Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis
We found that the nest of Trigona corvina (Apidae; Meliponini) consists mainly of pollen exines from bee excrement, forming a scutellum shield encasing the colony. A 20-year-old nest (1980–2000) from a lowland Panama forested habitat was sawed in half longitudinally, and a 95 cm transect was systema...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2009-01-01
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| Series: | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/268756 |
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| author | David W. Roubik J. Enrique Moreno Patiño |
| author_facet | David W. Roubik J. Enrique Moreno Patiño |
| author_sort | David W. Roubik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We found that the nest of Trigona corvina (Apidae; Meliponini) consists mainly of pollen exines from bee excrement, forming a scutellum shield encasing the colony. A 20-year-old nest (1980–2000) from a lowland Panama forested habitat was sawed in half longitudinally, and a 95 cm transect was systematically sampled each 5 cm. Samples subjected to detailed pollen analysis held 72 botanical species belonging to 65 genera in 41 families. Over 90% of scutellum pollen volume was Cecropiaceae and Arecaceae, among >1013 grains. Potentially the oldest samples, in the middle of the nest, indicate that Mimosoideae, Euphorbiaceae, and Bombacaceae (now Malvaceae) were lost when Africanized honey bee competitors colonized Panama in 1984. Cecropia deposited in the nest increased markedly after landscape-level vegetation disturbance. Pollen from Cavanillesia demonstrated that the foraging range encompassed 3 km2 and perhaps 500 plant species. Trigona corvina primarily foraged on plants with large inflorescences, consistent with foraging theory considering their aggressive behavior. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-eaf5721fc9304f03abe97095ecd627db |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0033-2615 1687-7438 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2009-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| spelling | doaj-art-eaf5721fc9304f03abe97095ecd627db2025-02-03T01:01:46ZengWileyPsyche: A Journal of Entomology0033-26151687-74382009-01-01200910.1155/2009/268756268756Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen AnalysisDavid W. Roubik0J. Enrique Moreno Patiño1Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 0843-03092 Balboa, PanamaSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 0843-03092 Balboa, PanamaWe found that the nest of Trigona corvina (Apidae; Meliponini) consists mainly of pollen exines from bee excrement, forming a scutellum shield encasing the colony. A 20-year-old nest (1980–2000) from a lowland Panama forested habitat was sawed in half longitudinally, and a 95 cm transect was systematically sampled each 5 cm. Samples subjected to detailed pollen analysis held 72 botanical species belonging to 65 genera in 41 families. Over 90% of scutellum pollen volume was Cecropiaceae and Arecaceae, among >1013 grains. Potentially the oldest samples, in the middle of the nest, indicate that Mimosoideae, Euphorbiaceae, and Bombacaceae (now Malvaceae) were lost when Africanized honey bee competitors colonized Panama in 1984. Cecropia deposited in the nest increased markedly after landscape-level vegetation disturbance. Pollen from Cavanillesia demonstrated that the foraging range encompassed 3 km2 and perhaps 500 plant species. Trigona corvina primarily foraged on plants with large inflorescences, consistent with foraging theory considering their aggressive behavior.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/268756 |
| spellingShingle | David W. Roubik J. Enrique Moreno Patiño Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| title | Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis |
| title_full | Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis |
| title_short | Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis |
| title_sort | trigona corvina an ecological study based on unusual nest structure and pollen analysis |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/268756 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidwroubik trigonacorvinaanecologicalstudybasedonunusualneststructureandpollenanalysis AT jenriquemorenopatino trigonacorvinaanecologicalstudybasedonunusualneststructureandpollenanalysis |