“TOTAL EVIDENCE” AND THE EVOLUTION OF HIGHLY SOCIAL BEES

Abstract

Abstract— Recent cladistic analyses of the relationships of the tribes of apine bees have produced conflicting results. The question of single or multiple origins of advanced eusociality in the group is thus unresolved. However, the previous studies have each treated only a limited part of the character data available. A “total evidence” analysis is essayed here, combining the published morphological characters with sequence data from rRNA and mtDNA. The resulting cladogram is: Euglossini + (Bombini + (Meliponini + Apini). This supports a single origin of advanced eusociality, from a stage of primitive eusociality.