Abstract
Island ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the introduction of exotic species that can have an impact on local fauna and flora. Here, the carpenter bee Xylocopa pubescens is reported in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) for the first time. This species is native to North Africa and the Near East and shows a rapid dispersion across the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, together with a single record in the southernmost tip of the island. Different hypotheses about its arrival to the island are discussed.
Highlights
Bees of the genus Xylocopa are characterised by a large size (13–30 mm) and robust jaws used for cutting the corolla of tubular flowers to extract the nectar, and for their nesting habits, mainly in trees and wooden structures
The occurrence of Xylocopa pubescens in the island of Gran Canaria can be explained by two alternative scenarios
The fact that other Xylocopa species have been commonly intercepted in wood shipments elsewhere (e.g. San Francisco: Hurd 1955; Japan: Maidl 1912), and this large volume of containers trading-off, make possible the accidental arrival and posterior dispersal of this species across the urban area of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Summary
Bees of the genus Xylocopa are characterised by a large size (13–30 mm) and robust jaws used for cutting the corolla of tubular flowers to extract the nectar, and for their nesting habits, mainly in trees and wooden structures. Several species of Xylocopa have been introduced into both continental (Dahlberg et al 2013) and island ecosystems (Okabe 2010), mainly due to wood imports. Xylocopa sonorina Smith, 1874 has been introduced into several Pacific islands (Hurd 1958; Barrows 1980). More recently Xylocopa tranquebarorum (Swederus, 1787) has been reported for the first time in Japan (Okabe 2010)
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