Comparative temperature tolerance in stingless bee species from tropical highlands and lowlands of Mexico and implications for their conservation (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

José Macías-Macías , José Quezada-Euán , Francisca Contreras-Escareño , José Tapia-Gonzalez , Humberto Moo-Valle , Ricardo Ayala

The objective of this study was to evaluate the temperature sensitivity of three stingless bee species, one from the tropical highland transition Neartic-Neotropical region (Melipona colimana) and two from the tropical lowland regions (Melipona beecheii and Scaptotrigona hellwegeri) of Mexico. The changes in thoracic temperature, behavior, and mortality rate of workers and pupae of the three species submitted to control high and low temperatures were assessed. Workers of highland M. colimana regurgitated water and fanned their wings when submitted to high temperatures, a behavior reported here for the first time in a stingless bee. M. colimana consumed syrup and increased its thoracic temperature in response to cold environment. Workers and pupae of M. colimana experienced lower mortality rates than M. beecheii and S. hellwegeri. The results of this study showed the tolerance of M. colimana to a wider temperature range, possibly as a response to extreme conditions in its native environment. The implications of thermal susceptibility differences for the conservation of highland and lowland stingless bees are discussed.

Mots clés: Melipona; Scaptotrigona; Apidae; temperature tolerance; behavior; temperate forest; Mexico

Domaines: Zoologie des invertébrés; Biodiversité; Ecologie, Environnement; Science des productions animales

José Macías-Macías, José Quezada-Euán, Francisca Contreras-Escareño, José Tapia-Gonzalez, Humberto Moo-Valle, et al.. Comparative temperature tolerance in stingless bee species from tropical highlands and lowlands of Mexico and implications for their conservation (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini). Apidologie, 2011, 42 (6), pp.679-689. ⟨10.1007/s13592-011-0074-0⟩. ⟨hal-01003611⟩