Comparative morphology of internal structures of the mesosoma of bees with an emphasis on the corbiculate clade (Apidae: Apini)

Author(s)

Porto, Diego S. ; Almeida, Eduardo A. B. ; Vilhelmsen, Lars

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY; v. 179, n. 2, p. 35-pg., 2017-02-01.

Abstract

Complex internal skeletal structures, despite their potential as rich sources of phylogenetic information, are still poorly described and used in comparative studies of insects in general, and bees in particular. In this study we present the results of a comprehensive investigation of the internal structures of the mesosoma of bees (e.g. prosternum, propleuron, mesofurca/metafurca and mesophragma); a comparative study was undertaken for bees in general with special emphasis on the tribe Apini. Phylogenetically informative characters are defined and the morphological terminology used for bees is standardized to that used for other Hymenoptera. The potential of these morphological complexes as sources of phylogenetic information was evaluated contrasting the data obtained here with alternative scenarios for corbiculate phylogeny and a phylogenetic analysis was performed. The prosternum possessed the largest number of unambiguous character state changes - nine transformations in the most parsimonious scenario. The changes include the produced lateral processes of the prosternum, absence of the profurcal pit, constriction between the basisternum and the furcasternum, and absence of pubescence on the surface of the basisternum. On the other hand, considerable homoplasy was observed particularly for the characters from the propleuron and mesofurca/metafurca. This may be the consequence of a long morphological branch separating Apini from the remaining apids or a rapid diversification of the corbiculate lineages. In this context, the inclusion of fossil information and use of new technologies for phenotypic studies can open new windows for future comparative morphological studies in bees. (C) 2016 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2017 (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/09477-9 - Taxonomy, phylogeny, biogeography, and evolution of Neopasiphaeinae bees (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) using molecular and morphological data
• Grantee: Eduardo Andrade Botelho de Almeida
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 12/22261-8 - Phylogenetic relationships of corbiculate bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apini)
• Grantee: Diego Sasso Porto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 14/10090-0 - Comparative morphology of internal skeletal structures of the head of corbiculate bees (Apidae: Apini)
• Grantee: Diego Sasso Porto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree