Can the shape of the wing help in the identification of African stingless bee species? (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini): Wing geometric morphometrics: a tool for african stingless bee taxonomy

Can the shape of the wing help in the identification of African stingless bee species? (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) : Wing geometric morphometrics: a tool for african stingless bee taxonomy

Ndungu, Nelly (författare)

Vereecken, Nicolas. J. (författare)

Gerard, Maxence, 1991- (författare): Stockholms universitet,Avdelningen för funktionell zoomorfologi

Kariuki, Sophia (författare)

Kati, Lape Kati (författare)

Youbissi, Annie (författare)

Nassong, Sabine (författare)

Hundt, Baerbel (författare)

Jaramillo, Juliana (författare)

Nkoba, Kiatoko (författare)

(creator_code:org_t)

2023-03-27
2023
Engelska.
Ingår i: International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1742-7584 .- 1742-7592. ; 43:2, s. 749-759

Relaterad länk:: https://urn.kb.se/re...; visa fler...; https://doi.org/10.1...; visa färre...

Abstract Ämnesord

Stäng

Stingless bees are important pollinators of wild and cultivated plants, and they produce medicinal honey. However, their taxonomy and systematics are still debated and would benefit a continent-wide revision. Here, we explore the potential of wing shape in delineation and classification of Afrotropical Meliponini using geometric morphometrics. We sampled 749 specimens from nine countries of sub-Saharan Africa, belonging to the genera Meliponula (n = 8), Dactylurina (n = 2) and Plebeina (n = 1). Specimens collected from Kenya were used as standards to assess similar species collected from other eight African countries. Eleven landmarks were plotted on the right forewing of each specimen to conduct multivariate analyses and group/specimen classification. Our results show that seven out of eleven African stingless bee species were reliably discriminated using wing shape, however, there was overlap in the remaining four species, namely Meliponula cameroonensis, Meliponula ferruginea, Meliponula togoensis and Meliponula erythra. In conclusion geometric morphometrics represent a promising taxonomic tool that can be applied to identify African stingless bee species.

Av författaren/redakt...: Ndungu, Nelly; Vereecken, Nicol ...; Gerard, Maxence, ...; Kariuki, Sophia; Kati, Lape Kati; Youbissi, Annie; visa fler...; Nassong, Sabine; Hundt, Baerbel; Jaramillo, Julia ...; Nkoba, Kiatoko; visa färre...

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