Title
Nest architecture, immature stages, and ethnoentomology of a new species of Trigonisca from northern Colombia (Hymenoptera, Apidae)
Title Variants
Alternative:
Nest and immatures of Trigonisca
Related Titles
Series:
American Museum novitates, number 3942
By
Engel, Michael S.
, author
Rozen, Jerome G. Jr. (Jerome George), 1928-
, author
Sepúlveda-Cano, Paula A.,
, author
Smith, Corey Shepard
, author
Thomas, Jennifer C.
, author
Ospina Torres, Rodulfo,
, author
Gonzalez, Victor H.
, author
Type
Book
Material
Published material
Publication info
New York, NY, American Museum of Natural History, [2019]
Notes
Caption title.
"October 18, 2019."
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Stingless bees (Apinae: Corbiculata: Meliponini) are biologically and culturally important pollinators within the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. However, limited information is available for the majority of the species. Biological and systematic data are presented for a new species of Trigonisca Moure, from the arid region of La Guajira, Colombia. The genus is part of the distinctive Trigonisca genus group, noteworthy for its position as the earliest diverging extant lineage of neotropical stingless bees. We briefly diagnose the genus group and provide a key to the genera and subgenera of the Trigonisca genus group, along with the description of Exochotrigona Engel, new subgenus. We also outline the species occurring in Colombia and present a description for Trigonisca (Trigonisca) mepecheu Engel and Gonzalez, new species, including accounts of all three castes. A single, poorly preserved egg is noteworthy because of its extremely small size. Its chorion is extensively covered by a surface pattern of elevated geometric figures, as seems to be characteristic of the Meliponini. The robust mature larva, though remarkably small, exhibits extensive spiculation of dorsal body surfaces and most body segments with small, paired dorsolateral tubercles. In addition, the labral apex exhibits an apical patch of recently discovered multipronged spicules intermixed with various sensory sensilla. These morphological features of immature stages, where known, are similar to those previously reported for other Meliponini. We document the internal architecture of nests of T. mepecheu, which we found in trunks of Stenocereus griseus (Haw.) Buxb. (Cactaceae) and more commonly in Libidibia coriaria (Jacq.) Schltdl. (Fabaceae), along with nests of the only other stingless bee from La Guajira, Melipona favosa (Fabricius). Nests were also found in the sides of manufactured structures. The indigenous Wayúu harvest stingless-bee honey and have specific names in Wayuunaiki for the two species occurring in the region, although there is apparently an oral tradition in which the honey of T. mepecheu causes blindness. Trigonisca (Trigonisca) ameliae Penney from Colombian copal is a new junior synonym of T. (T.) schulthessi (Friese).
Subjects
Anatomy
,
Bees
,
Classification
,
Colombia
,
Ethnoentomology
,
Ethnozoology
,
Exochotrigona
,
Goajiro Indians
,
Indians of South America
,
Insects
,
La Guajira (Department)
,
Larvae
,
Nests
,
stingless bees
,
Trigonisca
,
Trigonisca mepecheu
Call Number
QL1 .A436 no.3942 2019
Language
English
Identifiers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1206/3942.1
OCLC:
1124074912
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