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Wallacetrigona incisa (Sakagami & Inoue, 1989)
ex Trigona incisa
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A new genus of stingless bees (Apinae: Meliponini) is described and figured from Indonesia (Sulawesi), known from a single species previously placed in Geniotrigona Moure. Based on recent phylogenetic studies, Trigona (Geniotrigona) incisa Sakagami and Inoue renders Geniotrigona polyphyletic and is more closely related to Lepidotrigona Moure. The species is transferred to Wallacetrigona Engel and Rasmussen, new genus, and differentiated from Geniotrigona proper as well as all other meliponines occurring in Sundaland, Wallacea, and Sahul (Australinea). The new genus occurs east of the Wallace Line and separate from the distribution of Geniotrigona, which is otherwise restricted to Sundaland, but Wallacetrigona is presently not known beyond the Weber Line. A hierarchical classification of Indomalayan and Australasian stingless bees is tabulated and a revised key to the genera and subgenera provided, as well as an appendix tabulating the species and synonyms. The following new combinations are established: Wallacetrigona incisa (Sakagami and Inoue), Homotrigona (Lophotrigona) canifrons (Smith), Homotrigona (Odontotrigona) haematoptera (Cockerell), Homotrigona (Tetrigona) apicalis (Smith), H. (T.) binghami (Schwarz), H. (T.) melanoleuca (Cockerell), H. (T.) peninsularis (Cockerell), and H. (T.) vidua (Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau).
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| FIGURE 1. Lateral habitus of workers. A. Wallacetrigona incisa (Sakagami and Inoue). B. Geniotrigona thoracica (Smith). C. G. lacteifasciata (Cameron). |
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| Lateral habitus of workers of Wallacetrigona incisa (Sakagami and Inoue). |
SYSTEMATICS
Tribe Meliponini Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau
Wallacetrigona Engel and Rasmussen, new genus
Wallacetrigona incisa (Sakagami and Inoue), new combination
Trigona (Geniotrigona) incisa Sakagami and Inoue, 1989: 605.
Geniotrigona incisa (Sakagami and Inoue); Rasmussen, 2008: 11.
Etymology: The generic name honors Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), an intrepid and
early explorer of the Indomalayan insect fauna and coauthor with Charles R. Darwin (1809–
1882) of the theory of evolution. The gender of the name is feminine.
Claus Rasmussen, Jennifer C. Thomas and Michael S. Engel. 2017. A New Genus of Eastern Hemisphere Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae), with A Key to the Supraspecific Groups of Indomalayan and Australasian Meliponini. American Museum Novitates. no. 3888. http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/6817
