The cactus-specialist bees of the genus brachyglossula Hedicke (Hymenoptera: Colletidae): Notes on host associations and description of a new species

The pollen-collecting behavior of three species of the South American Andean bee genus Brachyglossula is reported. Species studied are B. martinezi Trucco Alemn, B. communis Trucco Alemn, and B. ancasti Roig Alsina and Schlumpberger, new species. The new species, which is comparatively described and...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Roig Alsina, Arturo Hernan, Schlumpberger, Boris O.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2008
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/135644
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/135644
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:BEES
CACTUS
COLLETIDAE
NEW SPECIES
POLLEN COLLECTING
SOUTH AMERICA
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:The pollen-collecting behavior of three species of the South American Andean bee genus Brachyglossula is reported. Species studied are B. martinezi Trucco Alemn, B. communis Trucco Alemn, and B. ancasti Roig Alsina and Schlumpberger, new species. The new species, which is comparatively described and illustrated, inhabits the isolated mountain range of Sierra de Ancasti, in the province of Catamarca, Argentina. Observation of the bees in the field, and pollen counts from scopal loads strongly support specialization of these bees on the Cactaceae. Members of both major cactus subfamilies, the Opuntioideae and the Cactoideae, are frequently visited and represented in the pollen loads.