Melittosphex burmensis
| Melittosphex burmensis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Infraorder: | Aculeata |
| Family: | †Melittosphecidae Poinar & Danforth, 2006 |
| Genus: | †Melittosphex Poinar & Danforth, 2006 |
| Species: | †M. burmensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Melittosphex burmensis Poinar & Danforth, 2006
| |
Melittosphex burmensis is an
Etymology
Melitta is a form of the Greek word μέλισσα (melissa), "honey bee",[2] while Sphex is a transliteration of the Greek word σφήξ, wasp.[3]
Description
M. burmensis is approximately one-fifth the size of the extant
The sample discovered is thought to be 100 million years old, 40 million years older than the oldest known bee species. Subsequent research has rejected the claim that Melittosphex is a bee, or even a member of the superfamily Apoidea to which bees belong, instead treating the lineage as incertae sedis within the Aculeata.[5]
Poinar and bee researcher Bryan Danforth described M. burmensis in the journal Science.
References
- OSU media release on discovery
- http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Ancient-Bee.html (New York Times registration required)
- AAAS News release. Images included
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