Lasioglossum leucozonium

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Lasioglossum leucozonium
Lasioglossum leucozonium f.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Halictidae
Tribe: Halictini
Genus: Lasioglossum
Species:
L. leucozonium
Binomial name
Lasioglossum leucozonium
(Schrank, 1781)

Lasioglossum leucozonium (Schrank, 1781), also known as Lasioglossum similis, [1] is a widespread solitary sweat bee found in North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of northern Africa. [2] While now a common bee in North America, population genetic analysis has shown that it is actually an introduced species in this region. [3] This population was most likely founded by a single female bee. [4]

Contents

Taxonomy and phylogeny

L. leucozonium is part of the subfamily Halictinae, of the Hymenoptera family Halictidae. [5] The largest, most diverse and recently diverged of the four halictid subfamilies, [6] Halictinae (sweat bees) is made up of five tribes of which L. leucozonium is part of Halictini, which contains over 2000 species. [7] Genus Lasioglossum is informally divided into two series: the Lasioglossum series and the Hemihalictus. [8] L. leucozonium is a part of the Old World series and is most closely related to L. callizonium, L. zonulum, and L. majus. However, there is genetic variation within the species depending on its location. [9]

Description and identification

While occasionally compared to its close relative, L. zonulum, L. leucozonium has distinct features that separate it from other Lasioglossum species. There are also differences in appearance between females and males. [10] Additionally, its eye has been studied in relation to the nocturnal bee Megalopta genalis . [11] [12]

Top view of Lasioglossum leucozonium Lasioglossum leucozonium, back 2012-07-31-16 (7893789932).jpg
Top view of Lasioglossum leucozonium

Females

Front of insect head diagram Front of insect head diagram.svg
Front of insect head diagram
Hymenoptera morphology HoneyBeeAnatomy.png
Hymenoptera morphology

Female L. leucozonium are recognizable by their rough and relatively short propodeal dorsal areas. [9] The smooth surface of these areas has horizontal stripes which are divided in the middle, which is a unique characteristic of Eastern United States Lasioglossum species, a feature shared only with L. zonulum. Its dull, grainy first metasomal tergum has well-developed punctures separated by 1-1.5 times their width, and its vertex behind the ocelli has stripes. In comparison to L. zonulum, the pronotal angle of L. leucozonium projects out less but is still obtuse. The pronotum has a well-developed dorsal edge and an incomplete lateral ridge, of which the lower part is unnoticeable and broadly rounded, divided by a slanted groove. With a rounded lip on the scutum of their middle thoracic segment raised from the pronotum, it has a propodeal triangle that is well defined by a carinate rim. It has an elongated head, a shiny face, and an evenly rounded, slightly protruding, and extremely grainy supraclypeal area that is uniformly and densely spotted with punctures separated by their width or less. It also has a somewhat granulated and shiny clypeus, protruding below the eyes, with a surface that has a lot of punctures without a groove in the middle. The distance between its lateral ocelli is greater than that between the lateral ocelli and the eye. While the lateral edge of its metasomal tergum II is only slightly wavy, the distal keel of its labrum is somewhat broad in the front and gradually narrows moving back to the tip. Its moderately shiny mesoscutum has a microscopically patterned surface, and its scutellum has nearly uniform punctures like that of the mesoscutum. There is white to yellowish white hair on the head and thorax, though the thorax has some brown hairs on the scutellum. The slightly separated hind tibial hair is mostly pale yellowish brown while the dorsal hairs are light brown. On the metasomal tergum I and terga II-IV, the hair is white with a band of hair on terga II-IV and elongated hairs scattered over the anterior surface of tergum I. Its mesoscutal hairs are moderately dense and seem feathery, and its wing membrane has a glassy, translucent appearance. [10]

Males

Side view of Lasioglossum leucozonium Lasioglossum leucozonium1.jpg
Side view of Lasioglossum leucozonium

A male L. leucozonium is distinguished by its rounded clypeus, its ventrally narrowed head, its yellow back of the tarsus of its middle and hind legs, its wrinkled propodeal dorsal surface, its dense, flattened hair patch on the posterior edge of sternum V, and its inverted V-shaped patch of hair on sternum VI. In general, the males are similar to the females. However, other differences include rounded gena that are wider than the eye; a broadly rounded clypeal surface; a labrum with rounded and slightly developed distal processes, an evenly rounded bottom area with a small circular depression in the middle, and somewhat developed depressions on its sides; and a short mandible. The shiny clypeus is a little grainy with uniform punctures and clypeal spots. The front of the tarsus is entirely dark while the middle and hind back of the tarsus are yellowish white except for the dark distal edges. The hairs on sternum IV are erect and elongated without a noticeable pattern. Its sternum VII is somewhat smaller and slender, its sternum VIII does not have a bulge in the middle, and its sternal disc is small and narrow. With respect to genitalia, the base is moderately short with a gonostylus that is large, flat, and rounded at the tip. There is no membranous lobe that is turned backwards, but there is volsella with prominent lateral ridges. [10]

Eye

L. leucozonium fly relatively fast, meaning they must rely on their compound eyes for orientation and foraging, but only in bright light. [13] Their eyes contain over 3,000 facets with a maximum diameter of 20  μm. With a 41-μm-thick cornea consisting of a convex inner and outer cornea, it has slightly developed and fused corneal bulges. [11] Its lamina has no branching and only its L2 and L4-fiber types are spread laterally. [12]

Distribution and habitat

L. leucozonium is found in open habitats, normally on sandy or chalky soil, though it is also more rarely found on heavy clay. [1] As a holarctic bee, it can be found from Wisconsin to New Jersey up to Cape Breton Island in North America, as well as throughout Europe. [10] Its nests can sometimes be found in aggregations, although it is a solitary bee. [1]

Nest structure

Created by one to two females, the nest of L. leucozonium is made in flat to slightly inclined light soil in conditions that are sparsely vegetated or have short grass. Descending vertically, the main tunnel has cells at the end of short side tunnels. Nests can have 8 to 15 cells per female. [1]

Colony cycle

In North America, females and males are active around the same time; they are typically most active between the beginning of May and mid-August. [11] Females are most active in early June, while males are most active in late July and August. [10]

Development and reproduction

L. leucozonium only produces a single generation per year. [3] The cells of a nest fosters a sexual brood within the same year they are created. After the offspring mature, they mate and then enter hibernation. [1] While there is only a single generation in a year, it has two annual exits of female, one at the beginning where females make the nests and mate, and the other after the brood leaves to mate. [14]

Behavior and ecology

L. leucozonium is a diurnal, [11] ground-nesting bee. It hibernates during the winter, during which it stays underground. Females are singly-mated at this time. [3]

Nesting biology

A mining bee, L. leucozonium digs into the ground to make its nests. One to two females help create the nest, and for each female, 8 to 15 cells are made. Since it is a solitary bee, most likely these females are working communally rather than socially. After the creation of the nest, the offspring leave the nest, mate with others, and then hibernate underground for the winter, most likely in different places from their original nests. [1]

Social organization

As a solitary bee, L. leucozonium generally works by itself. When another female works with it to build a nest, they work communally rather than socially, [1] therefore they double the amount of work they can do rather than declining in efficiency with the added number of females. [15]

Interaction with other species

L. leucozonium, though solitary, [1] interacts with plants and parasites. Plants provide it with pollen and nectar as food for both themselves and their larvae, while parasites and predators affect their survival. [1] [10]

Diet

L. leucozonium adults and larvae feed on pollen from various flowers. [1] As a generalist, they are not as picky about which flowers they choose compared to a specialist. [16] They also has been seen visiting apple trees and lowbush blueberries. [17]

Flowers

L. leucozonium most frequently visit yellow-flowered Asteraceae [1] like Hieracium caespitosum , Krigia biflora , Rudbeckia hirta , [18] but have been seen to also visit creeping thistle ( Cirsium arvense ) [1] and other plants, which include plants from Campanula and Rosa [10] as well as Cornus alternifolia . [18] Males are also commonly found on Melilotus . [10]

Parasitoids

While there are no parasites of the genus Sphecodes that solely parasitize L. leucozonium, S. ephippius has been shown to parasitize it as well as other Lasioglossum. [1]

Predation

Philanthus wasps are common predators of L. leucozonium. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trophallaxis</span> Transfer of food between members of a community through stomodeal or proctodeal means

Trophallaxis is the transfer of food or other fluids among members of a community through mouth-to-mouth (stomodeal) or anus-to-mouth (proctodeal) feeding. Along with nutrients, trophallaxis can involve the transfer of molecules such as pheromones, organisms such as symbionts, and information to serve as a form of communication. Trophallaxis is used by some birds, gray wolves, vampire bats, and is most highly developed in eusocial insects such as ants, wasps, bees, and termites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halictidae</span> Family of bees

Halictidae is the second-largest family of bees with nearly 4,500 species. They are commonly called sweat bees, as they are often attracted to perspiration. Halictid species are an extremely diverse group that can vary greatly in appearance. These bees occur all over the world and are found on every continent except Antarctica. Usually dark-colored and often metallic, halictids are found in various sizes, colors and patterns. Several species are all or partly green and a few are red, purple, or blue. A number of them have yellow markings, especially the males, which commonly have yellow faces, a pattern widespread among the various families of bees. The family is one of many with short tongues and is best distinguished by the arcuate basal vein found on the wing. Females in this family tend to be larger than the males. They are the group for which the term 'eusocial' was first coined by entomologist, Suzanne Batra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acarinarium</span> Specialized anatomical structure which is evolved to facilitate the retention of mites

An acarinarium is a specialized anatomical structure which is evolved to facilitate the retention of mites on the body of an organism, typically a bee or a wasp. The term was introduced by Walter Karl Johann Roepke.

<i>Lasioglossum malachurum</i> Species of bee

Lasioglossum malachurum, the sharp-collared furrow bee, is a small European halictid bee. This species is obligately eusocial, with queens and workers, though the differences between the castes are not nearly as extreme as in honey bees. Early taxonomists mistakenly assigned the worker females to a different species from the queens. They are small, shiny, mostly black bees with off-white hair bands at the bases of the abdominal segments. L. malachurum is one of the more extensively studied species in the genus Lasioglossum, also known as sweat bees. Researchers have discovered that the eusocial behavior in colonies of L. malachurum varies significantly dependent upon the region of Europe in which each colony is located.

<i>Agapostemon texanus</i> Species of bee

Agapostemon texanus is a species of bee found in North America. Commonly known as the metallic green sweat bee or the Texas striped sweat bee, it varies greatly in its appearance, with variations in color and in the amount of black markings on the legs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halictinae</span> Subfamily of bees

Within the insect order Hymenoptera, the Halictinae are the largest, most diverse, and most recently diverged of the four halictid subfamilies. They comprise over 2400 bee species belonging to the five taxonomic tribes Augochlorini, Thrinchostomini, Caenohalictini, Sphecodini, and Halictini, which some entomologists alternatively organize into the two tribes Augochlorini and Halictini.

<i>Lasioglossum zephyrus</i> Species of bee

Lasioglossum zephyrus is a sweat bee of the family Halictidae, found in the U.S. and Canada. It appears in the literature primarily under the misspelling "zephyrum". It is considered a primitively eusocial bee, although it may be facultatively solitary. The species nests in burrows in the soil.

<i>Dolichovespula adulterina</i> Species of wasp

Dolichovespula adulterina is a species of parasitic social wasp found in the Palearctic region. D. adulterina feeds on a variety of foods, including insects, spiders, arthropods, meat, molluscs, fruit, nectar, and larval secretions. D. adulterina was formerly considered to be synonymous with D. arctica from the Holarctic region, but more recent research indicates that D. arctica is a separate species.

<i>Halictus ligatus</i> Species of bee

Halictus ligatus is a species of sweat bee from the family Halictidae, among the species that mine or burrow into the ground to create their nests. H. ligatus, like Lasioglossum zephyrus, is a primitively eusocial bee species, in which aggression is one of the most influential behaviors for establishing hierarchy within the colony, and H. ligatus exhibits both reproductive division of labor and overlapping generations.

<i>Megachile campanulae</i> Species of bee

Megachile campanulae, known as the bellflower resin bee, is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. Described in 1903, these solitary bees are native to eastern North America. Studies in 2013 placed them among the first insect species to use synthetic materials for making nests. They are considered mason bees, which is a common descriptor of bees in several families, including Megachilidae. Within the genus Megachile, frequently also referred to as leafcutter bees, M. campanulae is a member of the subgenus Chelostomoides, which do not construct nests from cut leaves, but rather from plant resins and other materials. Females lay eggs in nests constructed with individual cell compartments for each egg. Once hatched, the eggs progress through larval stages and subsequently will overwinter as pupae. The bees are susceptible to parasitism from several other bee species, which act as brood parasites. They are medium-sized bees and the female adults are typically larger than the males. They are important pollinators of numerous native plant species throughout their range.

<i>Megalopta genalis</i> Species of bee

Megalopta genalis is a species of the family Halictidae, otherwise known as the sweat bees. The bee is native to Central and South America. Its eyes have anatomical adaptations that make them 27 times more sensitive to light than diurnal bees, giving it the ability to be nocturnal. However, its eyes are not completely different from other diurnal bees, but are still apposition compound eyes. The difference therefore lies purely in adaptations to become nocturnal, increasing the success of foraging and minimizing the danger of doing so from predation. This species has served as a model organism in studies of social behavior and night vision in bees.

<i>Lasioglossum cressonii</i> Species of insect

Lasioglossum cressonii is a species in the sweat bee genus Lasioglossum, family Halictidae. Halictidae exhibit eusocial hierarchy behavior which is interesting given that eusociality in this group is hard to evolve and easy to lose. L. cressonii is found throughout North America. L. cressonii have been shown to be important pollinators for apple trees and many other North American native plants.

<i>Lasioglossum vierecki</i> Species of bee

Lasioglossum vierecki, also known as Dialictus vierecki and Halictus vierecki, is a sand sweat bee and is part of the family Halictidae of the order Hymenoptera. It is found in the eastern half of North America from Minnesota to the New England States down to Georgia and Louisiana and up in Manitoba and Ontario. Commonly found in sandy areas, it pollinates various flowers such as grass-leaved goldenrod and rattlesnake master.

Lasioglossum figueresi, formerly known as Dialictus figueresi, is a solitary sweat bee that is part of the family Halictidae of the order Hymenoptera. Found in Central America, it nests in vertical earthen banks which are normally inhabited by one, though sometimes two or even three, females. Females die before their larvae hatch. It was named after José Figueres Ferrer, a famous Costa Rican patriot, and studies of its behavior are now general models for social behavior studies.

Lasioglossum aeneiventre, also known as Dialictus aeneiventre, is a social sweat bee and is part of the family Halictidae of the order Hymenoptera. Found in Central America, it nests mostly on flat ground though sometimes in vertical banks. It is often compared to L. figueresi.

<i>Hylaeus agilis</i> Species of bee

Hylaeus agilis is a bee species in the family Colletidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found throughout the country and visits the flowers of a wide variety of plant species, both native and introduced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dialictus</span> Subgenus of insects

Dialictus is a subgenus of sweat bees belonging to the genus Lasioglossum. Most of the members of this subgenus have a metallic appearance, while some are non-metallic. There are over 630 species worldwide. They are commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere and are found in abundance in North America. Members of this subgenus also have very diverse forms of social structure making them model organisms for studying the social behavior of bees.

<i>Augochlorella</i> Genus of bees

Augochlorella is a genus in the bee family Halictidae, commonly called sweat bees. They display metallic coloration, ranging from reddish to gold to bluish green, as is typical for other genera in the tribe Augochlorini.

<i>Lasioglossum mataroa</i> Species of bee

Lasioglossum mataroa is a bee species that is found in New Zealand.

<i>Megalopta</i> Genus of bees

Megalopta is a widespread neotropical genus of bees in the tribe Augochlorini in family Halictidae, known as the sweat bees. They are the largest of the five nocturnal genera in Augochlorini. Most have pale integumentary pigmentation, and all have large ocelli, most likely a feature of their nocturnal behavior. They live in tropical Central America and the entirety of South America. The subgenus Noctoraptor is cleptoparasitic. They are not known from the fossil record.

References

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