossa) as pollinators of domestic Cucurbita in the Americas:SPAS (Squash Pollinators of the Americas Survey)]