Bombus melanopygus Nylander
melanopyge Nylander, 1848:236
Edwardsii Cresson, 1878:184
melampygus Handlirsch, 1888:231, unjustified emendation
[melanopygus Viereck, 1904:99, incorrect subsequent spelling]
melanopygus Franklin, 1913:334, justified emendation

TAXONOMIC STATUS: B. melanopygus and B. edwardsii were shown by Owen & Plowright (1980) to differ by a single pair of alleles at one locus controlling the colour of the pubescence on gastral terga II-III. There can be little doubt that they are conspecific (Owen et al., 2010).

DISTRIBUTION: W Nearctic Region.