Stingless bees from meliponiculture in South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Purwanto H, Soesilohadi RCH, Trianto M. 2022. Stingless bees from meliponiculture in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 1254-1266. Kalimantan Island has many species of stingless bees that are widespread throughout the province. However, their morphology, morphometry, and nest structure characteristics have not been documented comprehensively. This paper described the morphological characters, morphometric measurements, nest entrance, and brood cell characteristics of stingless bees from meliponiculture in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Ten stingless bee species were identified based on their morphological features: Tetragonula laeviceps (Smith, 1857), T. fuscobalteata (Cameron, 1908), T. drescheri (Schwarz, 1939), T. melanocephala (Gribodo, 1893), T. biroi (Friese, 1898), Homotrigona apicalis (Smith, 1857), H. canifrons (Smith, 1857), Heterotrigona itama (Cockerell, 1918), Geniotrigona thoracica (Smith, 1857), and Lepidotrigona terminata (Smith, 1878). Principal component analysis was performed to identify the grouping characters and thus determine their diagnostic characters. Furthermore, the shape, diameter, length, ornamentation, and color of the nest entrance and the arrangement, cells, and color of brood cells were observed. This study is the first to report high variations in the type of entrance opening and arrangement of brood cells for stingless bee species, which are abundant in South Kalimantan.

Phylogenetic and Morphological Characteristics Reveal Cryptic Speciation in Stingless Bee, Tetragonula laeviceps s.l. Smith 1857 (Hymenoptera; Meliponinae)

“…In Figure 1 , the identification of T. laeviceps s.l. workers were confirmed; the main features include four longitudinal hairs that are not well banded, three glabrous areas of the mesoscutum, reduced submarginal cells of the forewing and the elliptical disc of the basitarsus, as described by Abu Hassan [ 4 ], Purwanto et al [ 14 ], Suriawanto et al [ 47 ], Siti Fatimah et al [ 13 ] and Sakagami [ 7 ]. In the morphometric analyses, four groups with different morphological characteristics were found among the 36 T. laeviceps s.l.…”

“…Tetragonula laeviceps sensu lato (s.l.) (Smith, 1857) is widely distributed in the Indo-Malayan region [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. This species differs from other species of the Tetragonula genus by having a predominantly shiny black body, longer wing length, a black mesoscutum, a metasoma that is completely covered with yellowish setae [ 1 ] and a hind wing with five hamuli [ 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

“…To date, researchers have not reached a consensus on the taxonomic status of the cryptic species T. laeviceps s.l. , which exhibits strong intraspecific variations with regard to morphological characteristics [ 1 , 4 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. For example, the body size of T. laeviceps s.l.…”

“…It was measured in previous studies in Indonesia (Sumatra), Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia (Selangor) by Abu Hassan [ 4 ], who found measurements ranging from 3.5 to 3.99 mm. In Peninsular Malaysia, Siti Fatimah et al [ 13 ] measured values from 4.75 to 5.41 mm; in Indonesia (Java), Purwanto et al [ 14 ] measured values from 3.42 to 3.45 mm; in Indonesia (Yogyakarta), Trianto and Purwanto [ 8 ] measured values from 3.44 to 3.76 mm; and in Indonesia (Sulawesi), Suriawanto [ 19 ] measured body sizes ranging from 3.40 to 3.43 mm. Furthermore, there is significant color variation in the body parts of the T. laeviceps s.l.…”

Peningkatan Keterampilan Meliponikultur Bagi Generasi Milenial Melalui Praktik Pengelolaan Lebah Kelulut Di Desa Padang Panjang Kabupaten Banjar

“…Lokasi atau habitat yang mampu menyediakan berbagai jenis bunga sebagai pakan untuk lebah kelulut dinilai sebagai lokasi terbaik meliponikultur. Kriteria tempat ini adalah tempat yang banyak dijumpai tanaman penghasil nektar dan polen, didukung tanaman penghasil resin dan juga tersedianya air sehingga disukai oleh lebah kelulut sebagai polinator yang penting di Kalimantan Selatan (Purwanto et al, 2022).…”