Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Are Isomeric Alkenes Used in Species Recognition among Neo-Tropical Stingless Bees (Melipona Spp)

Martin, Stephen J.; Shemilt, Sue; Lima, Cândida B.da S.; de Carvalho, Carlos A.L.

Are Isomeric Alkenes Used in Species Recognition among Neo-Tropical Stingless Bees (Melipona Spp) Thumbnail


Authors

Stephen J. Martin

Cândida B.da S. Lima

Carlos A.L. de Carvalho



Abstract

Our understanding of the role of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) in recognition is based largely on temperate ant species and honey bees. The stingless bees remain relatively poorly studied, despite being the largest group of eusocial bees, comprising more than 400 species in some 60 genera. The Meliponini and Apini diverged between 80–130 Myr B.P. so the evolutionary trajectories that shaped the chemical communication systems in ants, honeybees and stingless bees may be very different. The aim of this study was to study if a unique species CHC signal existed in Neotropical stingless bees, as has been shown for many temperate species, and what compounds are involved. This was achieved by collecting CHC data from 24 colonies belonging to six species of Melipona from North-Eastern Brazil and comparing the results with previously published CHC studies on Melipona. We found that each of the eleven Melipona species studied so far each produced a unique species CHC signal based around their alkene isomer production. A remarkable number of alkene isomers, up to 25 in M. asilvai, indicated the diversification of alkene positional isomers among the stingless bees. The only other group to have really diversified in alkene isomer production are the primitively eusocial Bumblebees (Bombus spp), which are the sister group of the stingless bees. Furthermore, among the eleven Neotropical Melipona species we could detect no effect of the environment on the proportion of alkane production as has been suggested for some other species.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 18, 2017
Publication Date Nov 17, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Chemical Ecology
Print ISSN 0098-0331
Publisher Springer Verlag
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 43
Pages 1066 - 1072
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-017-0901-5
Keywords Isomeric alkenes, species, recognition, neo-tropical, stingless bees, melipona spp.
Publisher URL https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10886-017-0901-5

Files




You might also like



Downloadable Citations