DNA barcoding a regional bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) fauna and its potential for ecological studies

Abstract

DNA barcoding has been evaluated for many animal taxa and is now advocated as a reliable and rapid means for species-level identification. The coming-to-light of this identification tool is timely as we are now facing perhaps the greatest rate of species loss in recent millennia. This study contributes to an ever-increasing number of published accounts of DNA barcoding successfully and accurately distinguishing animal taxa, in this instance, the bee fauna of Nova Scotia, Canada. Most members of this well-known fauna were resolved with particular clarity; the average intraspecific divergence was less than 0.5%, and COI sequences from over 75% of the province's species are now in the Barcodes of Life Data System. DNA barcoding also revealed some surprises within this fauna, including the possible recognition of two undescribed genetically unique species, one in the genus Ceratina (subgenus Zadontomerus), the second in the genus Andrena (subgenus Larandrena); both are presently receiving further taxonomic study. In addition, DNA barcoding has allowed sex-associations among two pairs of cleptoparasitic species. The resulting utility of DNA barcoding for ecological studies of bee communities is discussed.

An integrative approach identifies a new species of bumblebee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombini) from northeastern Brazil

“…Species boundaries signaled by deep COI divergence are generally congruent with those established through classical taxonomic work (Sheffield et al 2009). In fact, herein, the new species can be distinguished morphologically from their sympatric species on the basis of shape of the clypeus, having a distinct dorsal platform and lateral area, length of malar area, and the length and shape of the hairs (shorter and aligned).…”

A new species of <i>Megachile</i> (<i>Litomegachile</i>) from Cuba, the Antilles (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

“…Specimens were processed at the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Canada. DNA extraction, amplification and sequencing used the standard protocols described for bees in Sheffield et al (2009). Universal primers for amplifying the COI barcode sequence for insects were used (variants LepF1 and LepR1).…”

Bees of the genera <i>Dufourea</i> and <i>Dieunomia</i> of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae), with a key to the <i>Dufourea</i> of the eastern United States

“…Pontederia cordata is widespread throughout the state of Michigan, occurring in 57 counties (Reznicek et al, 2011). Dufourea novaeangliae has been collected across the northeastern USA and eastern Canada (Mitchell, 1960;Bouseman, 1986;Eickwort et al, 1986;Payette, 2001;Wolf & Ascher, 2009;Sheffield et al, 2009;Dumesh & Sheffield, 2012). Males of D. novaeangliae are active by early to mid-July, followed by females approximately a week later (Eickwort et al, 1986;Payette, 2001;J.G., pers.…”