General Genetics of Bees

Evidence of separate karyotype evolutionary pathway in Euglossa orchid bees by cytogenetic analyses

“…Eltz et al (1997) [937][938][939][940][941][942][943][944] determined chromosome numbers of the Euglossa cyanaspis and E. hyacinthina species (n = 21 and n = 20, respectively), and also confirmed that chromosome morphology was submetacentric in both species. In the same study, the researchers cited that Kerr and Laidlaw (1956) determined the chromosome number for the Eufriesea violacea species as n = 16. This species was further studied with other techniques (Gomes et al 1998).…”

Cytological Studies in Hymenoptera

“…Xylocopa) violacea (as reported by Kerr and Laidlaw 1956) resemble Xylocopa and Apis species in having the same haploid male/diploid female chromo somal relationship of 16/32. However it is interesting to remark that in five species of an allied genus Mellipona, Kerr (1948) has described 9 and 18 as the haploid and diploid numbers respectively.…”

“…In the apidae itself X. fenesterata resembles Osmia cornuta, tribe Megachilini (Ambruster 1913) and Euplausia violacea, tribe Euglossini (reported by Kerr and Laidlaw 1956) in the non-production of a cytoplasmic bud. It seems that the bud is always given off in those bees which occupy a position close to Apis, tribe Apini, in the tree of phylogenetic relationship of the bees as enunciated by Michner (1944).…”

“…It seems that the bud is always given off in those bees which occupy a position close to Apis, tribe Apini, in the tree of phylogenetic relationship of the bees as enunciated by Michner (1944). Kerr and Laidlaw (1956), relying upon Granata's claims on the production of cytoplasmic bud in X. violacea, comment that according to Michner Xylocopini is removed more from Apini than Euglossini, but it may be possible that Xylocopini is infact closer to Apini than what Michner shows . If some pylogenetic importance is to be ascribed to those phenomena, the present work by showing the absence of any bud formation in Xylocopini (confirmed by the study of living cells under the phase-contrast microscope) re-affirms the systematic portion of Xylocopini away from Apini as originally sug gested by Michner.…”

The effect of ambient temperature on forager sound production and thoracic temperature in the stingless bee, Melipona panamica

“…Honeybees can also contribute to nest thermoregulation by remaining motionless in the cap of the brood and generating endothermic heat, or by entering into empty cells adjacent to sealed cells to increase their temperature (Kleinhenz et al 2003). Stingless bees, a monophyletic sister group of the honeybees (Michener 2000;Cameron and Mardulyn 2001), are also able to regulate nest temperature (Kerr and Laidlaw 1956;Kerr et al 1967;Zucchi and Sakagami 1972;Darchen 1973;Michener 1974;Roubik 1989) primarily to maintain the brood area at a temperature optimal for larval development. They can achieve this through nest architecture, modifying their nest entrances or pores to keep intranidal temperature relatively constant (Darchen 1973;Sakagami 1982;Engels et al 1995), or through active thermoregulation.…”