Austroplebeia Explained

Austroplebeia is a stingless bee (Meliponini) genus in the family Apidae. The genus was erected by Jesus Santiago Moure in 1961.[1] [2] The genus comprises five described species endemic to Australia and New Guinea.[3] Austroplebeia are more closely related to the African stingless bees than rest of the species found in Asia and Australia.[4]

The species of Austroplebeia are difficult to separate reliably by body size or morphology[5] except for A. cincta which can be distinguished readily by its colouration and pilosity.[6] There are also few differences in their nest structures. This has hindered taxonomic studies to date and no workable key exists for the Austroplebeia species.[7]

All species are small, black and robust (length: 3.0–4.9 mm) and differ from other stingless bee species that co-occur in the same region (i.e. Tetragonula, Platytrigona, Papuatrigona) by the presence of cream or yellow markings in their head and thorax. Most species construct their nests largely from wax, unlike most stingless bees, they use propolis sparingly. They construct a fine, lacy curtain of resin droplets over their nest entrance at night in order to protect against ants and other predators.[8]

In Australia, people keep these bees in logs or wooden hives made of boxes. They show potential as pollinators of both field and greenhouse crops[9] [10] [11]

Species

In alphabetical order:[12]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Moure. J.S.. Jesus Santiago Moure. A Preliminary Supra-specific Classification of the Old World Meliponine Bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Studia Entomologica. 1961. Editora Vozes. 4. 1–4. 181–242. 0585-5098. 430338837.
  2. Michener. C.D.. Charles Duncan Michener. Classification of the Apidae (Hymenoptera). University of Kansas Science Bulletin . 54. 4. 75–164. 1990-09-21. 1990. University of Kansas. Lawrence, Kan.. 0022-8850. 23011586. 82977325. BioStor BHL ResearchGate Publication 313186394
  3. Dollin. Anne E.. Dollin. Leslie J.. Rasmussen. Claus. 2015-11-23. Australian and New Guinean Stingless Bees of the Genus Austroplebeia Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae)—a revision. Zootaxa. en. 4047. 1. 1–73. 10.11646/zootaxa.4047.1.1. 26624733 . 1175-5334.
  4. RASMUSSEN. CLAUS. CAMERON. SYDNEY A.. 2010-01-01. Global stingless bee phylogeny supports ancient divergence, vicariance, and long distance dispersal. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 99. 1. 206–232. 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01341.x. 0024-4066. free.
  5. Dollin. Anne E.. Dollin. Leslie J.. Sakagami. the late Shôichi F.. 1997. Australian stingless bees of the genus Trigona (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Invertebrate Systematics. en. 11. 6. 861–896. 10.1071/it96020. 1447-2600.
  6. Halcroft. Megan Therese. Dollin. Anne. Francoy. Tiago Mauricio. King. Jocelyn Ellen. Riegler. Markus. Haigh. Anthony Mark. Spooner-Hart. Robert Neil. 2016-01-01. Delimiting the species within the genus Austroplebeia, an Australian stingless bee, using multiple methodologies. Apidologie. en. 47. 1. 76–89. 10.1007/s13592-015-0377-7. 1297-9678. free.
  7. Rasmussen. Claus. 2008-11-17. Catalog of the Indo-Malayan/Australasian stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini). Zootaxa. en. 1935. 1. 1–80. 10.11646/zootaxa.1935.1.1. 1175-5334.
  8. Book: Heard, Tim. The Australian native bee book : keeping stingless bee hives for pets, pollination and sugarbag honey. 2016. 978-0-646-93997-1. West End, Brisbane, Qld. 910915206.
  9. Cunningham. Saul A.. FitzGibbon. Frances. Heard. Tim A.. 2002. The future of pollinators for Australian agriculture. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research. en. 53. 8. 893–900. 10.1071/ar01186. 1444-9838.
  10. Greco. Mark K.. Spooner-Hart. Robert N.. Beattie. Andrew G. A. C.. Barchia. Idris. Holford. Paul. 2011-01-01. Australian stingless bees improve greenhouse Capsicum production. Journal of Apicultural Research. 50. 2. 102–115. 10.3896/IBRA.1.50.2.02. 2011JApiR..50..102G . 83520276 . 0021-8839.
  11. Halcroft, Megan Therese (2012). Investigations into the biology, behaviour and phylogeny of a potential crop pollinator: the Australian stingless bee, Austroplebeia australis. Doctor of Philosophy thesis, University of Western Sydney.
  12. Dollin. A.E.. Dollin. L.J.. Rasmussen. C.. Australian and New Guinean Stingless Bees of the Genus Austroplebeia Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae) - a revision. Zootaxa. 4047. 1. 1–73. 2015-11-23. 2015. 10.11646/zootaxa.4047.1.1. 978-1-77557-837-6. 1175-5326. 1175-5334. 26624733. 2024534. ResearchGate Publication 284403872

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