Palynology as a tool for distinguishing geopropolis samples from stingless bee species in the Maranhense Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

We analyzed the pollen spectra from 130 geopropolis samples collected by Melipona subnitida, M. seminigra, M. flavolineata, and M. fasciculata. The samples were collected in the municipality of Santa Luzia do Paruá in the Alto Turi region, part of the Amazon region in the state of Maranhão. The objective was to determine the phytogeographic pollen profile of geopropolis samples from Melipona, and to help characterize the resin supplying vegetation for these bees. Geopropolis samples were collected monthly from December 2013 to December 2014 from nests kept in wooden boxes in a private meliponary. Samples were prepared using standard methodology. A total of 148 pollen types were identified, distributed among 49 plant families and 108 genera. The months with the greatest richness of pollen types were December 2013, June 2014, September 2014, October 2014, and December 2014. The botanical family Fabaceae presented the greatest pollen richness (39 types), followed by Rubiaceae (11 types). The most common pollen types in the geopropolis of the four Melipona species were: Attalea speciosa, Anacardium, Borreria verticilatta, Baccharis, Clusia, Chamaecrista, Croton, Euterpe/Syagrus, Eucalyptus, Hyptis, Mauritia, Mimosa pudica, M. caesalpinaefolia, Mouriri, Myrcia/Psidium, Protium, and Symphonia globulifera, characteristic of the phytogeographic pollen profile of the product in the study region. The pollen types Anacardium, Ardisia, Baccharis, Caryocar, Clusia, Clusia grandiflora, Eucalyptus, Eupatorium, Hyptis, Myrcia/Psidium, Platonia insignis, Protium, Spondias, Symphonia globulifera, Tapirira, and Vismia were identified as possible sources of resin for Melipona geopropolis.