Morphometry of 53 stingless bees of the genus Lisotrigona collected from seven places in India by using 36 morphological parameters was studied. The data set also included morphometry data of primary types of L. cacciae, L. chandrai and L. revanai for comparison and was subjected to Factor and Canonical Discriminant analysis. All the bees collected from five places formed two distinct clusters in the Factor analysis and five clusters in Canonical Discriminant analysis. In both the methods of analysis primary types of L. cacciae, L. chandrai and L. revanai were placed well separated from each other as well as from other bees. The bees from seven places also differed from the three known species in morphometry and ratios of length and width of parts of the body. Based on these results it is concluded that Indian stingless bees of the genus Lisotrigona consists of more than one species besides L. cacciae. The action of synonymizing L. mohandasi, L. chandrai and L. revanai with L. cacciae appears arbitrary; these three species should be considered valid until supported by male genital morphology or molecular characters.
Lisotrigona darbhaensis sp. nov. and L. kosumtaraensis sp. nov from Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states, respectively, are described along with the additional description of the male of L. chandrai. Lisotrigona darbhaensis nested in the tree trunk of teak (Tectona grandis) while L. kosumtaraensis in the Indian frank incense (Boswellia serrata) and Indian boxwood (Gardenia latifolia). Brood cells of L. kosumtaraensis were arranged in clusters. The colony of L. kosumtaraensis consisted of 921 female and 40 male bees. The detailed studies on male genitalia, metasomal sterna, and morphometry with associated female bees collected from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh provided conclusive evidence as these bees were found different from the known species of Lisotrigona and new to science. Both the new species are distinct and different from other known species of Lisotrigona. The diversity of Lisotrigona bees in India is rich with six valid species and the action of synonymizing all Indian species of Lisotrigona with L. cacciae is arbitrary.
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