“Complexity of the male perfume of Eulaema nigrita L. (Apidae: Euglossini) from forest and woody physiognomies of the Brazilian savanna: is there a relationship with body size and wing wear?”,

Abstract

Male orchid bees (Euglossini) collect volatile and semi-volatile compounds from the environment for storage and accumulation in specialized hind legs. Later, these compounds form a perfume blend used during courtship to lure conspecific females for mating. It has been proposed that male orchid bee perfume plays an important role as a sexual signaling trait involved in pre-mating isolation of species, functioning as an indicator of male genetic quality. Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier is a common species in both forested and woody savannah physiognomies (Cerrado sensu stricto) of the Brazilian savanna biome. By identifying the chemical composition of male El. nigrita perfume, we tested for differences in the bouquet chemical profile in populations from remnants of seasonal semideciduous forest and woody savanna. In addition, we assessed the relation between perfume complexity and morphological traits associated with size and age of males. Our analysis showed a low effect of physiognomies on the differences in the perfume chemical profile of sampled males. Nevertheless, we observed significant differences in the chemical profile of individuals from two seasonal semideciduous forest remnants, which a priori suggests an environmental effect in individual bouquet. Wing wear as a morphological measure of age was positively related to perfume complexity, in agreement with the premise that fragrances from older individuals are indicators of survival capacity in male orchid bees.