Gabriel A. R. Melo

Higher-level bee classifications (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae sensu lato)

A higher-level classification of bees, in which the entire group is treated as a single family - the Apidae - is advocated here. A total of seven subfamilies, 51 tribes and 27 subtribes are recognized. These subfamilies correspond to the families adopted in the traditional classification. Although the proposed changes do not involve any major rearrangement, basically only changing the rank given to the main groups, the new system makes the classification of bees more consistent with that adopted for other major groups of aculeate Hymenoptera. It also departs from the 19th century practice, perpetuated in the traditional classification, of giving family-status to the main groups of bees. A correspondence table associating the taxon names used in the current traditional classification with those of the revised classification is presented. Scrapterini new tribe (type-genus Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville) is proposed to accommodate the southern African genus Scrapter.

Nesting Biologies and Immature Stages of the Tapinotaspidine Bee Genera Monoeca and Lanthanomelissa and of Their Osirine Cleptoparasites Protosiris and Parepeolus (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apinae)

Abstract The nesting biologies of Monoeca haemorrhoidalis (Smith) and Lanthanomelissa betinae Urban (Tapinotaspidini) are described from southeastern Brazil. Both are ground nesting; the nests of the former are attacked by the cleptoparasite Protosiris gigas Melo (Osirini), and those of the latter are attacked by Parepeolus minutus Roig-Alsina (Osirini). Egg eclosion, larval feeding behavior, and cocoon spinning of M. haemorrhoidalis are detailed. A female of P. gigas opens the closed cell of M. haemorrhoidalis by making a large opening in the cell cap (which is plugged after ovipositioning) through which she apparently extends her metasoma. Indirect evidence suggests that she uses her metasomal apex, and perhaps even the sting, to kill the host egg or early instar. Protosiris eggs are either attached to the cell-wall surface of the nearly vertical host cells or dropped onto the surface of the provisions. First instars of P. gigas, with strongly curved, sharply pointed mandibles, are also capable of killing host immatures or competing cleptoparasites. Cocoons of all four species are compared and contrasted. The egg, all larval instars, and pupa of Monoeca haemorrhoidalis are described, as are the egg and postdefecating larva of Lanthanomelissa betinae. The egg, all larval instars, and pupa of Protosiris gigas are described, as is the postdefecating larva of Parepeolus minutus. Both Monoeca haemorrhoidalis and Protosiris gigas have four ovarioles per ovary. The egg indices and other ovarian features of both species are identified and discussed. The possible phylogenetic relationship of the Tapinotaspidini with the Osirini is briefly explored on the basis of data from this study. Possible phylogenetic relationships of the Osirini with other cleptoparasitic apids are analyzed. In the appendix,, the identity of the species of Monoeca, whose nesting biology is presented in the main paper, is discussed. The species is M. haemorrhoidalis (Smith, 1854), a species closely related to M. schrottkyi (Friese, 1902) and M. xanthopyga Harter-Marques, Cunha, and Moure, 2001. An identification key for distinguishing these three species is presented. Tetrapedia piliventris Friese is placed as a junior synonym of M. haemorrhoidalis (new synonymy). A lectotype is designated for Pachycentris schrottkyi Friese. The species of Protosiris found attacking M. haemorrhoidalis is here described as new, P. gigas Melo sp. nov. It is structurally most similar to P. caligneus (Shanks), from which it differs by its abundant yellow marks, plumose pubescence on the lower paraocular area, protruding anterior mesoscutum, and sparser punctation on the metasomal terga. Appendix: Taxonomic Notes on Monoeca and Description of a New Species of Protosiris, by Gabriel A. R. Melo

A comunidade de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apidae s. l.) em uma área restrita de campo natural no Parque Estadual de Vila Velha, Paraná: diversidade, fenologia e fontes florais de alimento

A standardized survey of bees visiting blooming plants in an area covered by natural grasslands in the Vila Velha State Park was conducted from October, 2002, to October, 2003. A total of 1552 specimens belonging to 181 species were collected. These species are distributed in 58 genera, 24 tribes and 5 subfamilies. The visited plants belong to 113 species, in 72 genera and 38 families. Megachile, with 20 species, was the richest genus, while Ceratina was the most abundant native genus. Apis mellifera was the most abundant species, with 28% of all bees collected. Among the native species, Bombus atratus was the most abundant. Monthly richness and equitability varied along the year, March being the richest, and November, the most equitable. Despite being traditionally placed within the southern steppes, the open grasslands of Vila Velha contain numerous species previously only known from the cerrados of central Brazil. Also, when compared to other areas with open vegetation in Brazil, the bee fauna of Vila Velha stands out for having the subfamilies Apinae and Halictinae with equal number of species. Lists of bee species and of their host plants are appended.

Utilização de armadilhas para a captura de machos de Euglossini (Hymenoptera, Apoidea)

The use of a commercial fruit fly trap, baited with atractive compounds, for the collection of male euglossine bees is described. Some of the preliminary results obtained are presented.

Amazonian species within the Cerrado savanna: new records and potential distribution for Aglae caerulea (Apidae: Euglossini)

Given human-related changes, quality distributional data are required for consistent conservation. Still, the lack of proper biogeographic information is a major setback for many groups. Here, we use new occurrences for Aglae caerulea in the Cerrado to model its potential distribution. We used Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) and Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production (GARP) algorithms in different modeling runs and both previous and new A. caerulea occurrences to predict this species distribution. Models which used only the previous A. caerulea’s records did not predicted the new Cerrado records, while those where we used the latter did predict the new ones as minimally suitable. A. caerulea distribution significantly increased towards the Cerrado according to both MaxEnt and GARP algorithms. Gallery forests are important dispersal alternatives for several species dwelling the Amazon and the Atlantic forest. Niche models of other rare Euglossini bees are advised to better evaluate their distributions.

The higher‐level phylogenetic relationships of the Eumeninae (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Vespidae), with emphasis on Eumenes sensu lato

Cladistic analyses were carried out to infer the phylogenetic relationships among taxa that were originally part of the large genus Eumenes. Terminals belonging to other eumenine lineages were also included, as well as terminals from other vespid subfamilies. Analyses under equal weights and implied weights were carried out, and better results were obtained with the latter. The results corroborated the monophyly of Eumeninae, and recovered Zethini sensu lato as the sister‐lineage to the remaining eumenines. Eumenes sensu lato as originally recognized is paraphyletic relative to Odynerus sensu lato. A natural classification at the tribal level congruent with the phylogenetic results may be proposed, and the names Zethini, Odynerini, and Eumenini are already available. This is the most comprehensive phylogeny of the Eumeninae to date. A new generic synonymy is Alfieria Giordani Soika, 1934 = Delta de Saussure, 1855.

Orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the coastal forests of southern Brazil: diversity, efficiency of sampling methods and comparison with other Atlantic forest surveys

Os levantamentos da fauna de abelhas euglossineas realizados ate o momento ao longo da floresta Atlântica sao restritos a poucas regioes e nao permitem um entendimento mais aprofundado dos padroes latitudinais de distribuicao e diversidade dessas abelhas. Por este motivo, duas areas de floresta Atlântica do sul do Brasil, na planicie costeira de Sao Paulo (Sete Barras, Faz. Morro do Capim: SP3) e do Parana (Antonina, Reserva Natural do Rio Cachoeira: PR3), tiveram sua fauna de euglossineos amostrada. Em PR3, foi avaliada tambem a eficiencia de dois metodos alternativos de coleta, fazendo-se a comparacao entre armadilhas plasticas, iscadas com fragrâncias, e coleta direta com rede entomologica em iscas odoriferas. A diversidade e abundância das abelhas foram muito baixas: apenas 39 machos de oito especies foram coletados em SP3 (Euglossa iopoecila, Euglossa roderici, Eulaema nigrita, Euglossa annectans, Eulaema cingulata, Euglossa pleosticta, Euglossa viridis e Exaerete smaragdina) e 254 machos de seis especies em PR3 (Euglossa iopoecila, Euglossa annectans, Euglossa stellfeldi, Euglossa roderici, Euglossa pleosticta e Eulaema nigrita). A comparacao entre os metodos de amostragem mostrou que a coleta direta (seis especies; 221 especimes) foi mais eficiente do que o uso de armadilhas (tres especies; 33 especimes). A analise de correspondencia (DCA) mostrou que os dois levantamentos apresentados aqui se posicionaram relativamente proximos entre si, porem afastados dos outros locais comparados, nao se agrupando com o levantamento mais meridional nos dominios da floresta Atlântica do Rio Grande do Sul, nem com aqueles conduzidos em areas de terras baixas mais ao norte nesse bioma.

Has the bumblebee Bombus bellicosus gone extinct in the northern portion of its distribution range in Brazil

Evidence for the extinction of the bumblebee Bombus bellicosus in Paraná state, in Brazil, is presented. The species is found in areas covered with open grass fields and shrub vegetation, originally ranging from northwestern Argentina to Paraná, where it reached its northeastern limit. Until the early 1980s, B. bellicosus was relatively abundant in Paraná, when the last known specimens were collected. In recent surveys conducted from 2002 to 2005, no specimens were recovered at sites in which the species was previously known to occur. Possible causes for local extinction of this species are discussed, including habitat conversion, pollution and climate change.

Changes in wild bee fauna of a grassland in Brazil reveal negative effects associated with growing urbanization during the last 40 years

Bee fauna and associated flora from a grassland site in Brazil, surveyed 40 and 20 years ago, were newly surveyed with comparable methodology to evaluate changes in the bee fauna of this site, considering that human population and urbanization has exponentially increased in the last 40 years. In general, bee species richness has declined in 22%, as well as their abundance. Some of the previously abundant species are now absent, including Bombus bellicosus Smith, 1879, Gaesischia fulgurans (Holmberg, 1903) and Thectochlora basiatra (Strand, 1910). No particular trend of differential decrease among either taxonomic or functional groups was observed, except for a minor increase in the proportion of oligolectic species and a 50% reduction in the number of large species. The first two surveys were more similar to each other in species richness per bee genus, while the two most recent grouped together based on measures of anthropogenic impact. Furthermore, the number of plant species visited by bees increased, with a pronounced increase in ruderal and exotic species. Crop cultivation, competition with honeybees and climate changes may all be related to bee decline. Nevertheless, the effects of urbanization, in particular intense land occupation and few preserved natural areas can be pointed as the main causes of species decline. Due to continuing increase in human population, increased erosion in diversity is expected. Habitat protection is an additional challenge to bee conservation in the region, with no local conservation units set aside for grasslands. State and municipal agencies should urgently consider the establishment of reserves for the few remaining patches of natural grasslands.

Species of Euglossa (Glossura) in the Brazilian Atlantic forest, with taxonomic notes on Euglossa stellfeldi Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossina)

The species of Euglossa (Glossura) occuring in the Brazilian Atlantic forest were revised and an identification key to males and females is provided. The status of Euglossa annectans Dressler and E. stellfeldi Moure is reevaluated and the latter species is transferred from E. (Glossura) to E. (Glossurella). Here we also synonymize E. carinilabris Dressler under E. stellfeldi. Taxonomic notes are provided and relevant morphological features are illustred. Latitudinal color variation along the Brazilian Atlantic forest, found in two of the species studied here, is also presented and discussed.