Low trophic niche overlap among trap-nesting bee species (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) in a semideciduous forest fragment

International audienceAbstractBees are important components of mutualistic interactions with plants, playing a key role as pollinators of both wild and crop plants. In this context, studies on the plants visited by bees are important to determining conservation strategies. We investigated the use of floral resources by the trap-nesting bee species sampled in a semideciduous forest fragment. Trap nests were set in the forest fragment in three different zones: forest edge, 250 m away from the edge and 500 m away from the forest edge. Pollen analysis of the residual pollen content removed from the nests of 12 bee species revealed a total of 63 pollen types from 16 botanical families. The bee community showed specialized populations with no overlap in diet. Within the community, the diet overlap was higher in closely related species, the two Tetrapedia species and the two Centris (Heterocentris) species, than in the other sampled species. Although the studied bee community is composed of widespread bee species, our data showed a low niche overlap among them, suggesting the occurrence of food niche partitioning at our study site. The asymmetry in the period of nesting activities and floral preferences among the bee species are factors that might have contributed to the low niche overlap observed

The importance of plant diversity in maintaining the pollinator bee, Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in sweet passion fruit fields

The euglossine bee Eulaema nigrita plays an important role for the pollination of native and economically important plants, such as the sweet passion-fruit Passiflora alata. E. nigrita uniquely collects the nectar from the flowers of P. alata, nevertheless, it needs to visit other plants to collect pollen, nectar and other resources for its survival. There are two methods to identify the species of plants used by bees in their diet: by direct observation of the bees in the flowers, and through identification of pollen grains present in brood cells, feces, or in the bees' body. In order to identify the other plants that E. nigrita visits, we analyzed samples of pollen grains removed from the bee's body in the course of the flowering period of P. alata. Among our results, the flora visited by E. nigrita comprised 40 species from 32 genera and 19 families, some of them used as a pollen source or just nectar. In spite of being a polyletic species, E. nigrita exhibited preference for some plant species with poricidal anthers. P. alata which has high sugar concentration nectar was the main source of nectar for this bee in the studied area. Nonetheless, the pollinic analysis indicated that others nectariferous plant species are necessary to keep the populations of E. nigrita. Studies such as this one are important since they indicate supplementary pollen-nectar sources which must be used for the conservation of the populations of E. nigrita in crops neighbouring areas. In the absence of pollinators, growers are forced to pay for hand pollination, which increases production costs; keeping pollinators in cultivated areas is still more feasible to ensure sweet passion fruit production

Ecologia da nidificação de Epicharis (Epicharis) bicolor Smith, 1854 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini) e suas interações com plantas de Cerrado

CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e TecnológicoTrabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação)Neste estudo, foram realizadas observações em um sitio de nidificação desta espécie, em uma área de cerrado da RPPN do Clube Caça e Pesca Itororó de Uberlândia, MG

Genetic structure and community ecology of Euglossine bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae) of Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar and Parque Estadual da Ilha Anchieta in Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil

A Mata Atlântica é considerada uma das grandes prioridades para a conservação de biodiversidade em todo o continente americano. Este bioma é um dos oito hotspots do planeta e caracteriza-se pelo alto grau de endemismo e pela alta diversidade de espécies que encerra. As abelhas Euglossini estão restritas à região Neotropical, com uma faixa de distribuição que se estende desde o Norte do México até a província de Córdoba, na Argentina. As espécies dessa tribo são abundantes em florestas tropicais úmidas/chuvosas e florestas subtropicais da América Central e América do Sul onde ocorrem em maior diversidade. Em virtude do alto impacto causado pelas ações humanas em áreas de Mata Atlântica e o pouco que se conhece sobre sua diversidade, este trabalho propõe um estudo geral sobre a estrutura das comunidades de espécies de Euglossini presentes em uma área de planície litorânea continental, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar - Núcleo Picinguaba (PESM), e uma área insular, Parque Estadual da Ilha Anchieta (PEIA), no município de Ubatuba, norte de São Paulo, Brasil. O PESM abrange uma área de aproximadamente 47.500 hectares e quase todos os ecossitemas da Mata Atlântica são encontrados em seus domínios. O PEIA cobre toda a extensão da Ilha Anchieta (828 hectares), distante cerca de 600 m do continente. As coletas foram realizadas mensalmente, de Agosto/2007 a Julho/2009, com o uso de 14 compostos aromáticos utilizados como iscas artificiais para a atração de machos, além de indivíduos coletados em flores. Mil quinhentos e setenta e seis espécimes (73 fêmeas e 1503 machos), pertencentes a 24 espécies, foram registrados no presente trabalho. A espécie mais abundante foi Euglossa cordata (36,4%), seguida por Euglossa iopoecila (13,9%) e Euglossa sapphirina (13,3%). Dezoito espécies foram amostradas na Ilha Anchieta, sendo que quatro delas foram exclusivas desta área, ao passo que 20 espécies foram amostradas no PESM e seis delas foram registradas apenas neste local. Na Ilha Anchieta, Eg. cordata representou 63,2%, quase dois terços do total de espécies coletadas. Já em Picinguaba, Eg. iopoecila (23,0%) e Eg. sapphirina (21,0%) foram as duas espécies dominantes. A espécie Eg. iopoecila, a mais abundante na área continental, não foi registrada na llha e Eg. sapphirina, a segunda espécie mais frequente no PESM, foi representada apenas por nove indivíduos na Ilha Anchieta e por 200 em Picinguaba. Estes dados sugerem que essas duas espécies podem atuar como bioindicadores de ambientes preservados, como sugerido para outras espécies de Euglossini. Por outro lado, alguns autores evidenciaram que Eg. cordata é uma espécie favorecida por ambientes perturbados, o que pode estar associado à sua alta abundância na Ilha Anchieta. Dados de literatura mostram que há um sinal evidente de perturbação ambiental, além da perda de espécies, é a dominância de algumas espécies. A Ilha Anchieta apresenta um longo histórico de ocupação humana e diversas espécies de plantas e animais foram introduzidos em seus domínios.The Atlantic Forest is considered as one of the highest priorities for the conservation of biodiversity in the American continent. This biome is one of the eight biodiversity hotspots in the world and is characterized by high species diversity and endemism. Euglossini bees are restricted to the Neotropics, with a geographic range that extends from northern Mexico to the Córdoba Province in Argentine. Species from this tribe are abundant in humid and rainy tropical forests and in sub-tropical forests of Central and South America, where their diversity is high. Due to the high impact caused by human activities in the Atlantic Forest and the poor knowledge on its biodiversity, in the present study we assessed the community structure of the Euglossini in a coastal lowland area: Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar - Núcleo Picinguaba (PESM); and in an insular area: Parque Estadual da Ilha Anchieta (PEIA), Ubatuba, both located in northern São Paulo State, Brazil. PESM has an area of approximately 47.500 ha and almost all ecosystems of the Atlantic Forest are found within its domains. PEIA covers all the extension of the Anchieta Island (828 ha), about 600 m away from the continent. Sampling was carried out monthly, from August 2007 to July 2009, using artificial baits with 14 aromatic compounds to attract males, as well as by collecting individuals on flowers. One thousand five hundred and seventy-six specimens (73 females and 1,503 males), represented by 24 species were recorded. The most abundant species was Euglossa cordata (36.4%), followed by Euglossa iopoecila (13.9%) and Euglossa sapphirina (13.3%). Eighteen species were sampled on Anchieta Island and four of them were exclusive to this area; whereas 20 species were sampled in PESM and six of them were only recorded there. On Anchieta Island, E. cordata represented almost two thirds of the total species collected (63.2%). In Picinguaba, E. iopoecila (23.0%) and E. sapphirina (21.0%) were the dominant species. E. iopoecila, the most abundant species in the continental area, was not recorded on the island, and E. sapphirina, the second most frequent species in PESM, was represented only by nine individuals on Anchieta Island and by 200 in Picinguaba. Results suggest that these two species may act as bioindicators of preserved environments, as suggested for other Euglossini species. However, some authors evidenced that E. cordata is favored by disturbed environments, which may be associated with its high abundance on Anchieta Island. Other studies show that an evident sign of environmental perturbation, besides species loss, is the dominance of some species. Anchieta Island exhibits a long history of human occupation and several plant and animal species were introduced there

Revision of the Neotropical subgenera Coelioxys (Platycoelioxys) Mitchell and C. (Rhinocoelioxys) Mitchell (Hymenoptera; Megachilidae) with the description of one new species

Filho, Léo Correia Da Rocha, Packer, Laurence (2015): Revision of the Neotropical subgenera Coelioxys (Platycoelioxys) Mitchell and C. (Rhinocoelioxys) Mitchell (Hymenoptera; Megachilidae) with the description of one new species. Zootaxa 3941 (2): 151-203, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3941.2.

Males of the orchid bee Eulaema cingulata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as important vectors of the cleptoparasitic beetle Meloetyphlus fuscatus (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

International audienceMeloid beetles are known by their hypermetamorphic life cycle with active first instar larvae called triungulins found in most species. Most of the larvae in this family feed on provisions and immature stages of bees. The monotypic genus Meloetyphlus is associated with the nests of some orchid bee species, and some of its morphological characteristics suggest the adults live only in the host nest. In an orchid bee survey carried out in Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil, 1575 specimens of 23 species of euglossine bees were collected. Of this total, 170 (10.8 %) specimens of six species, mostly males, had triungulin larvae of Meloetyphlus fuscatus attached to their bodies. The highest percentage of infestation was found in Eulaema cingulata, with 79.8 % of males carrying beetle larvae. The implications of these data are discussed, and the association of M. fuscatus with four species of orchid bees (Eufriesea dentilabris, Eulaema helvola, Eulaema seabrai and Exaerete smaragdina) is reported for the first time

Phenotypic variation of Brazilian Savannah plants in response to environmental heterogeneity

Este artículo es una revisión bibliográfica que presenta una síntesis comparando datos de cinco estudios desarrollados previamente, describiendo la variación de los caracteres vegetativos y reproductivos de siete especies de plantas en una Reserva Ecológica en Uberlândia, Minas Gerais (Brasil; 18º55’S; 48º17’O). La variación fenotípica fue investigada en un ecotono, donde el afloramiento de nacientes formaba una vereda en un área ocupada por la vegetación del cerrado sensu stricto (sabana brasileña). Todas las poblaciones de plantas analizadas presentaron algún tipo de alteración morfológica en respuesta a la heterogeneidad ambiental, caracterizando subpoblaciones, aspecto que sugiere un aumento de la variabilidad tanto de caracteres vegetativos como reproductivos. Existe una forma singular en la cual cada planta responde a los patrones edáficos de humedad encontrados en el ecotono. Además, los ajustes fenotípicos actúan de manera amplia, asociando las diversas características del organismo en un complejo proceso integrante.This article is a bibliographic research that presents a comparative data synthesis from five previous published studies and describes the phenotypic variation of vegetative and reproductive traits of seven plant species in an Ecological Reserve, in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais (Brasil; 18º55’S; 48º17’W). The phenotypic variation was investigated in an ecotone where the emergency of springs has originated a palm-swamp in an area occupied by the cerrado sensu stricto vegetation (Brazilian Savannah). All plant populations show some kind of morphological alteration of both reproductive and vegetative traits in response to environmental heterogeneity, which allows the characterization of subpopulations, an aspect that suggests an increase of the variability of both vegetative and reproductive traits. There is a unique way in which each plant interacts with the ecotone edaphic humidity pattern. Besides, phenotypic adjustments act in an extensive way, connecting the distinct organism traits in a complex integrative process

Hide and seek: is the solitary bee Monoeca haemorrhoidalis trying to escape from its cleptoparasite Protosiris gigas (Hymenoptera, Apidae: Tapinotaspidini; Osirini)?

International audienceAbstractCleptoparasites play a key ecological role by reducing their host populations. In order to study the phenological patterns of the natural enemies of the bee Monoeca haemorrhoidalis (Smith), four emergence traps were installed in two nest aggregations during the activity period of this solitary bee species. Four species of natural enemies were sampled in the emergence traps: Tetraolytta gerardi (Pic), Tetraonyx distincticollis Pic (Meloidae), Protosiris gigas Melo (Apidae), and Pseudomethoca spixi (Diller) (Mutillidae). Monoeca haemorrhoidalis showed emergence patterns characterized by bimodal curves with two distinct peaks throughout its activity period in both years. Individuals of P. gigas started to emerge during the first peak of its host, but the emergence curve of this cleptoparasite was followed by a decline in abundance of M. haemorrhoidalis specimens in both years. The abrupt decline in the emergence period of M. haemorrhoidalis could be a temporal strategy against the attack of P. gigas since the activity period of this cuckoo bee occurred during the lowest number of emergent host individuals

Coelioxoides piscicauda sp. nov., a new cuckoo bee from southeastern Brazil with a key to the species of Coelioxoides Cresson (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Rocha-Filho, Léo Correia Da, Serrano, José Carlos, Garófalo, Carlos Alberto (2017): Coelioxoides piscicauda sp. nov., a new cuckoo bee from southeastern Brazil with a key to the species of Coelioxoides Cresson (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Zootaxa 4363 (4): 535-543, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4363.4.