Abstract
Native stingless bees, Meliponini, are the only social bees that produce honey in addition to honeybees. These bees have been managed in meliponiculture and for crop pollination. In Ecuador, meliponiculture studies are scarce and limited by the lack of species recognition. Traditionally the taxonomic recognition of the species is based on morphological characteristics. In Hymenoptera, the wing shape has proven to be a valuable tool in combination with traditional characters. Due to this, the wing shape was evaluated for discriminating morphospecies in Ecuador’s Amazonian meliponaries. A total of 127 specimens grouped into six genera were analyzed: Melipona (Melikerria) sp., Melipona (Michmelia) sp1., Melipona (Michmelia) sp2., Tetragonisca sp., Paratrigona sp., Nannotrigona sp., Scaura sp., and Plebeia sp. The most significant differences are located at the vein intersection: cubital and cubital 1 (Cu + Cu1), posterior margin of the marginal cell (r and Rs), and basal and posterior marginal cell (M and Rs).
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
