Species

BackMelecta caroli Lieftinck, 1958

Melecta caroli Lieftinck, 1958

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Family: Apidae
DD Data Deficient
IUCN Red List Status:

Countries of Occurrence:
Spain - Canaries

Archipelago(s):
Canaries

Assessor/s:
Rasmont, P., Dehon, M. & Ortiz Sánchez, F.J.

Reviewer/s:
Nieto, A., García, M., Michez, D. & Kemp, J.R.

Contributor/s:

Facilitators / Compilers/s:


Assessment Rationale:

Listed as Data Deficient as there is little or no information available on the population size, trends, habitat and threats to the species. Research should be conducted in order to determine the status of this species, as it has a restricted distribution and it could be threatened.

Geographic Range:

This species is endemic to the Canary Islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura (Spain) (Hohmann et al. 1993, Rasmont 2014).

Regions:
Spain - Canaries
Extent of Occurrence (EOO):
(km2)
Area of Occupancy (AOO):
(km2)
Elevation Lower Limit:
(m)
Elevation Upper Limit:
(m)
Biogeographic Realms:
Paleartic
Presence:
Extant
Origin:
Endemic Canaries
Seasonality:
Resident

Population:

There is no information available for the population size and trend of this species. It is very rare, as are the rest of the Melecta species.

Habitat and Ecology

There is no information available on the habitat of this species, although it has been recorded in altitudes up to 600 m asl (Hohmann et al. 1993).

The species is kleptoparasitic, in that it parasitises the nests of other bee species, but its host is unknown. Its host plants include Aizoaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Frankeniaceae and Oxalidaceae (Hohmann et al. 1993). It is probably bivoltine, in that it has two generations per year, since it has been recorded from February to May and from September and November.

Major Threat(s):

Conservation Actions

The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. There are no conservation actions in place for this species, and it is unknown whether its distribution overlaps with any protected areas throughout its range. Further research should be conducted to determine the population size and trends, habitats and threats to the species.