Family: Apidae
Subfamily: Xylocopinae
Tribe: Ceratinini
Genus: Ceratina Latreille, 1802
Subgenus: Malgatina Terzo and Pauly, 2001
Common name: small carpenter bees
Ceratina (Malgatina) are strongly punctured bees with dark, metallic blue or purple integument that is deeply punctate. The length of the forewing is 4–5 mm long (Pauly et al. 2001).
(modified from Pauly et al. 2001; Michener 2007):
Ceratina (Malgatina) can be confused with species of Ceratina (Euceratina) because of its metallic and densely punctate integument. Females of the subgenus Ceratina (Malgatina) differ by the absence of a median carina on T6. Males of the subgenus Ceratina (Malgatina) do not have an elevation or protuberance medially on T7 — a feature that is very pronounced in Ceratina (Euceratina) (Pauly et al. 2001).
Ceratina (Malgatina) azurea have been found visiting flowers of Acacia farnesiana (Fabaceae), Emilia citrina, E. humifusa (Asteraceae), and Rubus sp. (Rosaceae) (Pauly et al. 2001).
Nests of C. azurea have been found on pithy stems of Lantana camara (Verbenaceae), a species of plant native to the American tropics and introduced in Madagascar (Pauly et al. 2001).
Ceratina (Malgatina) is monotypic; the only known species is Ceratina azurea (Pauly et al. 2001).
There are no known invasives.
Ceratina (Malgatina) has only been found in Madagascar (Pauly et al. 2001).
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