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Uce-based phylogeny and classification of Megachilini
Christophe J Praz1, Morgan Gueuning2, Michael G Branstetter3
1Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland; Info Fauna, Swiss Zoological Record Centre, Neuchatel, Switzerland.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
|August 1, 2026
Summary
Phylogenomic analysis clarifies bee classification, supporting a single genus Megachile for non-parasitic bees and revealing a single origin for brood parasitism in the Megachilini tribe.
Area of Science:
- Entomology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Phylogenetics
Background:
- The classification of the bee tribe Megachilini (Megachilidae) is controversial, especially concerning brood parasitic genera and diverse dauber lineages.
- Previous phylogenetic studies lacked resolution, hindering a clear understanding of relationships within the tribe.
Purpose of the Study:
- To resolve the phylogenetic relationships within the bee tribe Megachilini using phylogenomic data.
- To clarify the evolutionary history of brood parasitism and the classification of leafcutter and dauber bees.
- To provide a robust classification system for Megachilini based on molecular evidence.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenomic analysis using ultraconserved elements (UCEs) from 52 ingroup taxa.
- Combined UCE and six-gene analysis for expanded taxon coverage (127 ingroup taxa).
- Maximum likelihood, coalescent, and Bayesian analyses to infer phylogenetic trees.
Main Results:
- Strong support for Megachilini monophyly, early divergence of Noteriades and Gronoceras, and a single origin of brood parasitism.
- Leafcutter bees are monophyletic and nested within dauber lineages; several dauber clades, including an Australian clade (Hackeriapis), are consistently recovered.
- The lineage Morphella is recognized as a distinct subgenus; divergence-time estimates place the tribe's crown age in the late Eocene to early Oligocene.
Conclusions:
- The study advocates for retaining a single genus, Megachile, for non-parasitic Megachilini (excluding Noteriades and Gronoceras) due to limited morphological diagnosability of clades.
- This classification aligns with phylogenomic evidence and addresses the taxonomic impediment in bee research.
- The findings provide a stable taxonomic framework for the Megachilini tribe, reflecting evolutionary history.
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