Trigona Subgenus Duckeola in Colombia (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

The stingless bee Trigona subgenus Duckeola is an uncommon Amazonian taxon consisting of only two species (Michener, 1990, 2000). Smith-Pardo and Engel (2001) extended the range of Duckeola, which was previously known from Brazil, based on six workers collected in Bolivia and French Guiana. The subgenus Duckeola was also included in a checklist of the stingless bee genera occurring in Colombia by Nates-Parra (1990); however, other than listing Duckeola, Nates-Parra (1990) did not provide any data on the material examined and depositary collection. Although Smith-Pardo and Engel (2001) were not able to examine the Colombian specimens, they referred to this record as a possible misidentification with the genus Cephalotrigona. Recently, one of us (VG) examined and compared the Colombian specimens with those from Brazil and French Guiana deposited at the Entomology Division, Natural History Museum, University of Kansas (SEMC). We confirm the specimens from Colombia are Trigona (Duckeola) ghilianii Spinola. Such specimens are deposited in the Laboratorio de Abejas in the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota (LABUN) and SEMC as indicated in the section below. Therefore, this note confirms the presence of Trigona (D.) ghilianii Spinola in the southern lowland forests of Colombia (Amazonia and Orinoquia regions), and this species can be added to the updated list of Colombian bees by Smith-Pardo (2003). Material Examined: COLOMBIA [Total 5 worker], Amazonas: 1 worker, Parque Nacional Amacayacu, C. Matamata, 13 January 1985, A. Villa, # 14373 (LABUN); 1, worker, Idem, 19 August 1984 (LABUN); Caquetd: 1 worker, Araracuara, Primary Forest, 15 m, 4 September 1994, G. Gangi; # 14374 (LABUN); Meta: 1 worker, La Macarena, Carlo Cristales, attracted to Methyl salicilate, 29 March 1991, G. Nates, # 14375 (LABUN); 1 worker, Reserva Indigena La Sal, January 1976, A. Villa, # 14371 (SEMC).