Vogti

Bombus vogti Friese
vogti Friese, 1903:254
nigrothoracicus Friese, 1904:188, examined

TAXONOMIC STATUS: B. vogti is closely similar in morphology to B. robustus, but has been considered to be a separate species (e.g. Milliron, 1973b; Asperen de Boer, 2007).

B. vogti and B. robustus are usually separated using colour. Although B. robustus is variable in colour, the name is applied to individuals with extensive yellow bands, whereas the name B. vogti is used for individuals that lack yellow bands and are often almost completely black. There is very little material available of the males, but the males of B. vogti are at most only subtly different in the morphology of the genitalia. While awaiting more evidence from critical studies of patterns of variation, I treat them initially as separate species.

TAXONOMIC STATUS: See comments on B. melaleucus.

DISTRIBUTION: W Neotropical Region.