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1

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Nestmate recognition in the stingless bee Melipona panamica (Apidae, Meliponini) (1999)

Inoue, T. ; Roubik, D. W. ; Suka, T.

Springer

Insectes sociaux 46 (1999), S. 208-218

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ISSN: 1420-9098

Keywords: Key words:Melipona panamica, stingless bees, Apidae, nestmate recognition, worker oviposition.

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology

Notes: Summary: Nestmate recognition was studied in the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona panamica, a species in which workers “sneak” their own reproductive eggs into 1 % of brood cells. We manipulated four factors that could influence individual recognition cues: the mother queen, the environment during the immature stage, the environment during the early adult stage, and worker age. We also simulated the action of natural enemies on colonies tested for discrimination of such worker characteristics. All factors that we tested affected responses of the discriminating workers, which could recognize sisters, nieces and unrelated workers. Previous exposure of unrelated callow bees to the odor of the host nest greatly increased chances of acceptance by the host colony. Probability of acceptance decreased, however, with increasing age of introduced bees or increasing disturbance of the host colony. These complexities in patterns of nestmate recognition and nest defense are adequately explained from the standpoint of inclusive fitness of the discriminating workers. Differences in nestmate recognition and worker egg laying among Meliponini are also discussed.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s000400050136

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2

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Long-term ecology of euglossine orchid-bees (Apidae: Euglossini) in Panama (1987)

Roubik, D. W. ; Ackerman, J. D.

Springer

Oecologia 73 (1987), S. 321-333

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ISSN: 1432-1939

Keywords: Orchids ; Pollination ; Bee population dynamics

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology

Notes: Summary Abundance patterns during 6–7 years and orchid visitation were determined for 51 species of the 57 local euglossine bees. Male bees were counted at 3 chemical attractants presented in the same manner each month. Sites were separated by 75 km but included wet Atlantic forest at 500 m elevation, moist forest at 180 m near Barro Colorado Island, and cloud forest at 900 m near the Pacific ocean. 1. From 15 to 30 euglossine species of 4 genera were active in each month and site; monthly species number and general bee abundance were positively correlated. Many species had 3 annual abundance peaks (range 1–4) and were active throughout the year, but peak annual abundances rarely occurred during late wet or early dry seasons. In contrast, Eufriesea generally were present as adults only 1–2 months in a year. 2. Euglossine populations were exceptionally stable. Species at each site were more stable than any known insect population, and stability and abundance were positively associated. However, year-to-year population stability and the degree of seasonality were not correlated. Among the three sites, the more diverse (species rich) bee assemblages displayed lower stability; these were the wetter and upland sites. 3. The most abundant bees visited more orchid species. Eg. and El. each visited and average of 4 orchid species (range 0–13); Ex. and Ef. visited 0–3. Stable populations did not visit more or fewer orchid species than did unstable populations. 4. Less than 68% of species at each site visited orchid flowers; less than a few dozen of the 100–800 bees counted in a day carried orchid pollinaria. Over 20% of the euglossine species never were seen with pollinaria at any site and probably seldom visit orchids in central Panama. 5. Most bee species visited 1 or no fragrance orchids in a given habitat. Orchids tended to utilize common pollinators that seldom included more than 1 species, and they utilized stable or unstable, seasonal or aseasonal bees. However, the most stable and abundant bee, Eg. imperialis, rarely pollinated orchids; fewer than 10 of ca. 20000 bees carried pollinaria. 6. Orchids may interact primarily with discrete seasonal bee population peaks-probably the emerging adults. Although specialized orchid preferences are implicated for species that visit few or no local orchids but pollinate other species and carry pollinaria in other areas, euglossine bees do not need orchids to survive or reproduce.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00385247

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3

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Mandibular glands of stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae): Chemical analysis of their contents and biological function in two species ofMelipona (1983)

Smith, B. H. ; Roubik, D. W.

Springer

Journal of chemical ecology 9 (1983), S. 1465-1472

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ISSN: 1573-1561

Keywords: Melipona ; Hymenoptera ; Apidae ; mandibular glands ; 2-heptanol ; skatole ; nerol ; undecane ; alarm response ; stingless bees

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology , Chemistry and Pharmacology

Notes: Abstract Workers ofMelipona fasciata andM. interrupta triplaridis respond to their respective mandibular gland extracts with alarm recruitment and defensive behavior. Workers rapidly exit from the nest entrance, land on an intruding object, and bite with the mandibles while vibrating the flight muscles. These behaviors are accompanied by the release of the contents of the mandibular glands. Colonies of both species exhibited greater response to their own mandibular gland extracts than to those of other stingless bee species. Chemical analysis identified 2-heptanol as the major component in hexane extracts of each species. Undecane was a constituent of both species; skatole and nerol were identified only in extracts ofM. i. triplaridis.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00988512

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4

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Formic acid in caustic cephalic secretions of stingless bee,Oxytrigona (Hymenoptera: Apidae) (1987)

Roubik, D. W. ; Smith, B. H. ; Carlson, R. G.

Springer

Journal of chemical ecology 13 (1987), S. 1079-1086

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ISSN: 1573-1561

Keywords: Defensive secretions ; formic acid ; Oxytrigona ; Hymenoptera ; Apidae ; stingless bees ; mandibular glands ; Meliponinae

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology , Chemistry and Pharmacology

Notes: Abstract The cephalic extracts of two species in the stingless bee genusOxytrigona were analyzed. Extracts made in diethyl ether, and then derivatized with diphenyldiazomethane, revealed large quantities of formic acid, potentially a major defensive secretion of this stingless bee group. We additionally identify several hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, and acetates. Novel diketones identified by others were detected in both species.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01020539

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5

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Fragrance Collection, Storage, and Accumulation by Individual Male Orchid Bees (1999)

Eltz, T. ; Whitten, W. M. ; Roubik, D. W. ; [et al.]

Springer

Journal of chemical ecology 25 (1999), S. 157-176

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ISSN: 1573-1561

Keywords: Euglossine bees ; fragrance collection ; sexual selection ; species recognition ; GC-MS

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology , Chemistry and Pharmacology

Notes: Abstract Individually marked males of two species of Euglossa were sighted repeatedly and over considerable periods of time (up to 44 days) at artificial fragrance baits exposed on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. Individuals switched between different bait chemicals that are attractive for the respective species, and no bait preferences or individual bait constancy was observed. GC-MS analyses of 153 males of three species showed that individual hind tibiae contain highly variable quantities of a complex and species-specific blend of fragrance compounds, mainly terpenoids and aromatics. In all three species, frequency distributions of individual quantities were strongly skewed towards individuals with small amounts, and individual amount and complexity were positively correlated. Tibial contents of male Euglossa imperialis that were kept alive in a flight cage for 0, 5, 10, or 15 days showed no qualitative or quantitative change over time, suggesting that the fragrances are very efficiently stored in the hind legs. In Euglossa cognata wing wear, an established age correlate of the species, was positively correlated with individual fragrance quantity. Our results suggest that male euglossines forage continuously for a variety of volatiles, store them, and finally acquire large quantities of a complex and specific fragrance bouquet. Both qualitative and quantitative aspects of individual contents are likely to contain information on male phenotypic and genotypic quality.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1020897302355

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6

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Deceptive orchids with Meliponini as pollinators (2000)

Roubik, D. W.

Springer

Plant systematics and evolution 222 (2000), S. 271-279

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ISSN: 1615-6110

Keywords: Neotropical orchids ; Meliponini ; mimicry ; pollination

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology

Notes: Abstract Visitation of orchids by Meliponini (stingless bees) is confirmed only in 13Melipona, Partamona andTrigona, forXylobium andMaxillaria, with the addition ofTrigona fulviventris visitingIonopsis. Some bees evinced multiple floral visitation by carrying several stipes and viscidia from pollinaria, thus may cause seed set. None foraged pseudopollen, nor is collection of this substance by bees verified. Meliponine-visited orchids had pollinia in quartets with emplacement on the bee's scutellum, possibly devices for pollinia survival on a social bee passing through its nest. Further, orchids produced no nectar, but bees repeatedly came to flowers. A testable basis for the orchid-meliponine relationship is mimicry of rewarding resources, or bee pheromone mimicry, recently documented for some honey bees. Meliponine pheromone analogs (nerol and 2-heptanol) are here noted forMaxillaria, but lack of foraging with pheromones byMelipona suggests multiple avenues of mimicry by orchids, including alarm pheromone and carrion mimicry.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00984106

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