This species from the Mata Atlântica resembles Melipona lateralis Erichson, 1848 and M. seminigra Friese, 1903 from the Amazonian Region. It can be easily distinguished from the first and its nearest relalive, M. scutellarís Latreille, 1811 by having a more shining mesoscutum and from the second by the yellow facial markings.
Taxonomy; Melipona; Neotropics