AUSTRALIAN STINGLESS BEES OF THE GENUS TRIGONA (HYMENOPTERA, APIDAE)

Six Australian stingless bee species in Trigona (Heterotrigona) are re described. Workers, males and queens are described of T. clypearis Fri ese (formerly T. wybenica Cockerell), T. sapiens Cockerell (formerly T . laeviceps Smith), T. carbonaria Smith, T. hockingsi Cockerell and an enigmatic fifth species from northwestern Australia. The name T. mell ipes Friese is assigned to this latter species on morphometric and geo graphical grounds, despite differences in described coloration. A key to the species is given. Species distributions and nest descriptions b ased on 188 nests are provided. Workers of a sixth Australian species, T. aff. fuscobalteata Cameron, previously unknown in Australia but re cently found on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, are also described.