anthophoridae
|an-tho-pho-ri-dae|
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/ˌænθəˈfɔrɪdiː/
🇬🇧
/ˌænθəˈfɔːrɪdiː/
flower-associated bees (historical family name)
Etymology
'anthophoridae' originates from New Latin, specifically the genus name 'Anthophora' + the family-forming suffix '-idae', where 'Anthophora' comes from Greek 'anthos' meaning 'flower' and 'phorein' meaning 'to carry'.
'Anthophoridae' was coined in modern biological classification (New Latin) as a family name; over time taxonomic revisions moved many of its genera into the family 'Apidae' or reclassified them as subfamilies, so the usage of 'Anthophoridae' as a distinct family became largely obsolete.
Initially, it meant 'a family of bees (including Anthophora and related genera)'; over time it evolved to mean 'an obsolete or historical grouping of bees now placed in other families, chiefly Apidae'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a (historical or formerly recognized) family of bees, historically including genera such as Anthophora; many of its members have since been reclassified into the family Apidae or placed in subfamilies, so 'Anthophoridae' is often treated as an obsolete/historical taxonomic name.
Anthophoridae was once recognized as a separate family of bees, but many of its genera have since been moved to Apidae.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/24 19:39