Corbiculate

/kɔrˈbɪkjəleɪt/ adjective

Definition

Having corbiculae or basket-like structures, especially used to describe bees that carry pollen in special leg pouches.

Etymology

From Latin corbiculatus, formed from corbula (small basket) plus the suffix -ate, meaning 'having the quality of.' Scientific nomenclature adopted this term to describe bee morphology.

Kelly Says

All honeybees and many other bee species are corbiculate, but some primitive bee groups never evolved these fancy pollen-carrying pouches—they had to find other ways to transport pollen home.

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