65 results on '"Melipona quadrifasciata"'
Search Results
2. Longitudinal survey reveals delayed effects of low gene expression on stingless bee colony health
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Betina Blochtein, Aroni Sattler, Airton Torres Carvalho, Karen Luisa Haag, Jefferson Nunes Radaeski, Enéas Ricardo Konzen, Anelise Martins Correa Lopes, Soraia Girardi Bauermann, Lílian Caesar, and Jean-François Pombert more...
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biology ,Stingless bee ,fungi ,Zoology ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,complex mixtures ,Malnutrition ,Colony Collapse ,Insect Science ,Gene expression ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,medicine ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Bee populations are declining globally due to different environmental stressors, such as pathogens, malnutrition, and agrochemicals. Brazil is the home of hundreds of stingless bee species, some of... more...
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- 2021
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3. Mite diversity is determined by the stingless bee host species
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Noeli Juarez Ferla, Betina Blochtein, Charles Fernando dos Santos, Tairis Da-Costa, and Luana Fabrina Rodighero
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Entomology ,biology ,Host (biology) ,Stingless bee ,Insect Science ,Mite ,Zoology ,Acari ,Species richness ,Melipona ,biology.organism_classification ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Mites can establish ecologically mutualistic and/or commensal relationships with stingless bees. In the present study, we evaluated the acarine diversity associated with colonies of three stingless bee species (Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata, Scaptotrigona bipunctata and Tetragonisca fiebrigi) in seven localities of southern Brazil. A total of 1458 mites from 18 species/morphospecies were sampled. The colonies of Melipona q. quadrifasciata showed the highest richness of mites, but T. fiebrigi was the bee species with the highest acari diversity among the evaluated species. This information suggests a close relationship between mites and stingless bees, which has direct implications for the transport of hives and non-naturally occurring species to different regions. more...
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- 2021
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4. The virome of an endangered stingless bee suffering from annual mortality in southern Brazil
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Lílian Caesar, Samuel Paulo Cibulski, Karen Luisa Haag, Betina Blochtein, Cláudio Wageck Canal, and Aroni Sattler
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0301 basic medicine ,Beekeeping ,biology ,Apidae ,Stingless bee ,030106 microbiology ,High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ,Outbreak ,Zoology ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,Viruses ,Animals ,Metagenome ,Human virome ,Seasons ,Circoviridae ,Melipona ,Brazil ,Phylogeny ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Meliponiculture - the management of stingless bee colonies - is an expanding activity in Brazil with economic, social and environmental potential. However, unlike in apiculture, the pathogens that impact on meliponiculture remain largely unknown. In southern Brazil, every year at the end of the summer, managed colonies of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata manifest a syndrome that eventually leads to collapse. Here we characterize the M. quadrifasciata virome using high-throughput sequencing, with the aim of identifying potentially pathogenic viruses, and test whether they are related to the syndrome outbreaks. Two paired viromes are explored, one from healthy bees and another from unhealthy ones. Each virome is built from metagenomes assembled from sequencing reads derived either from RNA or DNA. A total of 40 621 reads map to viral contigs of the unhealthy bees' metagenomes, whereas only 11 reads map to contigs identified as viruses of healthy bees. The viruses showing the largest copy numbers in the virome of unhealthy bees belong to the family Dicistroviridae - common pathogenic honeybee viruses - as well as Parvoviridae and Circoviridae, which have never been reported as being pathogenic in insects. Our analyses indicate that they represent seven novel viruses associated with stingless bees. PCR-based detection of these viruses in individual bees (healthy or unhealthy) from three different localities revealed a statistically significant association between viral infection and symptom manifestation in one meliponary. We conclude that although viral infections may contribute to colony collapses in the annual syndrome in some meliponaries, viruses spread opportunistically during the outbreak, perhaps due to colony weakness. more...
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- 2019
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5. Genetic analysis of Melipona quadrifasciata Lep. (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponinae) with RAPD markers
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WALDSCHMIDT A. M., MARCO-JUNIOR P., BARROS E. G., and CAMPOS L. A. O.
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Hymenoptera ,stingless bees ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,RAPD ,genetic distance ,Science ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Zoology ,QL1-991 ,Botany ,QK1-989 - Abstract
Melipona quadrifasciata ("mandaçaia") can be subdivided into two subspecies: M. q. anthidioides and M. q. quadrifasciata. In the present study we used RAPD markers to estimate intercolonial genetic variation among 69 colonies of Melipona quadrifasciata. Ten workers per colony were analyzed. The intercolony genetic distances based on RAPD markers ranged from 29.5% (colonies collected in the State of São Paulo vs colonies from the State of Minas Gerais) to 34.2% (São Paulo vs Santa Catarina). These results indicate a high genetic similarity among the colonies analyzed.According to the genetic distances two different groups could be distinguished. The first containing the samples from Santa Catarina region and the second, samples from Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo. Based on the molecular analysis, bees belonging to the different subspecies M. q. quadrifasciata (from Santa Catarina) and M. q. anthidioides (from the other regions) were distinguished. more...
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- 2002
6. Bacterial communities of indoor surface of stingless bee nests
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Leandro Pio de Sousa
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0301 basic medicine ,Stingless bee ,Plant Science ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Nest ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Data Management ,Escherichia Coli ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Apidae ,Microbiota ,Plant Anatomy ,Eukaryota ,food and beverages ,Phylogenetic Analysis ,Honey ,Genomics ,Bees ,Bacterial Pathogens ,Insects ,Phylogenetics ,Experimental Organism Systems ,Medical Microbiology ,Prokaryotic Models ,Pollen ,Medicine ,Pathogens ,Honey Bees ,Research Article ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,Escherichia ,Computer and Information Sciences ,Arthropoda ,Science ,030106 microbiology ,Zoology ,Microbial Genomics ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Microbiology ,Sphingomonas ,complex mixtures ,03 medical and health sciences ,Model Organisms ,Enterobacteriaceae ,Genetics ,Animals ,Evolutionary Systematics ,Microbiome ,Microbial Pathogens ,Taxonomy ,Evolutionary Biology ,Bacteria ,Gut Bacteria ,Trigona spinipes ,fungi ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Hymenoptera ,Invertebrates ,030104 developmental biology ,Bee pollen ,Animal Studies ,Entomology ,Tetragonisca angustula - Abstract
Microbes have been identified as fundamental for the good health of bees, acting as pathogens, protective agent against infection/inorganic toxic compounds, degradation of recalcitrant secondary plant metabolites, definition of social group membership, carbohydrate metabolism, honey and bee pollen production. However, study of microbiota associated with bees have been largely confined to the honeybees and solitary bees. Here, I characterized the microbiota of indoor surface nest of four brazilian stingless bee species (Apidae: Meliponini) with different construction behaviors and populations. Bees that use predominantly plant material to build the nest (Frieseomelitta varia and Tetragonisca angustula) have a microbiome dominated by bacteria found in the phylloplane and flowers such as Pseudomonas sp. and Sphingomonas sp. Species that use mud and feces (Trigona spinipes) possess a microbiome dominated by coliforms such as Escherichia coli and Alcaligenes faecalis. Melipona quadrifasciata, which uses both mud / feces and plant resin, showed a hybrid microbiome with microbes found in soil, feces and plant material. These findings indicate that indoor surface microbiome varies widely among bees and reflects the materials used in the construction of the nests. more...
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- 2021
7. Longitudinal survey reveals delayed effects of forager gene expression on stingless bee colony health
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Anelise Martins Correa Lopes, Karen Luisa Haag, Enéas Ricardo Konzen, Lílian Caesar, Jefferson Nunes Radaeski, Airton Torres Carvalho, Jean-François Pombert, Soraia Girardi Bauermann, Betina Blochtein, and Aroni Sattler more...
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Malnutrition ,Genetic diversity ,biology ,Stingless bee ,Endangered species ,medicine ,Zoology ,Outbreak ,Disease ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Sudden death ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Bee populations are declining globally due to different environmental stressors, such as pathogens, malnutrition, and agrochemicals. Brazil is the home of hundreds of stingless bee species, some of them now considered endangered, though very little is known about the impact of disease on native bees. In Southern Brazil the endangered stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata is affected by an annual syndrome that causes sudden death of workers, eventually leading colonies to collapse. Although novel viruses were found in foragers from diseased colonies, none has been consistently implicated in the outbreak. Here we used transcriptomics in combination with an integrative longitudinal survey on managed colonies to identify predictors for preventing M. quadrifasciata colony failures. We found that key genes related to xenobiotic metabolization, nutrition and immune responses are downregulated in foragers from colonies that became diseased three months later. The period that preceded the outbreak was marked by pronounced forager weight loss as well as behavioural changes. Our findings support the proposition that worldwide bee mortality is influenced by a combination of diverse sublethal factors, and increase awareness of the long-term effects of genetic diversity erosion in stingless bee species, which enhances their vulnerability to environmental stressors. more...
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- 2020
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8. Changes in social behavior are induced by pesticide ingestion in a Neotropical stingless bee
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Patricia Roseti Lenis, Josué Raizer, Samuel Boff, Rosilda Mara Mussury, and Anna Friedel
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0301 basic medicine ,Pollination ,Stingless bee ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Foraging ,Zoology ,Biology ,complex mixtures ,03 medical and health sciences ,Pyrethrins ,Animals ,Pesticides ,Social Behavior ,Behavior, Animal ,fungi ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Environmental Exposure ,General Medicine ,Bees ,Pesticide ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,Social relation ,Animal Communication ,Worker bee ,030104 developmental biology ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Trophallaxis ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Throughout evolutionary history bees have developed complex communication systems. For social bees, communication is important for both the individual and the development of the colony. Successful communication helps bees to recognize relatives, defend the colony, and promote recruitment to optimize foraging of floral resources. Bees' contribution to pollination is of broad environmental and economic importance. However, studies have reported that anthropogenic actions, such as the use of pesticides, negatively affect bee survival and behavior. We tested the effect of a commercially available pesticide mix containing two pesticide classes, a neonicotinoid and a pyrethroid, on the social behavior of the stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata (Lepeletier, 1863). After determining a sublethal dose of the pesticides, we tested the effect of an acute dose on antennation and trophallaxis behaviors of worker bees. Our results showed a drastic reduction in the communication and social interactions of bees. more...
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- 2018
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9. Morphogenetic Alterations in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Associated with Pesticides
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Ana Maria Waldschmidt, Lorena Andrade Nunes, Paulo Roberto Antunes de Mello Affonso, Jádilla Mendes dos Santos, and Arlete Prado-Silva
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Crops, Agricultural ,0106 biological sciences ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Zoology ,Hymenoptera ,010501 environmental sciences ,Toxicology ,medicine.disease_cause ,complex mixtures ,01 natural sciences ,Pollinator ,Deforestation ,Pollen ,medicine ,Animals ,Pesticides ,Pollination ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,biology ,Apidae ,business.industry ,fungi ,Environmental Exposure ,General Medicine ,Bees ,Pesticide ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,010602 entomology ,Agriculture ,business ,Brazil ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Bees are major pollinators of both native flora and cultured crops. Nonetheless, despite their key functional role in ecosystems and agriculture, bee populations have been affected worldwide by deforestation and contamination by insecticides. Conversely, little is known about the effects of pesticides on morphogenetic development of neotropical stingless bees. We compared the fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in newly emerged bees and foragers of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides exposed to pesticides (experimental greenhouse and cultivated field). In addition, visitation behavior of foragers was inferred from pollen analyses and direct observation. A significant increase of FA (P more...
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- 2018
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10. Hygienic behavior in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Apidae, Meliponini)
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Newton Tavares Escocard de Oliveira, Carlos Alfredo Lopes de Carvalho, Geni da Silva Sodré, Jossimara Neiva de Jesus, and Emerson Dechechi Chambó
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0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,animal structures ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Population ,Zoology ,Biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,Nest ,freeze-killed brood ,education ,Larva ,education.field_of_study ,Apidae ,Ecology ,fungi ,dead brood removal ,generalized linear models ,biology.organism_classification ,Brood ,Pupa ,stingless bees ,010602 entomology ,030104 developmental biology ,Insect Science ,hygienic colonies ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
International audience; AbstractHygienic behavior in stingless bees is a trait of workers that confers colony-level resistance against some brood diseases. Workers of hygienic colonies detect, uncap and remove dead or diseased brood from the nest cells. We examined the hygienic behavior in stingless bees (Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides) from freeze-killed brood assay using liquid nitrogen. Responses were measured at 14 times (3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, 192, 216, 240 and 264 h after freeze-killing of the brood). Workers were estimated to remove on average 65% of larvae and 34% of dead pupae within 48 h of freezing. Workers removed dead brood rapidly after uncapping the cells. Strong colonies showed a greater removal of dead pupae, while the size of the population did not influence the removal of dead larvae. These findings report for the first time the hygienic behavior in M. q. anthidioides and confirm that workers have more difficulty removing pupae compared with larvae from the combs. more...
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- 2017
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11. Post-embryonic Development of the Seminal Vesicle in the Stingless Bee Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 (Apidae: Meliponini)
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Ríudo de Paiva Ferreira, José Eduardo Serrão, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, Juliana Malta, Hugo de Azevedo Werneck, and Aparecida das Dores Teixeira
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animal structures ,Stingless bee ,Andrology ,Seminal vesicle ,medicine ,Reproductive system ,reproductive system ,QH540-549.5 ,Apidae ,biology ,Ecology ,Vesicle ,Embryogenesis ,fungi ,biology.organism_classification ,Hymenoptera ,Epithelium ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,QL1-991 ,male accessory glands ,Insect Science ,sense organs ,QH1-278.5 ,Natural history (General) ,Zoology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The male accessory glands of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) are absent and the morphology of their seminal vesicle indicate probable secretory function by this organ. This study investigated the post-embryonic development of the seminal vesicles in males of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata by histology and histochemistry. White-eyed pupae, pink-eyed pupae, brown-eyed pupae, black-eyed pupae, newly emerged and sexually mature males were studied. Seminal vesicle has a wall with a single layered epithelium onto a thin basement membrane, followed by a well-developed muscle layer. The epithelium is polarized in the pupal stage with basal cell region strongly positive for glucoconjugates and carbohydrates. The seminal vesicle has an enlarged lumen from the young pupal stages with luminal content increasing gradually with glucoconjugates along the pupal development. In the newly emerged and mature males, the histochemical tests to carbohydrates were negative. In the sexually mature males, spermatozoa clusters are embedded by the glucoconjugates content of the seminal vesicle lumen. In conclusion, the seminal vesicle of M. quadrifasciata has a secretory function during the pupal stage and in newly emerged males, whereas in adult males this organ stores the spermatozoa.. more...
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- 2019
12. Glyphosate is lethal and Cry toxins alter the development of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata
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Maria Augusta Pereira Lima, Vanessa Eler Seide, Rodrigo Cupertino Bernardes, and Eliseu José G. Pereira
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0106 biological sciences ,Pollination ,Stingless bee ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Bacterial Toxins ,Bacillus thuringiensis ,Glycine ,Zoology ,Genetically modified crops ,010501 environmental sciences ,Biology ,Toxicology ,01 natural sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Pollinator ,Animals ,Stingless bees ,Cry proteins ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Risk assessment ,Herbicides ,Pollinators ,fungi ,Agriculture ,General Medicine ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,Survival Analysis ,Brood ,010602 entomology ,chemistry ,Glyphosate ,Larva ,Brazil ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Brazil is the second largest producer of genetically modified plants in the world. This agricultural practice exposes native pollinators to contact and ingestion of Bacillus thuringiensis proteins (e.g. Cry toxins) from transgenic plants. Furthermore, native bees are also exposed to various herbicides applied to crops, including glyphosate. Little is known about the possible effects of glyphosate and Cry proteins on stingless bees, especially regarding exposure at an immature stage. Here, we show for the first time that glyphosate is lethal, and that Cry toxins (Cry1F, Cry2Aa) alter the development of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata upon contamination of larval food. Glyphosate was very toxic to the bee larvae, killing all of them within only a few days of exposure. Bees treated with Cry2Aa proteins had a higher survival rate and were delayed in their development, compared to the negative controls. Those treated with the Cry1F protein also suffered delays in their development, compared to the negative controls. In conclusion, the proteins Cry1F, Cry2Aa, and the herbicide glyphosate were highly toxic to the stingless bee M. quadrifasciata, causing lethal or sublethal effects which can severely impair colony growth and viability, and reduce pollination ability. more...
- Published
- 2018
13. Different Responses in Geographic Range Shifts and Increase of Niche Overlap in Future Climate Scenario of the Subspecies of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier
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Karina de Oliveira Teixeira, Birgit Harter-Marques, and Thiago Cesar Lima Silveira
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0106 biological sciences ,habitat suitability ,Biome ,Niche ,stingless bee ,Climate change ,Biology ,Subspecies ,species distribution modeling ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Pollinator ,hybridization ,QH540-549.5 ,Ecological niche ,Ecology ,010602 entomology ,Habitat ,QL1-991 ,Insect Science ,climate niche ,QH1-278.5 ,Natural history (General) ,Zoology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Climate change is suggested to be one of the possible drivers of decline in pollinators. In this paper, we applied an ecological niche model to modeling distributional responses in face of climate changes for the subspecies of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier. This species is divided into two subspecies based on difference in the yellow tergal stripes, which are continuous in M. q. quadrifasciata and interrupted in M. q. anthidioides. The geographic distribution of each subspecies is also distinct. M. q. quadrifasciata is found in colder regions in the Southern states of Brazil, whereas M. q. anthidioides is found in habitats with higher temperatures, suggesting that ecological features, such as adaption to distinct climatic conditions may take place. Thus, the possibility of having diff erent responses in geographic range shifts to future climate scenario would be expected. This study aimed to investigate the eff ects of climate changes on the distribution of the two M. quadrifasciata subspecies in Brazil, using an ecological niche model by the MaxEnt algorithm. Our results indicate that the subspecies showed clear diff erences in geographic shift patterns and increased climate niche overlap in the future scenarios. M. q. anthidioides will have the potential for an increase of suitable climatic conditinos in the Atlantic Forest, and towards the Pampa biome, while M. q. quadrifasciata will suffer a reduction of adequate habitats in almost all of its current geographic distribution. Given the potential adverse eff ects of climate changes for this subspecies, conservation actions are urgently needed to avoid that it goes extinct. more...
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- 2018
14. Relationship Between Hydrocarbon Composition on the Cuticle of Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Workers and the Secretion of the Cephalic Salivary Glands
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E. D. Morgan, Falko P. Drijfhout, Carminda da Cruz-Landim, Silvana Beani Poiani, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), and Keele Univ
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Stingless bee ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Cuticle ,stingless bee ,Zoology ,Arthropod cuticle ,Insect ,Biology ,pheromone ,Labial glands ,medicine ,QH540-549.5 ,media_common ,Salivary gland ,Ecology ,labial gland ,QH ,biology.organism_classification ,Mantel ,CHC ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,QL1-991 ,Insect Science ,Pheromone ,QH1-278.5 ,Natural history (General) ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-05T02:02:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-10-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Since chemical communication is pivotal for social insect success, the present paper aimed to quantify and qualify the chemical compounds that might have pheromonal role in both cephalic salivary gland and epicuticle of workers of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier using gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results indicated that the hydrocarbons were the main compounds in both cephalic salivary gland and epicuticle, followed by esters. Positive Mantel correspondence analysis suggests that the glands could contribute to replenishment of surface compounds as an auxiliary source. Discriminant analysis also pointed out that gland and epicuticle chemical profiles were phase-related. Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Biol, Inst Biociencias, Sao Paulo, Brazil Keele Univ, Chem Ecol Grp, Lennard Jones Labs, Keele, Staffs, England Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Biol, Inst Biociencias, Sao Paulo, Brazil FAPESP: 07/56682-1 more...
- Published
- 2018
15. Variations in circulating hemocytes are affected by age and caste in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata
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Samira Veiga Ravaiano, Wagner Faria Barbosa, Gustavo Ferreira Martins, and Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos
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0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Hemocytes ,Stingless bee ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Foraging ,Zoology ,Insect ,Biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,Honey Bees ,Native bees ,Hemolymph ,Animals ,Immune response ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,media_common ,Behavior, Animal ,Caste ,Age Factors ,General Medicine ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Eusociality ,010602 entomology ,030104 developmental biology ,Immune system ,Female ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The insect immune system faces various challenges; particularly in social bees, caste system and age polyethism expose individuals to numerous environmental and working conditions. However, little is known about how cellular defenses in social bees may be organized to respond to a variety of immune challenges. Here, we describe the morphological features and the total and differential counts of hemocytes in different female classes (newly emerged workers, nurses, foragers, and virgin queens) of the eusocial stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata. Granulocytes and prohemocytes were, respectively, the most and the least abundant cells among all classes of females. Furthermore, there were more prohemocytes in virgin queens than in foragers. The total number of hemocytes was smaller in foragers, whereas the largest number was observed in nurse workers. This reduced amount of hemocytes in foragers might allow energy savings to perform colony activities such as foraging and defense. Foragers also had the biggest hemocytes (either prohemocytes, granulocytes, or plasmatocytes) in comparison to the other classes of females, which might have arisen as a compensation for the reduction in number of these cells during aging. These results suggest that profiles of hemocytes of M. quadrifasciata vary according to the caste and age of this eusocial bee. more...
- Published
- 2018
16. Endocrine cells in the midgut of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) with different levels of sociability
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Douglas Elias Santos, José Eduardo Serrão, José Cola Zanuncio, and Acácia Antônia Gonçalves de Oliveira
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0106 biological sciences ,biology ,media_common.quotation_subject ,fungi ,010607 zoology ,Euglossa imperialis ,Zoology ,Enteroendocrine cell ,Midgut ,Hymenoptera ,Insect ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Megachile ,Apoidea ,Insect Science ,Botany ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,media_common - Abstract
Bees are important models to study the physiological role of endocrine cells. These cells produce hormones and may be open or closed cells depending on whether they have direct or indirect contact with the gut lumen, respectively. Food is digested and absorbed in the insect midgut. The objective of this study was to identify endocrine cells in the midgut of bees of different levels of sociability to understand the function of these cells. The midgut of Centris fuscata, Epicharis flava, Euglossa imperialis, Eulaema nigrita, Frieseomelitta varia, Megachile rava, and Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) was subjected to immunohistochemistry test for FMRF-amide. The midguts of E. imperialis, E. nigrita, and M. rava showed closed FMRFamide-positive endocrine cells, and those of E. flava, F. varia, and M. quadrifasciata anthidioides showed open cells. The greater number of open FMRFamide-positive cells suggest that this peptide probably regulates the synthesis of digestive enzymes without... more...
- Published
- 2015
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17. Maintenance of Colonies and Foraging Behaviour of Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera, Meliponina) in a Greenhouse of Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae)
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Fernanda Helena Nogueira-Ferreira, Bruno Ferreira Bartelli, and Alexandre Oliveira Resende Santos
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Pollination ,biology ,Ecology ,Foraging ,Greenhouse ,Hymenoptera ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease_cause ,Lycopersicon ,Crop ,external activity ,Horticulture ,stingless bees ,resource collection ,QL1-991 ,Insect Science ,Pollen ,Botany ,medicine ,QH1-278.5 ,management of bees ,Natural history (General) ,Zoology ,QH540-549.5 ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The use of stingless bees in greenhouses has provided tremendous benefits to diverse crops in terms of productivity and fruit quality. However, knowledge about management techniques in these environments is still scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the adaptation of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 in a greenhouse of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. for its potential use in pollinating this crop. Six nests of M. quadrifasciata were introduced in a greenhouse in Araguari, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The development of colonies inside the greenhouse was investigated and the foraging behaviour of the workers was assessed before introduction into the greenhouse and again after the nests had been removed. The vital activities of colony maintenance were performed unevenly throughout the day inside and outside the greenhouse, but with confinement the daily period of foraging decreased and bees started collecting pollen from the flowers after approximately six months. The difficulty in orienting to and identifying flowers by the workers was attributed to sunlight diffusion and blockage of ultraviolet radiation caused by the cover on the greenhouse. Structural changes in the greenhouses, as well as improvements in management techniques, are required for better utilization of stingless bees for pollination of plant species grown in greenhouses. more...
- Published
- 2014
18. Genetic divergence between Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae) populations
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Nathalia Teixeira Pietrani, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, Mara Garcia Tavares, Helder Canto Resende, and Maxwell de Castro Durvale
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Evolutionary Genetics ,lcsh:QH426-470 ,biology ,Ecology ,Stingless bee ,population genetics ,Zoology ,Population genetics ,Hymenoptera ,Subspecies ,biology.organism_classification ,microsatellites ,Genetic divergence ,lcsh:Genetics ,stingless bees ,Genetic distance ,Genetic variation ,Genetics ,genetic differentiation ,Molecular Biology ,Research Article ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Melipona quadrifasciata is a stingless bee widely found throughout the Brazilian territory, with two recognized subspecies, M. quadrifasciata anthidioides, that exhibits interrupted metasomal stripes, and M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata, with continuous metasomal stripes. This study aimed to estimate the genetic variability of these subspecies. For this purpose, 127 colonies from 15 Brazilian localities were analyzed, using nine species-specific microsatellite primers. At these loci, the number of alleles ranged from three to 15 (mean: 7.2), and the observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.03-0.21, while the expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.23-0.47. The genetic distances among populations ranged from 0.03-0.45. The F ST multilocus value (0.23) indicated that the populations sampled were structured, and the clustering analysis showed the formation of two subgroups and two more distant populations. The first group contained the subspecies M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata, and the other, the subspecies M. quadrifasciata anthidioides and the two M. quadrifasciata populations with continuous metasomal stripes from northern Minas Gerais. These results confirmed that the yellow metasomal stripes alone are not a good means for correctly identifying the different subspecies of M. quadrifasciata. more...
- Published
- 2013
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19. Risk of local extinction and genetic diversity of Melipona quadrifasciata (Apidae: Meliponini) in a possible Northeastern limit of its distribution in Brazil
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Rosane Gomes de Oliveira, G. T. Ribeiro, Lorena Andrade Nunes, Marcus Vinicius de Aragão Batista, Edilson Divino de Araújo, Sona Jain, Higor Cesar Meneses Calazans, Carina Caroline Silva França, and Valdson Santos more...
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0301 basic medicine ,nesting site ,Stingless bee ,Population ,stingless bee ,03 medical and health sciences ,Coconut trees ,education ,geometric morphometrics ,QH540-549.5 ,Morphometrics ,molecular marker ,Genetic diversity ,education.field_of_study ,Extinction ,biology ,Ecology ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology ,Habitat ,QL1-991 ,Insect Science ,Local extinction ,QH1-278.5 ,Natural history (General) ,Zoology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Rapid loss of genetic diversity among eusocial bees, and extinction of their local population has become a major world concern. Populations of M. quadrifasciata have increasingly declined due to predatory extractivism and destruction of their habitat. Knowledge of their local population could give insights on the strategies for monitoring and conservation of this species. In this study, initially, 14 colonies (140 workers) from the Northern limit of the Northeastern sandbank of the Atlantic Forest were analyzed employing geometric morphometrics techniques. Then the cytochrome b gene sequences and ISSR primers were utilized for molecular analysis. The results were compared with the results of 30 M. quadrifasciata colonies (300 workers) found in the semiarid Caatinga region. The morphometrics and the molecular analysis suggested the formation of disjunct populations between the studied geographical zones. All the 14 colonies analyzed from the river São Francisco region were found on the Southern margin of the river São Francisco and they all belonged to one single haplotype. No colonies were found on the Northern bank of the river. We suggest that the river São Francisco is an effective georgraphical barrier for the distribution of this species and propose an urgent need for the development of a conservation program for the population of M. quadrifasciata as it represents a unique haplotype in the region. Also their nesting habit exclusively in the diseased coconut trees which probably will be replaced by new trees, create the risk of population extinction due to the lack of nesting site. more...
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- 2016
20. Colour is more than hue: preferences for compiled colour traits in the stingless bees Melipona mondury and M. quadrifasciata
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Sebastian Koethe, Adrian G. Dyer, Klaus Lunau, and Jessica Bossems
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0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Physiology ,Color vision ,Stingless bee ,Melipona mondury ,Zoology ,Color ,Flowers ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Choice Behavior ,03 medical and health sciences ,Behavioral Neuroscience ,Species Specificity ,Botany ,Animals ,Melipona ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Hue ,Color Vision ,Significant difference ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Preference ,030104 developmental biology ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Photic Stimulation ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The colour vision of bees has been extensively analysed in honeybees and bumblebees, but few studies consider the visual perception of stingless bees (Meliponini). In a five-stage experiment the preference for colour intensity and purity, and the preference for the dominant wavelength were tested by presenting four colour stimuli in each test to freely flying experienced workers of two stingless bee species, Melipona mondury and Melipona quadrifasciata. The results with bee-blue, bee-UV-blue and bee-green colours offered in four combinations of varying colour intensity and purity suggest a complex interaction between these colour traits for the determination of colour choice. Specifically, M. mondury preferred bee-UV-blue colours over bee-green, bee-blue and bee-blue-green colours while M. quadrifasciata preferred bee-green colour stimuli. Moreover in M. mondury the preferences were different if the background colour was changed from grey to green. There was a significant difference between species where M. mondury preferred UV-reflecting over UV-absorbing bee-blue-green colour stimuli, whereas M. quadrifasciata showed an opposite preference. The different colour preferences of the free flying bees in identical conditions may be caused by the bees' experience with natural flowers precedent to the choice tests, suggesting reward partitioning between species. more...
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- 2016
21. Correlation between mandibular gland secretion and cuticular hydrocarbons in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata
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L. F. Gracioli-Vitti, Carminda da Cruz-Landim, R. Zucchi, M. J. Ferreira-Caliman, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), and Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
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Stingless bee ,gas chromatography ,animal structures ,stingless bee ,Zoology ,Biology ,Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry ,Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ,Salivary Glands ,Qualitative composition ,animal tissue ,hydrocarbon ,Qualitative analysis ,stomatognathic system ,biochemical composition ,worker (insect) ,Genetics ,Biochemical composition ,qualitative analysis ,Animals ,Solid Phase Micro Extraction ,Gland secretion ,Mandibular gland secretion ,Molecular Biology ,mass spectrometry ,Principal Component Analysis ,Solid phase micro-extraction ,nonhuman ,integumentary system ,fungi ,General Medicine ,Anatomy ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,salivation ,Hydrocarbons ,Worker bee ,chemical analysis ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,Task-related hydrocarbons - Abstract
Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-27T11:26:57Z No. of bitstreams: 0Bitstream added on 2014-05-27T14:47:46Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 2-s2.0-84865297042.pdf: 791469 bytes, checksum: 0040a2ba00689b417a4b628e652d2f0f (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-27T11:26:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-08-28 We investigated whether Melipona quadrifasciata worker mandibular gland secretions contribute directly to their cuticular hydrocarbon profile. The mandibular gland secretion composition and cuticular surface compounds of newly emerged worker bees, nurse bees, and foragers were determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry and compared. Both the mandibular gland secretions and the cuticular surface compounds of all worker stages were found to be composed almost exclusively of hydrocarbons. Although the relative proportion of hydrocarbons from the cuticular surface and gland secretion was statistically different, there was a high similarity in the qualitative composition between these structures in all groups of bees. © FUNPEC-RP. Departamento de Biologia Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Julio de Mesquita Filho', Rio Claro, SP Departamento de Biologia Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Departamento de Biologia Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Julio de Mesquita Filho', Rio Claro, SP more...
- Published
- 2012
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22. Ultrastructural studies of the mandibular gland of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 (Apidae, Meliponini): a comparison between workers and queens
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Luciana Fioretti Gracioli-Vitti, Carminda da Cruz-Landim, and Fábio Camargo Abdalla
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Exocrine gland ,biology ,Apidae ,Stingless bee ,Endoplasmic reticulum ,Zoology ,Anatomy ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,stomatognathic system ,Insect Science ,medicine ,Ultrastructure ,Pheromone activity ,Secretion ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
SummaryThe mandibular glands of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier 1836 were studied in different functional states under transmission electron and light microscopy. In both castes, the glands consisted of a cluster of class III secretory cells and a small, thin-walled reservoir. The glands of queens were smaller than those of workers. The gland of workers were more developed in nurses, in which they consisted of secretory cells rich in smooth endoplasmic reticulum and lipid-like secretion. Among workers, the stored secretion seemed to be used only by foragers. In queens, the gland is more active in virgin than in physogastric queens, being the secretion likely composed mostly of proteins. Our results suggest that the secretion is mainly useful for foragers and virgin queens. Secretion appears to play a role in pheromone activity. more...
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- 2011
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23. Variation and genetic structure of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae) populations based on ISSR pattern
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Mara Garcia Tavares, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, Ana Maria Waldschmidt, Marcília Aparecida Nascimento, Tânia Maria Fernandes Salomão, and Henrique Batalha-Filho
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lcsh:QH426-470 ,Population ,Zoology ,Hymenoptera ,Gene flow ,Genomics and Bioinformatics ,Genetics ,Melipona ,education ,Molecular Biology ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Apidae ,Ecology ,UPGMA ,population structure ,ISSR markers ,biology.organism_classification ,Population structure ,lcsh:Genetics ,Genetic structure ,genetic differentiation ,Research Article ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
For a study of diversity and genetic structuring in Melipona quadrifasciata, 61 colonies were collected in eight locations in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. By means of PCR analysis, 119 ISSR bands were obtained, 80 (68%) being polymorphic. He and H B were 0.20 and 0.16, respectively. Two large groups were obtained by the UPGMA method, one formed by individuals from Januária, Urucuia, Rio Vermelho and Caeté and the other by individuals from São João Del Rei, Barbacena, Ressaquinha and Cristiano Otoni. The Φst and θB values were 0.65 and 0.58, respectively, thereby indicating high population structuring. UPGMA grouping did not reveal genetic structuring of M. quadrifasciata in function of the tergite stripe pattern. The significant correlation between dissimilarity values and geographic distances (r = 0.3998; p < 0.05) implies possible geographic isolation. The genetic differentiation in population grouping was probably the result of an interruption in gene flow, brought about by geographic barriers between mutually close geographical locations. Our results also demonstrate the potential of ISSR markers in the study of Melipona quadrifasciata population structuring, possibly applicable to the studies of other bee species. more...
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- 2010
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24. Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism among populations of Meliponaquadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Apidae: Meliponini) from southern Brazil
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Geraldo Moretto, Maria Cristina Arias, and Rogelio R Torres
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haplotype ,Mitochondrial DNA ,Polymorphism, Genetic ,biology ,Apidae ,mtDNA ,Stingless bee ,Ecology ,PCR-RLFP ,Haplotype ,haplótipo ,stingless bee ,Zoology ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,DNA, Mitochondrial ,Genetic analysis ,Polymorphism (computer science) ,Insect Science ,abelha sem ferrão ,Animals ,Restriction fragment length polymorphism ,Brazil ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The geographical distribution of the Brazilian endemic stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier ranges from Rio Grande do Sul to Minas Gerais states. The objective of the present study was to verify mtDNA polymorphisms among samples of M. q. quadrifasciata collected in southern Brazil. Twenty nine colonies from three localities (Blumenau and Mafra/SC and Prudentópolis/ PR) were sampled. Seven mtDNA regions were amplified and further digested with 15 restriction enzymes (PCR-RFLP). Five composite haplotypes were identified, with two unique to samples from Prudentópolis and the remaining three to samples from Mafra and/or Blumenau. A distribuição geográfica da abelha sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier compreende desde o Rio Grande do Sul até Minas Gerais. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a variabilidade genética em amostras de M. q. quadrifasciata coletadas na Região Sul do Brasil. Para tanto, 29 colônias de três localidades (Blumenau e Mafra/SC e Prudentópolis/PR) foram amostradas e a técnica de PCR-RFLP para o DNA mitocondrial foi utilizada. Sete regiões do genoma mitocondrial foram amplificadas e digeridas com 15 enzimas de restrição. Cinco haplótipos foram identificados: dois exclusivos das amostras de Prudentópolis e os outros três registrados nas amostras de Mafra e/ou de Blumenau. more...
- Published
- 2009
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25. Ovariole structure and oogenesis in queens and workers of the stingless beeMelipona quadrifasciata(Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini) kept under different social conditions
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Klaus Hartfelder, Weyder Cristiano Santana, and E. D. Tanaka
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Apidae ,biology ,Stingless bee ,fungi ,Zoology ,biology.organism_classification ,Actin cytoskeleton ,complex mixtures ,Eusociality ,Ovariole ,Apoidea ,Aculeata ,Insect Science ,Botany ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The high variability in the reproductive biology of stingless bees makes them very amenable for comparative studies with other eusocial bee taxa. We investigated the structural organization of the ovaries of Melipona quadrifasciata queens and workers kept under different social conditions by analyzing their general histology, mitotic activity, and microfilament organization. The overall dynamics of ovarian activity were similar in the two castes, and at emergence their ovarioles contained a previtellogenic follicle. Stingless bees and honey bees differ in the structural organization in the lower germarium, but they have in common synchronized mitotic activity and putative germ line stem cells in the terminal filament. Unlike honey bees, stingless bee workers lay trophic eggs in addition to reproductive eggs. The overall similarities in oogenesis between the two taxa suggest that the decision to form trophic eggs should only occur in the late stages of oogenesis. more...
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- 2009
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26. Effect of delayed mating on spermathecal activation inMelipona quadrifasciata anthidioides(Hymenoptera, Apidae) queens
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Clóvis Andrade Neves, José Eduardo Serrão, José Cola Zanuncio, Edmilson Amaral de Souza, and Lúcio Antônio Oliviera Campos
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endocrine system ,Apidae ,education ,Zoology ,Hymenoptera ,Anatomy ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Apoidea ,Aculeata ,Spermatheca ,Insect Science ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Mating ,Melipona ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
In this work, we examined the effect of delayed mating on spermathecal development in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides queens. The histology and histochemistry of the spermatheca of virgin queens zero, 15, 20, and 30 days old and physogastric queens were compared. There were no significant differences in the thickness of the epithelium and the volume of the spermathecal reservoir among virgin queens of different ages. However, physogastric queens had more voluminous spermathecae and thinner epithelia than virgin queens. The structure of the spermathecal glands was also influenced by mating. These findings suggest that mating leads to activation of the spermatheca and its glands. more...
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- 2008
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27. Differentiation of Melipona quadrifasciata L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) subspecies using cytochrome b PCR-RFLP patterns
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Rogério O. Souza, Geraldo Moretto, Maria Cristina Arias, and Marco Antonio Del Lama
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Mitochondrial DNA ,subspecies differentiation ,Apidae ,biology ,lcsh:QH426-470 ,Cytochrome b ,Stingless bee ,mtDNA ,Zoology ,Subspecies ,biology.organism_classification ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,lcsh:Genetics ,chemistry ,cytochrome b ,Molecular marker ,Botany ,Genetics ,PCR-RFLP patterns ,Restriction fragment length polymorphism ,Molecular Biology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata and M. quadrifasciata anthidioides are subspecies of M. quadrifasciata, a stingless bee species common in coastal Brazil. These subspecies are discriminated by the yellow stripe pattern of the abdominal tergites. We found Vsp I restriction patterns in the cytochrome b region closely associated to each subspecies in 155 M. quadrifasciata colonies of different geographical origin. This mitochondrial DNA molecular marker facilitates diagnosis of M. quadrifasciata subspecies matrilines and can be used to establish their natural distribution and identify hybrid colonies. more...
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- 2008
28. Ecdysteroid titers in pupae of highly social bees relate to distinct modes of caste development
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L. Z. Pinto, M.M.Gentile Bitondi, Klaus Hartfelder, and Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
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Ecdysteroid ,animal structures ,biology ,Physiology ,Stingless bee ,fungi ,Zoology ,Honey bee ,biology.organism_classification ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,chemistry ,Insect Science ,Juvenile hormone ,Botany ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Cuticle pigmentation ,Melipona ,Ecdysone ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Modifications in endocrine programs are common mechanisms that generate alternative phenotypes. In order to understand how such changes may have evolved, we analyzed the pupal ecdysteroid titers in two closely related, highly social bees: the honey bee, Apis mellifera, and a stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata. In both species, the ecdysteroid titers in queens reached their peak levels earlier than in workers. Titer levels at peak maxima did not differ for the honey bee castes, but in Melipona they were twofold higher in queens than in workers. During the second half of pupal development, when the ecdysteroid titers decrease and the cuticle progressively melanizes, the titer in honey bee queens remained higher than in workers, while the reverse situation was observed in Melipona. Application of the juvenile hormone analog Pyriproxyfen((R)) to spinning-stage larvae of Melipona induced queen development. Endocrinologically this was manifest in a queen-like profile of the pupal ecdysteroid titer. Comparing these data with previous results on preimaginal hormone titers in another stingless bee, we conclude that the timing and height of the pupal ecdysteroid peak may depend on the nature of the specific stimuli that initially trigger diverging queen/worker development. In contrast, the interspecific differences in the late pupal ecdysteroid titer profiles mainly seem to be related to caste-specific programs in tissue differentiation, including cuticle pigmentation. more...
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- 2002
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29. Ecdysteroid titer and reproduction in queens and workers of the honey bee and of a stingless bee: loss of ecdysteroid function at increasing levels of sociality?
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Klaus Hartfelder, W. C. Santana, Márcia Maria Gentile Bitondi, and Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
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Male ,animal structures ,Stingless bee ,Zoology ,Biochemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Honey bee life cycle ,Hemolymph ,Animals ,Social Behavior ,Molecular Biology ,Ecdysteroid ,Behavior, Animal ,biology ,Ecology ,Reproduction ,fungi ,Ecdysteroids ,Honey bee ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Laying worker bee ,Worker bee ,chemistry ,Insect Science ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Female ,Ecdysone ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Evidence from field wasps and bumblebees appoints the endocrine system as a mediator between dominance status and ovarian activity in primitively social Hymenoptera. In this comparative study on ecdysteroid titers in the highly social honey bee, Apis mellifera, and a stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata, we focussed on the relationship between the ecdysteroid titer, social conditions (presence or absence of the queen), and ovary activity. In contrast to bumblebees, ecdysteroid titers in honey bee and stingless bee workers were either not altered, or dropped to even lower levels after the queen was removed. We also did not detect differences between virgin queens and mated, egg laying queens. These results suggest that ecdysteroids may have lost most of their reproductive functions - yet gained functions in larval caste differentiation - as higher levels of social organization were attained in the evolution of social insects. The observation that ecdysteroid titers are transiently elevated in young workers adds a new, yet functionally still speculative facet to hormonal regulation in insect societies. more...
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- 2002
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30. First discovery of a rare polygyne colony in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Apidae, Meliponini)
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Denise A. Alves, Cristiano Menezes, Tom Wenseleers, and Vera Lúcia Imperatriz-Fonseca
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relatedness ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,0106 biological sciences ,0303 health sciences ,Apidae ,Stingless bee ,Zoology ,[SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,COMPORTAMENTO ANIMAL ,[SDV.BA.ZI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Invertebrate Zoology ,stingless bees ,03 medical and health sciences ,[SDV.SA.SPA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Animal production studies ,Insect Science ,reproductive skew ,polygyny, relatedness, reproductive skew, stingless bees ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,ABELHAS ,polygyny ,030304 developmental biology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Stingless bees are highly eusocial bees, and are characterised by having perennial colonies that are typically headed by one single-mated queen (Peters et al., 1999). The main exception to this pattern is found in Melipona bicolor, which is the only stingless bee species discovered so far to exhibit facultative polygyny, whereby several queens may coexist and share reproduction inside the colony for considerable periods of time (Bego, 1989; Velthuis et al., 2006). Aside from that, there are, for a few stingless bee species, also some anecdotal reports of temporary, transient episodes of polygyny (e.g. in M. scutellaris, Carvalho-Zilse and Kerr, 2004; Plebeia droryana, Silva, 1972; and P. wittmanni, Witter and Wittmann, 1997), which are usually associated with queen replacement events. Here we report on a novel case of occasional polygyny in the stingless bee M. quadrifasciata, in which an exceptionally high number (8) of egg-laying queens were found to coexist inside the same colony. In addition, and in contrast to some of the earlier studies demonstrating occasional polygyny in stingless bees, which were purely based on observations, we provide the first genetic data about the reproductive partitioning and relatedness among these different queens. ispartof: Apidologie vol:42 issue:2 pages:211-213 status: published more...
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- 2011
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31. Genetic Variability of Stingless Bees Melipona mondury Smith and Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from a Meliponary
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Geraldo Moretto, Flávio de Oliveira Francisco, and Jaqueline Reginato Koser
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Apidae ,Ecology ,Endangered species ,conservation ,Hymenoptera ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,microsatellites ,heterospecific primers ,QL1-991 ,Insect Science ,Microsatellite ,Queen (butterfly) ,Philopatry ,Genetic variability ,QH1-278.5 ,Natural history (General) ,Meliponini ,Zoology ,QH540-549.5 ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The species of stingless bees Melipona mondury Smith and Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier are native to the Atlantic Forest, sensitive to environmental changes and therefore, endangered in several Brazilian states. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic variability of populations of these two species at the meliponary of the Regional University of Blumenau through the use of heterospecific microsatellite primers. We collected one worker from 19 colonies of M. mondury and from 25 colonies of M. quadrifasciata . We found low levels of genetic variability for both species, which may be explained by null alleles, queen philopatry and/or artificial maintenance of hives . Whether natural populations of these species are presenting low genetic variability they might be endangered. more...
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- 2014
32. Differential insecticide susceptibility of the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera
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Eugênio E. Oliveira, Raul Narciso C. Guedes, Mário César Laboissiérè del Sarto, and Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos
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0106 biological sciences ,animal structures ,Insecticide exposure ,Stingless bee ,Zoology ,[SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity ,010501 environmental sciences ,Biology ,acute toxicity ,wild bees ,01 natural sciences ,Buzz pollinators ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Pollinator ,Botany ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,Acute toxicity ,Methamidophos ,fungi ,food and beverages ,Honey bee ,15. Life on land ,biology.organism_classification ,insecticide exposure ,[SDV.BA.ZI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Invertebrate Zoology ,010602 entomology ,Deltamethrin ,chemistry ,buzz pollinators ,Insect Science ,[SDV.SA.SPA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Animal production studies ,Abamectin ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Wild bees ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
International audience; The toxicity of three insecticides frequently used in Neotropical tomato cultivation (abamectin, deltamethrin, and methamidophos) was estimated on foragers of the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Lep.) and the honey bee Apis mellifera (L.). Our results showed that the susceptibility varied significantly with the type of exposure (ingestion, topical, or contact), and there were significant differences between species. While M. quadrifasciata was usually more susceptible to insecticides (except for abamectin) in realistic exposures (via ingestion and contact) than A. mellifera, the former was less susceptible than A. mellifera to topically applied insecticides, a less realistic means of insecticide exposure. These findings challenge the common extrapolation of toxicity bioassays with A. mellifera to all (native) bee pollinators. Such equivocated extrapolation may compromise the significant services provided by native bees in Neotropical ecosystems. more...
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- 2014
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33. Age-mediated and environmentally mediated brain and behavior plasticity in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides
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Conrado A. Rosi-Denadai, Hudson V. V. Tomé, Gustavo Ferreira Martins, Raul Narciso C. Guedes, and Jessica Fernanda N. Pimenta
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Native stingless bee ,Entomology ,Stingless bee ,media_common.quotation_subject ,walking behavior ,Foraging ,native pollinator ,Zoology ,Insect ,[SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity ,Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Pollinator ,Native pollinator ,030304 developmental biology ,media_common ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,0303 health sciences ,Ecology ,Walking (activity) ,fungi ,Walking behavior ,Mushroom body ,native stingless bee ,biology.organism_classification ,mushroom body ,[SDV.BA.ZI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Invertebrate Zoology ,Insect Science ,[SDV.SA.SPA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Animal production studies ,Mushroom bodies ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
International audience; Structural changes in the insect brain related to age and individual experience may underlie the behavioral plasticity that is particularly important in such social insects as bees. This study assessed the influence of age and rearing conditions (field vs laboratory) in mediating changes in the volume of mushroom bodies and antennal lobes in the brains of workers of the native stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier, a pollinator species with small colonies exhibiting high level of sociability and behavioral versatility. Although only age-dependent enlargement was observed in the antennal lobes, significant increase (21 %) in the neuropils of the mushroom bodies occurred before the foraging age, in contrast to honeybees, and environmental complexity led to a significant increase in both the mushroom body volume and the walking activity. Such differences in the stingless bee M. quadrifasciata anthidioides as compared with the honeybee may assist in relating brain evolution and plasticity with the behavior in these social insects. more...
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- 2014
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34. Adaptive behavior of Scotocryptus melitophilus Reitter (Coleoptera, Leiodidae) to live with its host Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae)
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Warwick Estevam Kerr, José Maurício Dias Bezerra, and Rui Carlos Peruquetti
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Leiodidae ,biology ,Apidae ,Ecology ,Host (biology) ,Zoology ,Hymenoptera ,biology.organism_classification ,phoresy ,caste ,Nest ,Scotocryptus ,lcsh:Zoology ,Queen (butterfly) ,Melipona ,Animal Science and Zoology ,lcsh:Q ,lcsh:QL1-991 ,lcsh:Science ,adaptive behavior ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Forty six beetles Scotocryptus melitophilus Reitter, 1881 collected in a nest of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 were studied. All beetles were put together in a large petri dish with 14 males, 14 virgin queens and 14 workers of M. quadrifasciata, which was not aggressive towards the S. melitophilus and flew with 3 to 10 beetles attached to them. When groups of 20 workers, 20 males and 20 virgin queens were put separately in three petri dishes, the workers become attractive to beetles after they were seven days old, while the males after the 19 days old. Only one virgin queen five days old attracted one beetle. The anatomic parts of the workers bees more attractive to the beetles when smeared to a filter paper were the head (32%), abdomen (29%) and legs (29%). The part of the workers bees that less attracted the beetles was the thorax (10%). 5. melitophilus, both males and females, are able to distinguish caste, sex and age differences of their host M. quadrifasciata, what can increase the adaptive value of the beetles involved in phoretic behavior. more...
- Published
- 2000
35. Regression of the lateral oviducts during the larval-adult transformation of the reproductive system ofMelipona quadrifasciata andFrieseomelitta varia
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Zilá Luz Paulino-Simões, Isabel Cristina Boleli, and Márcia Maria Gentile Bitondi
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Larva ,biology ,Frieseomelitta varia ,Zoology ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Reproductive system ,biology.organism_classification ,Developmental Biology ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,Apoidea ,Frieseomelitta - Abstract
Departamento de Genetica Faculdade de Med. de Ribeirao Preto Universidade de Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, SP
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- 2000
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36. Within-colony size variation of foragers and pollen load capacity in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier (Apidae, Hymenoptera)
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Vera Lúcia Imperatriz-Fonseca, Tereza Cristina Giannini, and Mauro Ramalho
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0106 biological sciences ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Apidae ,Ecology ,Stingless bee ,Population ,food and beverages ,Zoology ,medicine.disease_cause ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Brood ,Apoidea ,010602 entomology ,Aculeata ,Insect Science ,Pollen ,medicine ,education ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Within-nest worker size variation in the eusocial stingless bees is a contingent phe- nomenon of unknown adaptive value. We assume that the magnitude of variation represents a com- promise between a minimum population of foragers and foraging efficiency at colony level. In Melipona quadrifasciata, worker size was found to vary according to colony conditions, and the pollen carrying efficiency of an individual was related to its size. On average, the foragers from a weak colony are smaller and are able to carry greater amounts of pollen per unity of body weight ('load capacity') than the larger foragers from a strong colony. The allometric variation of the corbicula (the pollen carrying structure in the hind tibia) contributes to the observed decrease in pollen load capacity with increased body size. By higher pollen intake per worker, the colonies with smaller bees could increasing the rate of brood production and colony population recovery after population crashes. © Inra/DIB/AGIB/Elsevier, Paris more...
- Published
- 1998
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37. Genetic analysis of Melipona quadrifasciata Lep. (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponinae) with RAPD markers
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A. M. WALDSCHMIDT, P. MARCO-JUNIOR, E. G. BARROS, and L. A. O. CAMPOS
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Hymenoptera ,stingless bees ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,RAPD ,genetic distance ,Science ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Zoology ,QL1-991 ,Botany ,QK1-989 - Abstract
Melipona quadrifasciata ("mandaçaia") can be subdivided into two subspecies: M. q. anthidioides and M. q. quadrifasciata. In the present study we used RAPD markers to estimate intercolonial genetic variation among 69 colonies of Melipona quadrifasciata. Ten workers per colony were analyzed. The intercolony genetic distances based on RAPD markers ranged from 29.5% (colonies collected in the State of São Paulo vs colonies from the State of Minas Gerais) to 34.2% (São Paulo vs Santa Catarina). These results indicate a high genetic similarity among the colonies analyzed.According to the genetic distances two different groups could be distinguished. The first containing the samples from Santa Catarina region and the second, samples from Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo. Based on the molecular analysis, bees belonging to the different subspecies M. q. quadrifasciata (from Santa Catarina) and M. q. anthidioides (from the other regions) were distinguished. more...
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38. Geração e expressão da oscilação circadiana na abelha sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera; Apinae; Meliponini)
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Cintia Etsuko Yamashita, Mirian David Marques, Klaus Hartmann Hartfelder, Maria Cristina Arias, Charlotte Helfrich-forster, and Lucile Maria Floeter Winter
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CLOCK ,Stingless bee ,Oscillation (cell signaling) ,Zoology ,Apinae ,Hymenoptera ,Circadian rhythm ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Daily rhythms of insects are generated by a circadian system localized in the protocerebrum and in the optic lobes of the central nervous system. The circadian system is composed by coupled oscillators connected to input and output pathways. The oscillator generates rhythms by molecular processes, linked in feedback loops. In the input pathways the components are involved in light mediated-transduction. In the output, several neuropeptides are involved. Foragers of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata exhibit a daily activity rhythm. Foragers have been used here to identify circadian components, through three different approaches: I) analysis of gene expression; II) identification of structures in the central nervous system; III) comparative study of neuropeptides possibly related with the circadian system, using Apis mellifera as the reference species. I) Fragments of putative clock genes were cloned. Only period (per) gene showed rhythmic expression, peaked at 1h after lights off. Non statistically significant rhythms were detected in cryptochrome (cry), clock and cycle genes expression. II) Antibodies against PER, CRY (an input pathway protein) and pigment dispersing hormone (an output pathway neuropeptide) evinced several areas in the brain and in the optic lobes. PER and CRY were localized in the optic lobes and in fibers in the protocerebral region, in a rhythmic pattern. PDH was observed in cell bodies in the lateral protocerebrum, in projections in the brain and in some fibers in the optic lobes. III) Neuropeptides probably related to the circadian system, were found in A. mellifera and M. quadrifasciata. Some of them: tachykinin-related peptide, allatostatin, and FMRF-related peptide were rhythmic and present in specie-specific patterns. The circadian system of M. quadrifasciata showed particularities in the putative clock components when compared with A. mellifera and other insects. The expression, localization, distribution and temporal dynamics of the circadian system point out a novel, specific feature Ritmos diários em insetos são gerados por um sistema circadiano localizado no protocerebrum e nos lobos ópticos do sistema nervoso central. O sistema circadiano é composto por osciladores acoplados às vias de aferência e eferência. O oscilador gera ritmos através de mecanismos moleculares, integrantes de alças de retroalimentação. Nas vias de aferência estão envolvidos componentes que participam da transdução mediada da luz. Diversos neuropeptídeos fazem parte das vias de eferência. Forrageiras da abelha sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata exibem um ritmo diário de atividade. Forrageiras foram utilizadas neste trabalho para identificar componentes circadianos, através de três diferentes abordagens: I) análise da expressão gênica, II) identificação de estruturas no sistema nervoso central, III) estudo comparado de neuropeptídeos possivelmente relacionados com o sistema circadiano, utilizando como espécie referência Apis mellifera. Fragmentos de prováveis genes do relógio foram clonados. Somente o gene period (per) mostrou expressão rítmica, o pico ocorreu 1h após o início do escuro. cryptochrome (cry), clock e cycle não apresentaram diferença estatística na expressão rítmica. I) Anticorpos contra PER, CRY (proteína da via de aferência) e \"pigment dispersing hormone\" (PDH, neuropeptídeo da via de eferência) marcaram diversas áreas no cérebro e nos lobos ópticos. PER e CRY foram localizados nos lobos ópticos, em fibras da região protocerebral, com um padrão rítmico. PDH foi observado em corpos celulares no protocerebrum lateral, em projeções no cérebro e em algumas fibras nos lobos ópticos. II) Neuropeptídeos, provavelmente relacionados com o sistema circadiano, foram detectados em A. mellifera e M. quadrifasciata. Alguns deles: \"tachykinins-related peptides\", alatostatinas, e \"FMRF-related peptides\" são rítmicos, com padrões espécie-específicos. O sistema circadiano de M. quadrifasciata mostrou particularidades nos prováveis componentes do relógio quando comparados com A. mellifera e outros insetos. A expressão, localização, distribuição e dinâmicas temporais apontam para características específicas da organização do sistema circadiano more...
- Published
- 2013
39. Factors influencing survival duration and choice of virgin queens in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata
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Oliver S. Beveridge, Martin H. Kärcher, Cristiano Menezes, Denise A. Alves, Vera Lúcia Imperatriz-Fonseca, and Francis L. W. Ratnieks
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Behavior, Animal ,INSETOS SOCIAIS ,Stingless bee ,Ecology ,Brood comb ,Swarming (honey bee) ,Zoology ,General Medicine ,Bees ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Survival Analysis ,Animals ,Female ,Social Behavior ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Trophallaxis ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
In Melipona quadrifasciata, about 10 % of the females develop into queens, almost all of which are killed. Occasionally, a new queen replaces or supersedes the mother queen or heads a new colony. We investigated virgin queen fate in queenright and queenless colonies to determine the effects of queen behaviour, body mass, nestmate or non-nestmate status, queenright or queenless colony status, and, when queenless, the effect of the time a colony had been queenless, on survival duration and acceptance. None of 220 virgin queens observed in four observation hives ever attacked another virgin queen nor did any of 88 virgin queens introduced into queenright colonies ever attack the resident queen. A new queen was only accepted in a queenless colony. Factors increasing survival duration and acceptance of virgin queens were to emerge from its cell at 2 h of queenlessness, to hide, and to avoid fights with workers. In this way, a virgin queen was more likely to be available when a colony chooses a new queen, 24-48 h after resident queen removal. Running, walking or resting, antennating or trophallaxis, played little or no role, as did the factors body mass or nestmate. “Queen choice” took about 2 h during which time other virgin queens were still being killed by workers. During this agitated process, the bees congregated around the new queen. She inflated her abdomen and some of the workers deposited a substance on internal nest surfaces including the glass lid of the observation hive. more...
- Published
- 2013
40. Electrophoretical studies of proteins of the hypopharyngeal glands and of the larval food ofMelipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lep. (Hymenoptera, Meliponinae)
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R. L. M. Silva de Moraes, M. R. Brochetto-Braga, and A. Azevedo
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Larva ,Exocrine gland ,food.ingredient ,Apidae ,biology ,fungi ,Zoology ,Hymenoptera ,biology.organism_classification ,Apoidea ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,food ,Aculeata ,Insect Science ,Botany ,Royal jelly ,medicine ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The electrophoretical protein patterns of hypopharyngeal glands, larval food ofMelipona, and royal jelly ofApis were compared.
- Published
- 1996
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41. Sperm utilisation by Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae) queens subjected to multiple mating
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Mara Garcia Tavares, Denilce Meneses Lopes, and Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos
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endocrine system ,biology ,urogenital system ,Molecular markers ,Zoology ,Semen ,Hymenoptera ,biology.organism_classification ,Aculeata ,Spermatheca ,Insect Science ,Botany ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Melipona ,Stingless bees ,Mating ,Sperm competition ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Sperm utilisation ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
In most Hymenoptera species the queen mates once but in a small number of species, multiple matings can occur normally. So, in this study, physogastric M. quadrifasciata queens were mated with a second male to investigate how these queens, naturally inseminated and laying eggs, use spermatozoa stored in their spermatheca, when they are mated with a second male. Results demonstrate that spermatozoa of different males mix in the spermatheca of M. quadrifasciata queens and that there is a gradual increase in the utilisation of spermatozoa of the second male, which could be explained by a competition among spermatozoa of different drones over the way in which spermatozoa are stored in the spermatheca. more...
- Published
- 2003
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42. Digestive and regenerative cells in the midgut of haploid and diploid males of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
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José Eduardo Serrão, Gustavo Ferreira Martins, Kenner Morais Fernandes, and Clóvis Andrade Neves
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biology ,Apidae ,Stingless bee ,fungi ,Zoology ,Midgut ,Hymenoptera ,biology.organism_classification ,Pupa ,Digestive system ,drones ,Nest ,eusocial insect ,Botany ,lcsh:Zoology ,morphology ,Animal Science and Zoology ,lcsh:QL1-991 ,Ploidy ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
In eusocial bees, workers and queens are diploid (2n), whereas males are haploid (n). However, in some species, including the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier, 1836, 2n males arise from fertilized eggs resulting from the crossing between a queen and her brother. In the present study, we provide a comparative analysis of the digestive and regenerative cells in n and 2n pupae and adult males of M. quadrifasciata anthidioides. In n and 2n pupae and adult males, the number of regenerative cells/nest was similar. In n and 2n pupae, the mean number of digestive cells/midgut area was 2076 ± 0.60, whereas in adults it was 1234 ± 1.42 digestive cells/midgut area. The nuclear area of the digestive cells was also similar in both n and 2n adult males (~154 µm2) and smaller in pupae (~91 µm2); this variation might be a result of DNA amplification in digestive cells during bee development. The results from our current study provide further understanding of the morphological and physiological aspects of the digestive tract of bees and show that the ploidy difference between n and 2n male stages does not affect the number of digestive and regenerative cells in the midgut of M. quadrifasciata anthidioides. more...
- Published
- 2012
43. Imidacloprid-Induced Impairment of Mushroom Bodies and Behavior of the Native Stingless Bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides
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Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, Gustavo Ferreira Martins, Raul Narciso C. Guedes, Maria Augusta Pereira Lima, and Hudson V. V. Tomé
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Time Factors ,Stingless bee ,Science ,Toxic Agents ,Crops ,Hymenoptera ,Hierarchy, Social ,Walking ,Biology ,Toxicology ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Neonicotinoids ,Imidacloprid ,Pollinator ,Vegetables ,Nectar ,Animals ,Bites and Stings ,Pesticides ,Mushroom Bodies ,Multidisciplinary ,Apidae ,Animal Behavior ,Behavior, Animal ,fungi ,Body Weight ,Neonicotinoid ,Imidazoles ,Brain ,Agriculture ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Nitro Compounds ,Survival Analysis ,Sustainable Agriculture ,Diet ,chemistry ,Larva ,Medicine ,Pest Control ,Agrochemicals ,Zoology ,Entomology ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,Research Article - Abstract
Declines in pollinator colonies represent a worldwide concern. The widespread use of agricultural pesticides is recognized as a potential cause of these declines. Previous studies have examined the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides such as imidacloprid on pollinator colonies, but these investigations have mainly focused on adult honey bees. Native stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponinae) are key pollinators in neotropical areas and are threatened with extinction due to deforestation and pesticide use. Few studies have directly investigated the effects of pesticides on these pollinators. Furthermore, the existing impact studies did not address the issue of larval ingestion of contaminated pollen and nectar, which could potentially have dire consequences for the colony. Here, we assessed the effects of imidacloprid ingestion by stingless bee larvae on their survival, development, neuromorphology and adult walking behavior. Increasing doses of imidacloprid were added to the diet provided to individual worker larvae of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides throughout their development. Survival rates above 50% were only observed at insecticide doses lower than 0.0056 µg active ingredient (a.i.)/bee. No sublethal effect on body mass or developmental time was observed in the surviving insects, but the pesticide treatment negatively affected the development of mushroom bodies in the brain and impaired the walking behavior of newly emerged adult workers. Therefore, stingless bee larvae are particularly susceptible to imidacloprid, as it caused both high mortality and sublethal effects that impaired brain development and compromised mobility at the young adult stage. These findings demonstrate the lethal effects of imidacloprid on native stingless bees and provide evidence of novel serious sublethal effects that may compromise colony survival. The ecological and economic importance of neotropical stingless bees as pollinators, their susceptibility to insecticides and the vulnerability of their larvae to insecticide exposure emphasize the importance of studying these species. more...
- Published
- 2012
44. Cytochemistry of fat body trophocytes and ovaries of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) during vitellogenesis
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Thaisa Cristina Roat, Bruno Berger, Vagner Tadeu Paes-de-Oliveira, and C. Cruz-Landim
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Histology ,Stingless bee ,Fat Body ,Ovary (botany) ,Carbohydrates ,Zoology ,Hymenoptera ,Oogenesis ,Botany ,Hemolymph ,Animals ,Instrumentation ,biology ,Histocytochemistry ,Ovary ,Vitellogenesis ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Lipids ,Brood ,Medical Laboratory Technology ,Insect Proteins ,Female ,Anatomy ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The fat body (FB) of insects is where yolk proteins are synthesized. Therefore, relationships between the FB and oogenesis were studied in nurse workers, virgins, and physogastric queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides, a stingless bee in which the workers produce and lay eggs while provisioning brood cells. The relationships between FB and oogenesis, as well as the routes of materials from hemolymph to the oocytes, were studied through the cytochemical detection of lipids by osmium imidazole (OI), carbohydrates by ruthenium red (RR) and basic proteins by ammoniacal silver (AS). The results show differences in the presence of the studied materials in FB trophocytes and ovary of the classes of females studied and oogenesis phases. Material that tested positive for the treatments was detected among the classes of individuals studied in both, trophocytes and oocytes, and in the route of those materials from hemolymph to the oocytes. The differences found among the individual classes indicate relationships with the nutrition and adaptation to the parsimonious use of nutrients in the metabolism of reproduction. more...
- Published
- 2012
45. Characterization of cuticular hydrocarbons od diploid and haploid males, workers and queens of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata
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Andreia Arantes Borges, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, Fabio S. Nascimento, Mara Garcia Tavares, and Maria Juliana Ferreira-Caliman
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Chemical signature ,Entomology ,animal structures ,biology ,Stingless bee ,fungi ,Zoology ,biology.organism_classification ,ESPECTROMETRIA DE MASSAS ,Insect Science ,Botany ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Ploidy ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Males, queens and workers of stingless bees show differences in external morphology, behaviour and roles within a colony. In addition, each individual has a cuticular chemical signature responsible for mutual communication that is essential for maintaining the integrity of the colony. In this paper we characterize the cuticular hydrocarbon composition of newly emerged diploid and haploid males, workers and virgin queens of Melipona quadrifasciata by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. This is the first time that the cuticular profile of diploid males in a species of stingless bee has been characterized. We found differences in the cuticular hydrocarbon composition among males, workers and virgin queens, recording both qualitative and quantitative differences among individuals of different phenotypes. However, no compound was found exclusively in diploid males. The cuticular chemical profiles of haploid and diploid males were very similar to those of workers. Moreover, the cuticular lipids of males and workers were significantly different from those of queens. Tricosane, pentacosene-2 and 7-methyl-heptacosane were the compounds responsible for this significant separation. This result correlates with the behavioural and morphological differences among these phenotypes. more...
- Published
- 2012
46. Genome size diversity in stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini)
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Fernanda Aparecida Ferrari Soares, Mara Garcia Tavares, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, and Carlos Roberto Ribeiro de Carvalho
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0106 biological sciences ,Stingless bee ,Melipona capixaba ,Zoology ,[SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,Botany ,Paratrigona subnuda ,Flow cytometry ,Genome size ,030304 developmental biology ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,Apidae ,flow cytometry ,meliponines ,biology.organism_classification ,Melipona subnitida ,[SDV.BA.ZI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Invertebrate Zoology ,Meliponines ,C-value ,DNA content ,Insect Science ,[SDV.SA.SPA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Animal production studies ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
International audience; The first studies on the genome size of stingless bee species showed a range from 0.27 pg (Melipona subnitida and Melipona quadrifasciata) to 1.38 pg (Melipona capixaba). Considering this variation, we quantified the DNA content of 26 species of Meliponini, in order to provide input for future comparative studies in this tribe. Haploid genome size (1C) estimates, using flow cytometry analyses (FCM), ranged from 0.26 ± 0.003 pg (Paratrigona subnuda) to 0.98 ± 0.023 pg (Melipona flavolineata), with an average of 0.54 ± 0.17 pg. FCM analyses also demonstrated a small difference in the haploid genome size between males and females of the same species, with the males generally having a smaller genome than females. Our data also evidenciated that variations in the genome size of stingless bees do not correlate with changes in chromosome number and that in some genera the DNA content is more variable than in others. more...
- Published
- 2012
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47. Behavioral suites mediate group-level foraging dynamics in communities of tropical stingless bees
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Vera Lúcia Imperatriz-Fonseca, Elinor M. Lichtenberg, and James C. Nieh
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0106 biological sciences ,Species removal ,Pollination ,Stingless bee ,Foraging ,POLINIZAÇÃO ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Pollinator ,Nannotrigona testaceicornis ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Dominance ,biology ,Apidae ,Ecology ,Superorganism ,Trigona spinipes ,Life Sciences ,15. Life on land ,biology.organism_classification ,Aggression ,010602 entomology ,Insect Science ,Group foraging ,Zoology ,Research Article ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Competition for floral resources is a key force shaping pollinator communities, particularly among social bees. The ability of social bees to recruit nestmates for group foraging is hypothesized to be a major factor in their ability to dominate rich resources such as mass-flowering trees. We tested the role of group foraging in attaining dominance by stingless bees, eusocial tropical pollinators that exhibit high diversity in foraging strategies. We provide the first experimental evidence that meliponine group foraging strategies, large colony sizes and aggressive behavior form a suite of traits that enable colonies to improve dominance of rich resources. Using a diverse assemblage of Brazilian stingless bee species and an array of artificial "flowers" that provided a sucrose reward, we compared species' dominance and visitation under unrestricted foraging conditions and with experimental removal of group-foraging species. Dominance does not vary with individual body size, but rather with foraging group size. Species that recruit larger numbers of nestmates (Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, Trigona hyalinata, Trigona spinipes) dominated both numerically (high local abundance) and behaviorally (controlling feeders). Removal of group-foraging species increased feeding opportunities for solitary foragers (Frieseomelitta varia, Melipona quadrifasciata and Nannotrigona testaceicornis). Trigona hyalinata always dominated under unrestricted conditions. When this species was removed, T. spinipes or S. aff. depilis controlled feeders and limited visitation by solitary-foraging species. Because bee foraging patterns determine plant pollination success, understanding the forces that shape these patterns is crucial to ensuring pollination of both crops and natural areas in the face of current pollinator declines. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00040-009-0055-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. more...
- Published
- 2010
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48. Phylogéographie et démographie historique de l'abeille sans aiguillon néotropicale Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera, Apidae) : manque de correspondance entre morphologie et ADN mitochondrial
- Author
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Mara Garcia Tavares, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, Tânia M. Fernandes-Salomão, Ana Maria Waldschmidt, and Henrique Batalha-Filho
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,coalescence ,Stingless bee ,Biogeography ,sous-espèce ,Zoology ,[SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity ,Disjunct ,Subspecies ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,tergal stripes ,subspecies---biogéographie ,biogeography ,030304 developmental biology ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,Apidae ,Ecology ,15. Life on land ,biology.organism_classification ,Brésil ,[SDV.BA.ZI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Invertebrate Zoology ,Phylogeography ,rayures ,13. Climate action ,Insect Science ,[SDV.SA.SPA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Animal production studies ,Genetic structure ,Melipona quadrifasciata ,tergite ,ADN mitochondrial - Abstract
International audience; The stingless bees are among the most abundant and ecologically important social invertebrates in tropical communities. The Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata has two subspecies: M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata and M. quadrifasciata anthidioides. The main difference between subspecies are the yellow metassomal stripes, which are continuous in M. q. quadrifasciata and discontinuous in M. q. anthidioides. Recently, two populations were described with continuous stripes and inhabiting clearly disjunct areas in relation to M. q. quadrifasciata. We sequenced 852 bp of the mtDNA COI gene from 145 colonies from 56 localities, and for the first time performed a detailed phylogeographic study of a neotropical stingless bee. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of two clades exhibiting a south to north distribution: southern populations comprise the subspecies M. q. quadrifasciata, and northern populations are composed of M. q. anthidioides and two disjunct populations with continuous stripes. The divergence time of these two phylogroups was estimated between 0.233 and 0.840 million years ago in the Pleistocene, a period of climatic changes and geomorphological alterations in the Neotropical region. No evidence of genetic structure in relation to the tergal stripes was found, indicating that the morphological trait regarding the pattern of stripes on tergites is not an accurate diagnostic for the subspecies of M. quadrifasciata. more...
- Published
- 2010
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49. A molecular marker distinguishes the subspecies Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata and Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponinae)
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Everaldo Gonçalves de Barros, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira Campos, and Ana Maria Waldschmidt
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biology ,Apidae ,lcsh:QH426-470 ,Stingless bee ,Zoology ,Hymenoptera ,Subspecies ,biology.organism_classification ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,lcsh:Genetics ,chemistry ,Genetic marker ,Molecular marker ,Botany ,Genetic structure ,Genetics ,Molecular Biology ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
The stingless bee species Melipona quadrifasciata includes two subspecies, Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioids and Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata. The morphological difference between the two subspecies is the presence of three to five continuous yellow stripes on the terga on the 3rd to 6th segments in workers and males of M. q. quadrifasciata, and two to five interrupted bands in M. q. anthidioides. We identified a DNA marker which is present in M. q. quadrifasciata and absent in M. q. anthidioides. Only one among the M. q. quadrifasciata colonies did not present the marker. It was also absent in bees collected in northern Minas Gerais State (Brazil), despite their morphological resemblance to M. q. quadrifasciata. The marker can be used for studying the genetic structure of the hybridization zone formed by the intercrossing of the two subspecies.A espécie de abelha sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata apresenta duas subespécies, Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lep. e Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lep. A diferença morfológica entre as duas subespécies é a presença de três a cinco bandas tergais amarelas do 3º ao 6º segmentos em operárias e machos de M. q. quadrifasciata e duas a cinco bandas interrompidas em M. q. anthidioides. Nós identificamos um marcador de DNA que está presente em M. q. quadrifasciata e ausente em M. q. anthidioides. Este marcador está ausente em abelhas coletadas no norte do Estado de Minas Gerais (Brasil), embora esses indivíduos apresentem morfologia similar à de M. q. quadrifasciata. Este marcador poderá ser utilizado em estudos da zona de hibridação entre as subespécies. more...
- Published
- 2000
50. Gender identification of five genera of stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini) based on wing morphology
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Patrícia Nunes-Silva, Tiago Maurício Francoy, R. A. O Silva, Vera Lúcia Imperatriz-Fonseca, and Cristiano Menezes
- Subjects
Male ,Sex Characteristics ,Apidae ,biology ,Stingless bee ,Ecology ,Biodiversity ,Zoology ,General Medicine ,Bees ,biology.organism_classification ,Plebeia remota ,Pollinator ,Genetics ,Animals ,Wings, Animal ,Identification (biology) ,APIDAE ,Molecular Biology ,Nannotrigona testaceicornis ,Melipona quadrifasciata - Abstract
Currently, the identification of pollinators is a critical necessity of conservation programs. After it was found that features extracted from patterns of wing venation are sufficient to discriminate among insect species, various studies have focused on this structure. We examined wing venation patterns of males and workers of five stingless bee species in order to determine if there are differences between sexes and if these differences are greater within than between species. Geometric morphometric analyses were made of the forewings of males and workers of Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Melipona quadrifasciata, Frieseomelitta varia, and Scaptotrigona aff. depilis and Plebeia remota. The patterns of males and workers from the same species were more similar than the patterns of individuals of the same sex from different species, and the patterns of both males and workers, when analyzed alone, were sufficiently different to distinguish among these five species. This demonstrates that we can use this kind of analysis for the identification of stingless bee species and that the sex of the individual does not impede identification. Computer-assisted morphometric analysis of bee wing images can be a useful tool for biodiversity studies and conservation programs. more...
- Published
- 2009
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