Refine
Year of publication
Document Type
- Article (7)
- Part of Periodical (6)
Has Fulltext
- yes (13)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (13)
Keywords
- Apoidea (3)
- taxonomy (3)
- Abejas (2)
- Anthophila (2)
- Bees (2)
- West Indies (2)
- bees (2)
- taxonomía (2)
- Abejas sin aguijón (1)
- Antilles (1)
Institute
- Extern (1)
First record of the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Hispaniola, the Antilles
(2020)
The occurrence of the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé and Eltz (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is recorded for the first time for the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles. Males were observed visiting varieties of sweet basil plants (Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus (Lamiaceae)) to obtain fragrances used during courtship and reproduction. Our observations showed that the species is established in Hispaniola and that it does not require the presence of orchids for reproductive success, being able to adapt to new plant resources it finds in the areas it colonizes. These observations correspond to what was found in Florida, United States, where Euglossa dilemma was also recently introduced. It is not clear how the species was introduced to Hispaniola, but Euglossa dilemma is clearly an adventive species that is colonizing the Antilles in addition to peninsular Florida.
Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) mexicanum (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) belongs to the albitarse group, which includes the larger species of the genus. Its native distribution extends throughout Central America from Mexico to Panama. Here it is reported for the first time from Hispaniola, West Indies. Because it is difficult to envisage such a conspicuous species having eluded capture any naturalist or aculeate specialist previously, I consider that it has recently arrived on the island. It may have arrived due to the trade with Central America, since the nests, made of mud, can easily transport the immatures that subsequently emerge and disperse after their arrival on the island. T. mexicanum is established at least in the Dominican Republic, with a wide distribution and large populations. This demonstrates the ecological success of a recently established population on the island, perhaps due to escape from natural enemies and an absence of other limiting factors. The females were observed at puddles of water on the roads where they pick up mud with which they construct their tubular nests. Brood cells were provisioned exclusively with several species of spiders of Araneidae. An endemic spider, Eustala bisetosa Bryant was also used as prey. Other data about natural history is also provided.
The origins of the Cuban bee fauna are reviewed. This fauna began to form 40 million years ago during the Proto Antilles period, through ancestors that arrived in successive invasions from adjacent continental areas. The composition of the Antillean fauna has evolved continuously over millions of years until the present time. The native bee fauna of Cuba is represented by 89 species, contained in 29 genera and 4 families. The number of genera represented per family is as follows: Colletidae (3), Halictidae (8), Megachilidae (4), and Apidae (14). The Cuban apifauna contains four principal groups with distinct biogeographic histories: endemic species of Cuba (43.8%); endemic species of the Antilles shared among multiple islands (33.1%); continental species whose distribution includes the Antilles (16.8%); and species introduced through human activity (6.3%). An analysis of the distributions of Cuban bee species reveals that areas of highest species endemism coincide with the main mountainous nuclei of the East, Center and West. These were: the Sierra Maestra mountain range (with 25 species), Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa (15), the Mountain range of Guaniguanico (14) and the Massif of Guamuaya (14). The distribution of the bees in the Cuban Archipelago was not uniform, possibly due to the ecological conditions of the respective habitats, the diversity and presence of specific food plants, and interspecific competition. The endemism of bees in Greater Antilles is considered high keeping in mind the mobility of the group, as observed not only in Cuba (43.8%) but also Jamaica (50%), Hispaniola (45.6%), and in Puerto Rico and adjacent islands (26.5 %).
The bee fauna of the Greater Puerto Rico area was studied. A review of the previous relevant studies is presented. An annotated catalog and information about the origin and distributional patterns are also provided. Thirty-nine species of bees occur in Puerto Rico and adjacent islands. This fauna is composed of four elements: exclusive Puerto Rican endemics (26.5%); Antillean endemics occurring on multiple islands (76.5%); continental species that have also colonized the Antilles (23.5%); and species introduced through human activity (12.8%). The bee fauna was both low in its diversity and showed the highest level of disharmony in relation to other faunas of the Greater Antilles. A lectotype is here designated for Agapostemon krugii Wolcott, 1936.
Melipona beecheii Bennett es una abeja común, nativa de México y otras áreas centroamericanas. Sobre su presencia en Cuba y Jamaica se ha especulado mucho. Se revisa el origen, los estudios realizados y el desarrollo de la meliponicultura en Cuba. Se presentan las principales características diferenciales entre M. beecheii y Apis mellifera Linnaeus, las dos únicas especies altamente sociales y manejadas por el hombre en Cuba. La tendencia histórica ha sido la captura independiente de colonias de M. beecheii, en estado salvaje, por campesinos sin entrenamiento. Estas colonias son mantenidas en el interior de los propios troncos o ramas de los árboles que alojaba la colonia, o son transferidas a cajas rústicas, llevadas cerca de la casa para su consumo particular. El mantenimiento de las colonias fue variable, observándose el uso de troncos huecos, cajas rústicas de maderas y cajas racionales. El uso de cajas racionales también fue variable, explotándose los modelos: Fernando de Oliveira, Nogueira Neto (PNN), Utrech-Tobago (UTOB) y Tecnología Intermedia con Bisagras de González-Acereto (TIBGA). Los pueblos aborígenes que poblaron las Antillas (grupos étnicos pertenecientes a los Arahuacos) antes de la llegada de Colón, no practicaban la cría de abejas, por lo que no las introdujeron en las tierras que iban ocupando. La introducción de M. beecheii en las Antillas debió ocurrir en algún momento entre los años 1500 y 1800, etapa de gran intercambio comercial de España con las culturas de Centroamérica. No hemos encontrado ningún documento histórico que mencione su introducción en Cuba. A pesar de las limitaciones económicas en Cuba, existe un interés en desarrollar la meliponicultura. En los últimos años se han incrementado las publicaciones sobre el tema y la voluntad por lograr una mejor organización, capacitación del personal, producción de miel y uso de las abejas como polinizadores de cultivos agrícolas. A partir de 2017 la Sociedad Cubana de Apicultores cambió su nombre a Sociedad Cubana de Apicultores y Meliponicultores para ir insertando progresivamente a los meliponicultores y como parte de la estrategia de desarrollo incluir aspectos de la meliponicultura.
Se describen e ilustran dos especies nuevas de Mesoplia Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae) para las Antillas: M. bahamensis Genaro y Breto, nueva especie, conocida solamente del cayo Castaway, Las Bahamas y M. cubensis Genaro y Breto, nueva especie, bien distribuida en toda Cuba e Isla de La Juventud. Mesoplia cubensis nueva especie fue una especie multivoltina, que se relacionó con el área de nidos de especies de Centris Fabricius (Apidae), su posible hospedero. Se presentan las características taxonómicas diferenciales y la distribución de las otras cuatro especies antillanas conocidas: Mesoplia sp., no descrita, M. azurea (Lepeletier y Serville), M. bifrons (Fabricius) y M. pilicrus (Friese). Se analiza el tratamiento histórico dado, en publicaciones anteriores, a los nombres de estas especies en la región antillana.
Se describen para las Antillas cuatro especies nuevas de Lasioglossum Curtis pertenecientes al taxon Habralictellus Moure y Hurd (Hymenoptera: Halictidae): Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) cuba, Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) darlingtoni, Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) jagibbsi y Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) laupackeri. Se utiliza como subgénero para mantener la estabilidad taxonómica. Se presenta la historia y el estado actual del conocimiento de Habralictellus, que aún no ha encontrado un lugar justificado y aceptado, al unísono por los especialistas, en la nomenclatura zoológica. Se ofrece un listado de las especies conocidas, sexo y distribución.
The vespid fauna of Greater Puerto Rico is reviewed (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Three new species are described, Ancistrocerus isla Carpenter, Euodynerus jeitita Carpenter and Genaro, and Omicron aridum Carpenter and Genaro. Polistes crinitus americanus (Fabricius, 1775) and P. crinitus multicolor (Olivier, 1792) are both reduced to synonyms of nominotypical P. crinitus (Felton, 1765), revised status; Zeta abdominale hispaniolae (Bequaert and Salt, 1931) and Zeta abdominale ornatum (de Saussure, 1855) are both reduced to synonyms of nominotypical Zeta abdominale (Drury, 1770), revised status; and Zethus rufinodus monensis Bohart and Stange, 1965, and Zethus rufinodus virginicus Bohart and Stange, 1965, are both reduced to synonyms of nominotypical
Zethus rufinodus (Latreille, 1806), revised status. Parancistrocerus obliquus (Cresson, 1865) is newly recorded
from Puerto Rico. The presence of Pachodynerus guadulpensis (de Saussure, 1853) in Puerto Rico is confirmed. An analysis of the composition of the Puerto Rican vespid fauna is presented.
Information about the range of distribution of Centris (Centris) testacea Lepeletier has not been historically accurate. Range of distribution and identifi cation of the species is clarifi ed. Images of both sexes as well as male terminalia are presented. Centris testacea is a good species, with no synonym names. According to the available information, C. testacea should be considered endemic to the Greater Antillean island of Hispaniola.
