What current designation often groups Bombus fernaldae in contemporary contexts?

Answer

*Bombus flavidus*

The Yellowish Cuckoo Bumblebee's identity has undergone revision, moving away from the name *Bombus fernaldae*. Scientific refinement, driven by modern analysis of phylogeny, frequently leads to the designation *Bombus flavidus* being applied to this species or recognizing its closest relatives under this name. This taxonomic shift suggests ongoing discovery regarding its evolutionary placement relative to other bumblebees. The ambiguity between these names signifies that scientists are continually reassessing whether populations formerly designated as *B. fernaldae* represent a distinct species, a subspecies, or a closely related entity within the *B. flavidus* complex, potentially indicating a recent evolutionary divergence or overlap in traits.

Related Questions

What current designation often groups *Bombus fernaldae* in contemporary contexts?What shared life history defines the Yellowish Cuckoo Bumblebee's evolutionary adaptation?What specialized structure found on social female hind legs is vestigial or lost in cuckoo females?How is the female Yellowish Cuckoo Bumblebee's energy investment redirected compared to social queens?What specific risk does the specialized relationship with *Bombus affinis* impose on the parasite?What is the primary evolutionary consequence of losing the worker caste in cuckoo bees?How does the reproductive morphology of the parasitic female differ from a standard queen's initiation duties?What is the evolutionary prerequisite concerning the host phenology for the parasitic female's spring emergence?What speciation concept might explain *B. fernaldae*'s historical distinctness based on geographic separation?What actionable focus supports the survival chances of specialized cuckoos like *B. fernaldae* locally?

species insect evolution bee bumblebee