Abstract
Two distinctive new species of the Neotropical stingless bee genus Paratrigona Schwarz from Ecuador and Paraguay are described and figured. The Ecuadorian species, Paratrigona scapisetosa sp. n.,belongs to the haeckeli-lineatifrons group and is easily distinguished from its congeners by the unique shape and pubescence of the antennal scape, which is distinctly convex on its outer margin and bears thick, long, simple hairs along its inner margin. The Paraguayan species, Paratrigona wasbaueri sp. n.,belongs to the lineata group and is easily distinguished by the pattern of body pubescence in both sexes and male genitalic characters. The male of the Mesoamerican species Paratrigona ornaticeps (Schwarz) is described and figured. New geographical records for Paratrigona impunctata and Paratrigona opaca, and an updated key to the haeckeli-lineatifrons and lineata species groups are provided.
Highlights
Stingless honey bees (Meliponini) are among the most commonly encountered bees in the tropics of the world
The purpose of this paper is to describe two distinctive new species of Paratrigona, one each from Ecuador and Paraguay, and the male of the Mesoamerican species P. ornaticeps (Schwarz)
We provide new geographical records and an updated key to these species
Summary
Stingless honey bees (Meliponini) are among the most commonly encountered bees in the tropics of the world. Brazil and northern Argentina, inhabiting a diverse variety of ecosystems, including both humid and xeric lowlands to cloud forests and Páramos in the Andes reaching up to 4000 m of altitude (Gonzalez and Engel 2004; Nates-Parra 2006; Michener 2007; Camargo and Pedro 2008). Stingless bees are both ecologically and economically important. The nest and the male of Paratrigona are known for less than half of the species while the queen is only known for two species (Schwarz 1948; Camargo and Moure 1994; Nates-Parra et al 1999; Fernández et al 2010)
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