Altitudinal distribution and body resource allocation in a High Mountain social wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Rodríguez-Jimenez, Andrea; Sarmiento, Carlos E.

doi:10.1590/s1519-566x2008000100001

Cited by 21 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In other insect taxa, an increase in altitude does not necessarily lead to an increase in body size, contrary to the prediction of Bergmann’s rule (Chown & Klok, 2003; Dillon et al. , 2006; Rodriguez‐Jímenez & Sarmiento, 2008; Lehmann & Lehmann, 2008). Similarly to the case of S. hellwegeri , bumble bee species from hot environments have larger body sizes compared with temperate dwelling species, a phenomenon which has been attributed to a lack of marked seasonality and a greater abundance of floral resources in lowland tropical areas (Peat et al.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

Genetic and phenotypic differentiation in endemic Scaptotrigona hellwegeri (Apidae: Meliponini): implications for the conservation of stingless bee populations in contrasting environments

Quezada‐Euán

May-Itzá

Rincón

et al. 2011

Insect Conserv Diversity

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. The western forests of Mexico are rich in species of stingless bee, possibly a consequence of the diverse habitats found across different altitudes of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) and the Pacific coast (PAC).2. Scaptotrigona hellwegeri is an example of a stingless bee species found across the TMVB and PAC. It is currently considered a single species. Its TMVB populations have become rare and rapidly impacted by human-modified habitats. Translocation of S. hellwegeri colonies from the PAC tropical lowlands to TMVB subtropical highlands has been considered, as colonies at PAC are more abundant and even used in stingless beekeeping.3. Morphometric analyses of meristic characters plus genetic analysis at microsatellite loci and sequencing of the cox1 region of mtDNA were used to evaluate phenotypic and genetic differentiation in S. hellwegeri from TMVB and PAC.4. Significant morphometric differences were detected between S. hellwegeri from TMVB and PAC. Corrected nuclear multilocus F¢ ST was 0.592 (P < 0.01), supporting the view that TMVB and PAC populations are markedly genetically differentiated. A 573 bp sequence of the cox1 region of mtDNA showed six sites of divergence, with sequence divergence between PAC and TMVB populations of 1.1%. 5. Our morphometric and genetic results make evident that S. hellwegeri from TMVB and PAC are significantly differentiated and represent two genetic lineages. An immediate recommendation is to restrict the movement of colonies from the lowland PAC regions to TMVB, where colonies are currently scarce.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

Genetic and phenotypic differentiation in endemic Scaptotrigona hellwegeri (Apidae: Meliponini): implications for the conservation of stingless bee populations in contrasting environments

Quezada‐Euán

May-Itzá

Rincón

et al. 2011

Insect Conserv Diversity

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…On the morning of 20 January 2020, we recorded the predation of a four‐day‐old nestling of the Lined Seedeater by an Agelaia pallipes social paper wasp. This wasp is a swarm‐founding species that lives in colonies of up to 16,500 individuals (Rodríguez‐Jimenez & Sarmiento, 2008), and are known to include carrion in the diet (Moretti, Thyssen, Godoy, & Solis, 2008).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social paper wasp (Agelaia pallipes) predates songbird nestling

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The social paper wasp Agelaia pallipes is known to eat carrion and scavenge on vertebrates. There are few records of wasps predating vertebrates, including an attack on an adult hummingbird and the predation of bird nestlings. During a project monitoring reproductive behaviour of a neotropical songbird, the Lined Seedeater Sporophila lineola in south‐eastern Brazil, we recorded the predation of a four‐day‐old nestling by a social paper wasp. In the video, the adult female bird attempted to visit the nest prior to the predation. The male could be seen with its crest feathers erect after a wasp left the nest, when the nestling was presumably already dead. When we arrived at the nest to remove the camera, we found the nestling dead, and did not observe the parents in the vicinity. We also registered two other dead nestlings in a different nest with similar wounds. However, the conclusive cause of death of those nestlings is unknown. Nest predation is a major selective pressure in birds, and insects are rarely assumed to play a notable role in this process. Further research is needed to better understand the nature of the relationship between wasps and birds.

show abstract

“…Interspecific differences in the composition of morphological traits of insects have been mainly related to changes in abiotic factors along climatic gradients, e.g., elevational gradients (Brehm and Fiedler , Hodkinson , Rodríguez‐Jimenez and Sarmiento , Hoiss et al. , Peters et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond body size: consistent decrease of traits within orthopteran assemblages with elevation

Tiede

Hemp

Schmidt

et al. 2018

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Morphological traits provide the interface between species and their environment. For example, body size affects the fitness of individuals in various ways. Yet especially for ectotherms, the applicability of general rules of interspecific clines of body size and even more so of other morphological traits is still under debate. Here we tested relationships between elevation (as a proxy for temperature) and productivity with four ecologically relevant morphological traits of orthopteran assemblages that are related to fecundity (body size), dispersal (wing length), jumping ability (hind femur length), and predator detection (eye size). We measured traits of 160 orthopteran species that were sampled along an extensive environmental gradient at Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), spanning elevations from 790 to 4,410 m above sea level (a.s.l.) with different levels of plant productivity. For traits other than body size, we calculated the residuals from a regression on body length to estimate the variation of traits irrespective of body size. Bayesian analyses revealed that mean body size of assemblages, as well as the means of relative wing length, hind femur length, and eye size, decreased with increasing elevation. Body size and relative eye size also decreased with increasing productivity. Both phylogenetic relationships, as well as species-specific adaptations, contributed to these patterns. Our results suggest that orthopteran assemblages had higher fecundity and better dispersal and escape abilities, as well as better predator detection at higher temperatures (low elevations) than at low temperatures (high elevations). Large body sizes might be advantageous in habitats with low productivity because of a reduced risk of starvation. Likewise, large eye size might be advantageous because of the ability to detect predators in habitats with low vegetation cover, where hiding possibilities are scarce. Our study highlights that changes in temperature and productivity not only lead to interspecific changes in body size but are also related to independent changes of other morphological traits that influence the ecological fit of organisms in their environment.

show abstract

Altitudinal distribution and body resource allocation in a High Mountain social wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Cited by 21 publications

References 27 publications

Genetic and phenotypic differentiation in endemic Scaptotrigona hellwegeri (Apidae: Meliponini): implications for the conservation of stingless bee populations in contrasting environments

Genetic and phenotypic differentiation in endemic Scaptotrigona hellwegeri (Apidae: Meliponini): implications for the conservation of stingless bee populations in contrasting environments

Social paper wasp (Agelaia pallipes) predates songbird nestling

Beyond body size: consistent decrease of traits within orthopteran assemblages with elevation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About