Dufourea maura is a species of bee in the family Halictidae, commonly known as sweat bees. It was first described by entomologist Ezra Townsend Cresson in 1868.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Family: Halictidae
- Genus: Dufourea
- Species: D. maura
- Authority: (Cresson, 1868)
Description
Members of the genus Dufourea are generally small to medium‑sized bees with a slender body and relatively long tongue adapted for nectar foraging. Specific morphological details for D. maura are not extensively documented in readily available sources; typical characteristics of the genus include metallic or dull coloration, reduced or absent facial hairs, and a ground‑nesting habit.
Distribution and habitat
Dufourea maura is reported from North America, with records primarily from the United States. Its exact range within the continent is not comprehensively mapped in public databases. The species inhabits open, sunny environments where it can access flowering plants for foraging and suitable soil for nesting.
Biology and ecology
- Nesting: Like many halictid bees, D. maura is presumed to be a solitary ground‑nesting bee, excavating tunnels in bare or sparsely vegetated soils.
- Foraging: The species is expected to be a generalist nectar and pollen collector, visiting a variety of flowering plants, though specific plant associations have not been rigorously recorded.
- Life cycle: Typical halictid life cycles involve a single generation per year (univoltine) in temperate regions, with adults emerging in spring or early summer. Detailed phenology for D. maura is not well documented.
Conservation status
No formal conservation assessment (e.g., IUCN Red List) appears to exist for Dufourea maura. Consequently, its population trends and potential threats remain uncertain.
Research notes
Information on Dufourea maura is limited in the public domain, and many aspects of its biology, ecology, and distribution lack comprehensive study. Further field observations and taxonomic reviews would be required to fill these knowledge gaps.
References
- Cresson, E. T. (1868). Descriptions of new species of North American bees. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 20, 125–141.
- Michener, C. D. (2007). The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
Note: Where specific details are lacking, the entry acknowledges the insufficiency of available encyclopedic information.