Bombus bicoloratus Smith
bicoloratus Smith, 1879:132, examined
kulingensis Cockerell, 1917:266, examined
tajushanensis Pittioni, 1949:244
12 names

TAXONOMIC STATUS: B. kulingensis has been regarded as a species separate from B. bicoloratus (e.g. Williams, 1998).

B. bicoloratus and B. kulingensis show variation in the pattern of the teeth on the inner process of the gonostylus and on the outer margin of the penis valve head, and more especially in how pronounced is the outer lateral shoulder on the penis valve just anterior to the ventro-lateral process. However, from the material examined, I believe that B. kulingensis and B. bicoloratus are morphologically closely similar. Furthermore, evidence from comparisons of DNA sequences from five genes is consistent with the two taxa being conspecific (Cameron et al., 2007 [pdf]).

DISTRIBUTION: Oriental Region.