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Psyche 
[March 
In Late Oligocene deposits, the Apoidea are extremely well 
represented. Six major families of bees are known from this epoch: 
Halictidae, Andrenidae, Melittidae, Megachilidae, Anthophoridae, 
and Apidae. A total of 29 genera are represented, many of which are 
extant. Several specimens belonging to Chalcobombus and Bombus 
are described from deposits in both Europe and North America 
suggesting widespread radiation of this specialized group of bees by 
the Early Oligocene. In the Late Oligocene, bees very similar to Apis 
mellifera are found. Manning (1952) feels that some species from the 
Rott Shales possess almost all the necessary characters for place- 
ment in the genus Apis (Fig. 4). Moreover, in the Dominican Amber 
of Oligocene-Miocene age, several Trigona workers are found, 
providing convincing proof that social behavior was well established 
at this time (Michener, 1974). 
Figure 4. Apis henshawi Cockerell from Upper Oligocene of Rott, Germany. 
Original photograph of holotype in Museum of Comparative Zoology. Length of 
body, 15 mm. 
