First record of the bee genus Melitta from the Arabian Peninsula (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Melittidae)

The oligolectic bee genus Melitta Kirby, 1802 (Melittidae: Melittinae) is recorded from the Arabian Peninsula for the first time, and from Saudi Arabia in particular. A series of females of Melitta schmiedeknechti Friese, 1898 Friese, H. (1898): Beiträge zur Bienenfauna von Aegypten. Természetrajzi Füzetek, 21, 303–313. [Google Scholar] were captured near Jabal al Mashār, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia, representing the first occurrence of this species, previously known across northern Africa and the southern Levant. Brief remarks and a key are provided for the two subspecific forms of M. schmiedeknechti.     

Isozyme studies in the genusCheirolophus (Asteraceae:Cardueae-Centaureinae) in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa and the Canary Islands

The phylogenetic and phenetic analysis of 109 RAPD polymorphisms inS. nebrodensis, a perennial and self-incompatible endemic of four mountain ranges in Spain, andS. viscosus, a self-compatible annual widespread in Europe, as well asS. lividus, S. sylvaticus andS. vulgaris revealed a sister group relationship between the first two species. This result contrasts sharply with the earlier hypothesis based on isozyme variation thatS. viscosus originated from within a paraphyleticS. nebrodensis and that the two species represent a progenitor-derivative pair. After considering possible reasons for the sister group relationship found, including the possibility of rooting artefacts, it is concluded that neither the RAPD data nor the isozyme data allow to draw safe conclusions about the mode of speciation and therefore the relative age of the two species. As a consequence, the limited genetic variation ofS. viscosus in comparison toS. nebrodensis as revealed by both the RAPD and the isozyme data may reflect its population history, geographical distribution, reproductive ecology, or mode of dispersal just as well as its recent origin from a paraphyleticS. nebrodensis. The result of this study calls for a critical reexamination of other taxon pairs postulated to have a progenitor-derivative relationship on the basis of isozyme evidence.     

Taxonomy and distribution of the genus Rubus (Rosaceae) series Radula on the Iberian Peninsula

Monasterio-Huelin. E. 1995. Taxonomv and distribution of the genus Rubus (Rosaceae) series Radulu on the Iberian Peninsula. — Nord. J. Bot. 15: 365–373. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107–055X.
The majority of european batologists currently interpret the ser. Radula in a sense different from that given by its original author. According to the modem concept, this series is separated into two, distinguished by the leaflets felted beneath (ser. Radula ) versus not felted (ser. Pallidi ). Following this criterion, we include 7 species in ser. Radula , one of which ( R. pauanus ) is described as new, and provide a photograph of the holotype, an analysis of pollen, and a distribution map. Also provided are keys to the series of the subgenus Rubus and to the species of the ser. Radula , and a comparative study from a morphological and biogeographical perspective of all species which comprise this series on the Iberian Peninsula.     

Taxonomy and cytogeography of Cardamine raphanifolia and C. gallaecica (Brassicaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula

For a long time it was considered that Cardamine raphanifolia is widely distributed with several infraspecific taxa in the Mediterranean region. Recent studies showed that C. raphanifolia is restricted to the northern Iberian Peninsula. Cardamine gallaecica from NW Spain was regarded to be closely related, but was originally regarded as C. amara, and later described as C. raphanifolia subsp. gallaecica. In this study, we validate the treatment of C. raphanifolia and C. gallaecica as distinct species, and show their clear differentiation based on morphometric and molecular AFLP analyses. Moreover, both species are clearly distinct from C. amara subsp. pyrenaea, which has an overlapping distributional range with C. raphanifolia. Hexaploid (2n = 48) and octoploid cytotypes (2n = 64) of C. raphanifolia, and tetraploid (2n = 32) and hexaploid (2n = 48) cytotypes of C. gallaecica were found. Due to their weak morphological and genetic differentiation, these polyploid races are not classified as separate taxa.     

Proventricular structure in solitary bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

Proventricular structure, analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy, is compared among 28 species of solitary bees representing four families. Observations on the shapes of proventricular folds and on hair-like cuticular projections are presented, discussed, and suggested as useful to future studies of bee systematics.     

A cladistic analysis of the nomadine bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

Abstract. This study compares the results of Rozen's cladistic analysis of the larvae of fifteen genera of cleptoparasitic bees in the subfamily Nomadinae with an independent data set of adult characters for the same genera. Adult characters exhibited considerably higher levels of homoplasy and poorer resolution of cladistic relationships, with multiple equally parsimonious cladograms. However, comparison of a Nelson consensus tree based on adult characters with the cladogram based on larval characters reveals three components consistently supported in both analyses (the tribes Epeolini and Ammobatini, and Neopasites + Neolarra) , one component supported only by adult characters (Isepeolus + Protepeolus) , and one terminal component supported only by larval characters (Nomada + Ammobatini), as well as several more inclusive groupings based on larval characters that are difficult to compare with the adult consensus tree because it shows so much less resolution. When adult and larval characters are combined in a single data matrix, the resulting cladogram closely resembles the cladogram based on larval characters alone, although levels of homoplasy are considerably higher than in the larval analysis.
A preliminary analysis of adult characters for thirty-four genera in the Nomadinae also exhibited high levels of homoplasy and very large numbers of equally parsimonious cladograms. Nevertheless, certain consistent monophyletic groupings, most notably the Epeolini and Ammobatini, were also supported in this analysis. The one currently recognized tribe whose monophyly has received no support from any analysis is the Nomadini.
The relevance of these phylogenetic hypotheses to our understanding of host associations and variable features of egg morphology and oviposition behaviour in nomadine bees is briefly discussed.     

Quantitative Aspects of Antenna Grooming in Bees (Apoidea: Hymenoptera)

Antenna grooming in more than 100 species of bees (Apoidea), representing 34 genera of the 7 major bee families is recorded and quantitatively analysed. Most species of bees fall into one of two groups with respect to repetitive antenna cleaning: “Uniscrapers” predominantly clean their antennae with one stroke, “biscrapers” mostly with two subsequent strokes. Uniscrapers are more consequent in their behaviour than biscrapers. Most biscrapers occasionally clean their antenna with one or three strokes. Individual variation in the ratio of stroke repetition is considerably larger in bi- than in uniscrapers. In several species males and females differ with respect to their antenna cleaning behaviour, females tend to be more uniscraping. Most species of the families Colletidae, Halictidae, and Andrenidae, as well as the species of the genera Ceratina and Nomada (Anthophoridae) are biscrapers. Almost all species of Melittidae, Megachilidae, Apidae, and Anthophoridae (except Ceratina and Nomada) are uniscrapers. Bees with an antenna cleaner with ancestral (plesiomorphic) morphology are mostly, but not always, biscrapers, those with a derived antenna cleaner are always uniscrapers. Bees with a derived antenna cleaner perform on average less cleaning actions and strokes than those with an ancestral antenna cleaner. Uniscrapers with an ancestral strigilis do on average more cleaning actions per minute than biscrapers, thus they compensate partly for the fewer number of strokes. But nevertheless the uniscrapers do fewer strokes than the biscrapers (both with an ancestral strigilis). Females clean their antennae on average more often than males. It is interpreted that the behaviour of uniscraping and a derived morphology of the antenna cleaner result in greater efficiency than the status which is ancestral for Apoidea (biscraping and a plesiomorphic antenna cleaner).     

Guidelines on sampling intensity of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apiformes)

Changes in bee fauna, such as the disappearance of certain species or increasing abundance of others, are very important. The common belief that pollinating insects are facing problems also prompts detailed studies of the bee fauna in order to track on-going changes. Assessment of the state of bee communities in particular ecosystems or ecosystem complexes within a landscape, tracing the course of trends in fauna and also predicting their future structures resulting from current changes, are only possible if sampling is carried out at an appropriate frequency, so that representative materials are obtained. The aim of the present study was to determine what sampling intensity during the growing season would enable the collection of representative materials to evaluate species diversity of bees in a study area. Repeated bee sampling at monthly intervals throughout the period of activity of bees resulted in the identification of 73 bee species, corresponding to 51.4 % of the estimated number of bee species in the study area. When samples were obtained twice a month, 93 bee species were captured, accounting for 65.5 % of the estimated number of bee species. When sampling took place nearly four times a month, 108 bee species were captured, making up 76 % of the estimated number of bee species; the materials obtained at this sampling rate may be regarded as representative. The importance of accounting for the phenology of a given animal group during a sampling effort is also emphasised.     

Genetic Polymorphism of 11 Allozyme Loci in Populations of Wall Lizards (Podarcis sp.) from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa

The taxonomy of Iberian and North African wall lizards (Podarcis sp.) has been controversial. Recently, morphological and mtDNA sequence data have provided new information on differentiation within these lacertids. To compare these results to those provided by nuclear markers, we investigated variation at 11 polymorphic protein loci using conventional electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing in 11 populations belonging to seven different mtDNA lineages. A total of 62 alleles were found. Populations belonging to the same mtDNA type presented high genetic similarity, whereas strong differentiation was observed between groups. These results are consistent with those previously obtained from morphological and mtDNA analysis and support the idea that Iberian and North African Podarcis are composed of several well-differentiated entities, some of which are already recognized as species, whereas others (belonging to the P. hispanica complex) clearly need taxonomic revision.     

Foraging activity and dietary spectrum of the Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in invaded natural areas of the northeast Iberian Peninsula

We analyzed the foraging activity and the dietary spectrum of the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile Mayr) and select native ants on cork oaks from Mediterranean open cork oak (Quercus suber) secondary forests. The study areas included invaded and noninvaded zones in close proximity. The Argentine ant's daily foraging activity was correlated to the abiotic factors studied, whereas the seasonal foraging activity was related not only to the variations in the average air temperature, but also to the trophic needs of the colony. Argentine ant workers focused their attention on protein foods during the queens' oviposition periods and during the larvae development phase, and on carbohydrate foods, such as honeydew, when males and workers were hatching. There were no significant differences over the entire year in the quantity of liquid food collected by the Argentine ant workers in comparison with the native ants studied. The solid diet of the Argentine ant on cork oaks is composed of insects, most of which are aphids. Our results have clear applications for control methods based on toxic baits in the invaded natural ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula.     

Phylogenetic utility of the major opsin in bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea): a reassessment

Major opsin (LW Rh) DNA sequence has been reported to provide useful data for resolving phylogenetic relationships among tribes of corbiculate bees based on analyses of 502 bp of coding sequence. However, the corbiculate tribes are believed to be of Cretaceous age, and strong support for insect clades of this age from small data sets of nucleotide sequence data has rarely been demonstrated. To more critically assess opsin's phylogenetic utility we generated an expanded LW Rh data set by sequencing the same gene fragment from 52 additional bee species from 24 tribes and all six extant bee families. Analyses of this data set failed to provide substantial support for monophyly of corbiculate bees, for relationships among corbiculate tribes, or for most other well-established higher-level relationships among long-tongued bees. However, monophyly of nearly all genera and tribes is strongly supported, indicating that LW Rh provides useful phylogenetic signal at lower taxonomic levels. When our expanded LW Rh data set is combined with a morphological and behavioral data set for corbiculate bees, the results unambiguously support the traditional phylogeny of the corbiculate bee tribes: (Euglossini + (Bombini + (Meliponini + Apini))). This implies a single origin of advanced eusocial behavior among bees rather than dual origins, as proposed by several recent studies.     

New Angarosphecidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous of Northeastern China

Two new species of the family Angarosphecidae, Angarosphex saxosus sp. nov. and Vitimosphex vividus sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of northeastern China are described and illustrated. Generic diagnoses are revised. The genera Palaeapis Hong, 1984, Mataeosphex: Zhang, 1985, and Calobaissodes Zhang, 1992 are synonymized under Angarosphex Rasnitsyn, 1975, and new combinations Angarosphex beiboziensis (Hong, 1984), comb. nov., Angarosphex venulosus (Zhang, 1985), comb. nov., and Angarosphex strigosus Zhang, 1992, comb. nov. are proposed. The genus Vitimosphex Rasnitsyn, 1975 is found reaching northeastern China in its distribution. New morphological data are presented to complete characteristics of the genera concerned.     

Pollination efficiencies of three bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) species visiting rabbiteye blueberry

Inadequate bee pollination limits rabbiteye blueberry, Vaccinium ashei Reade, production in the some areas of the southeastern United States. Honey bees, Apis mellifera L., are currently the only manageable pollinators available for pollinating V. ashei. However, a new adaptable pollinator for rabbiteye blueberry, Osmia ribifloris Cockerell, was successfully reared and flown in captivity. The bee nested successfully in wooden shelters and conferred superior fruit set to 2-yr-old potted, rabbiteye blueberry bushes. Pollination efficiency or the percentage of blueberry flowers to set fruit after being visited once by a female O. ribifloris was comparable to that of the female blueberry bee Habropoda laboriosa (F.) and worker honey bees. Interestingly, honey bees once thought to be inefficient pollinators of rabbiteye blueberry were found to be very efficient, especially for 'Climax' and 'Premier' flowers.     

Floral resource partitioning by social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) in an area of caatinga in Brazil

Wasps and bees are important components of flower visitor guilds in the Neotropical region. The abundance of social wasps and bees, collected during flower visits, was used to calculate niche breadth and niche overlap indices, in order to characterize the utilization of the floral resources by those insects. Samples were taken monthly, for 13 months (156h), by two collectors which captured the specimens on flowers using entomological nets, while walking along a way in an area of caatinga at Itatim, State of Bahia, Brazil. Wasps and bees heavily visited a few sources of floral resources, but the most visited plants by each group were different, and few plant species were important for both groups, resulting in low niche overlap between bees and wasps. The niche overlap among wasp species was generally higher than among bee species. The general overlap, which takes into consideration all species together was low (< 30%).     

Karyology of theScorzonera (Compositae) species from the Iberian Peninsula

A karyological study of 15 taxa ofScorzonera L. from the Iberian Peninsula has been made. The chromosome numbers found inS. hispanica var.pinnatifida, S. baetica, S. reverchonii, S. angustifolia, S. laciniata var.calcitrapifolia and var.subulata (2n = 14) are new. Diploid cytotypes with 2n = 14 and 2n = 12 prevail, andS. hispanica var.crispatula is the only taxon which exhibits autopolyploidy (2n = 14, 28). x = 7 is considered to be the base chromosome number within the genus, with x = 6 being derived from it by translocation. This and detailed karyotype analyses allow to group the Iberian Peninsula species ofScorzonera into three groups.