Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
The first fossil bumble bee (Apinae: Bombini) from the Miocene Randeck Maar of southwestern Germany is described and illustrated. The specimen is subjected to a geometric morphometric analysis along with a diversity of other bumble bee species representing most major extant lineages, and particularly the subgenus Bombus s.s. The morphometric analysis supports the placement of the Randeck Maar species within Bombus s.s., as a species distinct from all others in the subgenus. It shows that extant subgenera of bumblebees were already derived in the early/middle Miocene. The Randeck Maar fossil is formally described as Bombus ( Bombus ) randeckensis Wappler & Engel sp. n. .
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Wappler et al. (2012) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: