In:
Journal of Hymenoptera Research, Pensoft Publishers, Vol. 79 ( 2020-10-30), p. 117-144
Abstract:
Low-light adapted bees are substantially understudied components of the bee fauna, particularly in Australia. Whilst several species in Australia are thought to be adapted to low-light conditions, explicit records of these taxa actually foraging at twilight or night are absent from the scientific literature. We present the first observations of Australian bees foraging in low-light conditions as well as the first evidence of low-light foraging behaviour in the colletid bee subfamily, Hylaeinae. Using morphometrics of Australian and more broadly-distributed diurnal, facultative low-light and obligate low-light adapted bees, we explore the use of morphological traits to objectively assess possible low-light behaviour and corroborate low-light collection events. Our results show that it is possible to morphologically distinguish between diurnal and low-light adapted bees, and that there is a spectrum of characters that are associated with low light conditions. We use GIS to show that low-light adapted species occur mostly in the tropics, but that some species have subtropical, arid and even temperate distributions. As low-light foraging behaviour in bees is infrequently reported, it appears that low-light foraging behaviour is more common than currently appreciated, highlighting the need for extended bee-sampling periods and more consistent collection data to increase the understanding of this little-understood aspect of bee behaviour.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1314-2607
,
1070-9428
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.figure1
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.figure2
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.figure3
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.figure4
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.figure5
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.figure6
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.suppl1
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.suppl2
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.suppl3
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.suppl4
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.suppl5
DOI:
10.3897/jhr.79.57308.suppl6
Language:
Unknown
Publisher:
Pensoft Publishers
Publication Date:
2020
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2477175-2
SSG:
12
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