Patrícia Maia Correia de Albuquerque

Aspectos da biologia de nidificação de Centris flavifrons (Friese) (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Centridini), um dos principais polinizadores do murici (Byrsonima crassifolia L. Kunth, Malpighiaceae), no Maranhão

The Centridini has almost 176 species distributed mainly in the tropic regions of America. Although they are considered key pollinators in the maintenance of many vegetal species, data about their bionomics are restrict. Nesting activity is known for 11 species, out of the 21 that are considered pollinators of murici, Byrsonima crassifolia L. Kunth, a valuable biomonitoring specie. A study of the nesting biology of Centris flavifrons (Friese) was conducted in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, during the active period of the adults (May through December). Nests were aggregated. The females excavated their nests on flat surfaces of hard soils. Fifteen nests were dug and we only found cells in six of them. The nests architecture consisted of a single unbranched tunnel, with only one cell in the vertical position at the end, which was 25 cm to 50 cm away from the entrance. Nocturnal activity was observed in the nests building. The pollen analysis of the contents of four cells allowed to identify 23 floral species, six of them Malpighiaceae. Six floral species were registered visiting C. flavifrons by the first time: Lecythis lurida (Miers) Mori, Hymenea courbaril L., Myrcea sp., Protium sp., Tetrapterys sp. and Thalisia sp.

Fenologia e biologia reprodutiva de duas espécies de Byrsonima Rich. (Malpighiaceae) em área de Cerrado no Nordeste do Brasil

The knowledge of the phenology patterns and of the floral biology, the determination of the role of the vectors of pollen flow, besides the understanding of the reproductive system, are fundamental points for the understanding of the reproductive biology of the species. The pollination ecology, reproductive system, flowering phenology and floral visitors of Byrsonima umbellata Mart. and B. rotunda Griseb. were studied in a Cerrado area, at Urbano Santos municipality, Maranhao State. B. umbellata presented extended flowering period (eight months) and B. rotunda showed brief flowering period (one month). The species had hermaphroditic flowers with diurnal anthesis. B. umbellata is facultatively self-incompatible, showing higher fruit production through cross-pollinators (46.6%), and B. rotunda is mainly self-compatible, with fruit production in all treatments, even through agamospermy (60%), although higher production was achieved in geitonogamy (90%). We observed 42 and 16 species of bees in B. umbellata and B. rotunda flowers, respectively. Centris aenea and C. (Trachina) sp.n. were considered the main pollinators of B. umbellata flowers and C. aenea of B. rotunda. Both Byrsonima species present important ecological function, representing important resources to several species of bees during flowering season deficit in the studied environment.

Espectro polínico de mel de tiúba (Melipona fasciculata Smith, 1854, Hymenoptera, Apidae)

abstRaCt The pollen spectrum of honey of the Melipona fasciculata was analyzed aiming to elucidate the nectariferous resources used by this species. The identification of the visited plants was based upon the analysis of the pollen spectrum of 12 honey samples collected in one meliponarium located in Palmeirândia county, lowland area of Maranhao State, Brazil (02o40’47,6S, 44o52’39,8”W). The quantitative and qualitative analysis of honey samples was conducted in order to determine the pollen type percentages and frequency classes. Forty-five pollen types were found, being Pontederia parviflora Alexander (Pontederiaceae) the most frequent species during period of sampling (38.6%) and considered dominant pollen in October (86%), June (85%), July (76%), August (49%) and September (51%) and accessory pollen in December, January and March. Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth (Mimosaceae) was the second most frequent species (22.8%) and was a dominant pollen in November (46%), April (74%) and May (72%).

Euglossina Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in an area with sandbanks in the northeast of the State of Maranhão, Brazil

The bees of subtribe Euglossina are an important component of neotropical fauna and have greater species diversity in tropical forests than in spits. They play an important role in the pollination of several plant species and are considered good indicators of environmental conditions. From February 2005 to January 2006, a total of 429 specimens belonging to three genera [Euglossa (Latreille), Eulaema (Lepeletier) and Eufriesea (Cockerell)] and 14 species were collected. Eulaema cingulata (Fabricius) (24.5%), Euglossa cordata (L.) (20.5%) and Eufriesea nigrescens (Friese) (19.8%) were the most abundant species, representing 64.8% of all bees collected. Rainfall was the environmental variable with the greatest relative influence on species composition, particularly for some species of Eufriesea. Euglossa cordata and Eg. gaianii Dressler nested in trap nests, suggesting they are resident species. The larger number of individuals and greater richness of species compared with data available in the literature may result from the great variety of plant species found in the areas adjacent to the collection site.

Nidificação e forrageamento de Centris (Ptilotopus) maranhensis Ducke (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini)

The bees belonging to the tribe Centridini possess distribution neotropical and are considered the main pollinators of different plant species in different biomas. Despite of this the biology data of the majority of species remain scarce. This work is about observations of biology of Centris (Ptilotopus) maranhensis Ducke, 1910, specie that occurs in the Northeast of Brazil. The study was made in a cerrado area in the State of Maranhao during a period of adult activity. Females were seen nesting at epigeous termite nests and visiting Byrsonima umbellata Mart. (Malpighiaceae) flowers for oil collection. The behavior was directly registered and shooted. The nests were excavated being scraped the substratum until the cells were found. A complete nest was opened for examination of the internal structures and analysis of cells content. The general structure presented a main tunnel with cells descending linearly. Cells (n = 5) with larvae in different periods of development were found. A firmly pollen paste was seen where a huge Byrsonima grains was verified.

Pollen analysis of geopropolis of Melipona (Melikerria) fasciculata Smith, 1854 (Meliponini, Apidae, Hymenoptera) in areas of Restinga, Cerrado and flooded fields in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract The pollen spectra of 16 samples of geopropolis of Melipona fasciculata from three phytogeographic regions in Maranhão, Brazil, have been analysed. Samples GP1 to GP4 were collected in Palmeirândia located in the region of periodic flooded fields (lowlands of the northern micro-region of Maranhão). Samples GP5 to GP8 were collected in Barreirinhas (Cerrado vegetation, northern micro-region of Maranhão). Samples GP9 to GP16 were collected in Belagua (Restinga vegetation, eastern micro-region of Maranhão). Thirty-eight pollen types were identified, distributed in 26 families and 29 genera. The most frequent pollen types were Mimosa pudica, Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, Chamaecrista and Solanum. Eucalyptus, Psidium, Combretum/Melastomataceae, Arecaceae, Mauritia and Ardisia pollen types were present in variable amounts (‘accessory pollen’ and/or ‘isolated pollen’). Alternanthera, Amaranthaceae, Desmodium, Dioclea and Dalbergia pollen types occurred with a lower percentage (‘occasional pollen’). The first two axes of the principal component analysis grouped 69% of the pollen variability of samples from three locations. Even though all three ecosystem samples were collected in the same month, they had different patterns of similarity. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of pollen types in geopropolis samples of Melipona fasciculata were phytogeographically valuable for characterising the samples and providing knowledge about the flora in the Brazilian state of Maranhão.

Bee community of a beach dune ecosystem on Maranhão Island, Brazil

The bee-plant community in a beach dune ecosystem in north-eastern of Brazil was studied concerning phenology and floral preference. The bees visited thirty-three species of 20 families of plants. The most visited species were Vernonia arenaria (Asteraceae), Chamaecrista hispidula (Caesalpiniaceae), Passiflora foetida (Passifloraceae) and Turnera melochioides (Turneraceae). Fifty-five percent of plants presented an annual or long flowering period (from 5 to 7 months). The largest number of species blooming was observed from March to August (dry season), corresponding to the period of greatest abundance and diversity of bees. Based on the range of floral sources used by the dominant bees, three guilds of bees were noted: bees with a restricted range of floral sources: Melitoma segmentaria, Centris tarsata, Centris flavifrons, Ceratinula sp.; moderate generalists: Megachile (Leptorachis) sp., Euglossa cordata, Augochlorella sp., Eulaema nigrita and Xylocopa frontalis; and generalists: Xylocopa cearensis, Apis mellifera, Exomalopsis analis and Pseudaugochloropsis pandora.

First record of Aglae caerulea (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini) in Brazilian Cerrado east of the Amazon Region, Maranhão State, Brazil

males attracted to aromatic substances under natural conditions (as is characteristic of Euglossini bees) were first observed recently in inflorescences of Anthurium rubrinervium (Link) G. Don (Araceae) in an area of tropical forest in French Guiana (Hentrich et al., 2007 ). Moreover, three specimens of this species had been attracted and collected using methyl cinnamate baits in Dawa, British Guiana (Williams and Dodson, 1972).Until recently,

Comunidade de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) em ecossistema de dunas na Praia de Panaquatira, São José de Ribamar, Maranhão, Brasil

The community structure of Apoidea of a restricted area of primary dunes in Sao Jose de Ribamar, Maranhao, Brazil was analyzed. Standardized samples were taken for one year, 2 times a month, from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the first day and from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on the second by two collectors. A total of 3305 individuals of 31 species, belonging to four families (Apidae > Halictidae > Megachilidae > Andrenidae) were collected. Centris with 14 species and 890 individuals was the richest and most abundant genus. The abundance pattern and the richness were very similar to other sand dunes habitats in northeast Brazil. Of the total of bees sampled, 61% were represented by less than 36 individuals. The five most abundant species (more than 177 indivuduals) were: Apis mellifera Linnaeus, Centris (Centris) leprieuri Spinola, Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, Eufriesea surinamensis Linnaeus and Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis Ducke. Bees were active throughout the year, with abundance peaks in the highest rainfall periods. Daily activity was greatest between 06:00 and 11:00 a.m., when relative humidity decreased and the temperature increased.

Levantamento da fauna de Abelhas silvestres (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) na região da "Baixada Maranhense": Vitória do Mearim, MA, Brasil

The bee fauna of a restrict area of Lowland Region of Maranhao was studied. Monthly samples were performed with entomological net and baits trap with attractive compounds, totalling 288 hours of sampling. A total of 839 individuals belonging to 38 species of the bee families Apidae, Megachilidae, Halictidae, Andrenidae and Colletidae were collected on flowers and 72 individuals (11 species) of Euglossinae in baits trap. Scaptotrigona flavisetis Moure, Trigona pallens Cockerell and Apis mellifera Linnaeus were most frequent species in the area. Bee frequencies showed various patterns of seasonality, i.e. the period in which most bees of S. flavisetis were observed were January and October, T. pallens in January and February and A. mellifera in April. Euglossa (E.) cordata and E. (E.) gr. modestior were the most frequent species collected in baits traps and Eucaliptol was the most attractive compound.