Meliponula beccarii ( Gribodo, 1879 )

Pauly, Alain & Hora, Zewdu Ararso, 1787, Apini and Meliponini from Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae: Apinae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 16, pp. 1-35 : 6-10

Meliponula beccarii ( Gribodo, 1879)

(Figs 1-6)

Meliponula beccarii Gribodo, 1879 . Eritrea (MCSNG).

= Melipona africana Stadelmann, 1895 . Tanzania (MNHUB).

= Trigona beccarii var somalina Magretti 1898 . Somalia (MCSNG)

= Melipona (Trigona) ogouensis Vachal, 1903 . Gabon (MNHNP).

= Trigona topiorum Cockerell, 1910 . Angola (BMNH).

= Trigona africana var. tanganykae Strand, 1911 . Tanzania (MNHUB).

= Trigona faecivora Strand, 1911 . Rwanda (MNHUB).

= Trigona africana var. bibundicola Strand, 1912 . Cameroon (MNHUB).

= Trigona beccarii var. nigrifacies Friese, 1912 . Tanzania (MNHUB).

= Trigona beccarii var. albofasciata Friese, 1916 . Namibia (MNHUB).

= Trigona beccarii jombenensis Cockerell, 1917 . Kenya (USNM).

= Melipona alinderi Alfken, 1929 . Kenya (MNHUB).

= Melipona alinderi var. nigrita Alfken, 1932 . Ethiopia (MNHUB).

= Melipona alinderi var. mimica Alfken, 1932 . Kenya (MNHUB).

= Trigona (Meliponula) africana neavei Cockerell, 1934 . Zambia (BMNH).

= Trigona (Meliponula) africana rhodesica Cockerell, 1934 . Zimbabwe (BMNH). = Trigona (Meliponula) africana medionigra Cockerell, 1934 . Angola (BMNH).

TYPE MATERIAL (from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia).

Trigona beccarii GRIBODO, 1879: 340 , worker lectotype designated here (MCSNG) (examined). Type locality: Eritrea, “Bogos Country”, Keren (15°46’N 38°30’E), 1870, leg. Beccarii.

Trigona beccarii var somalina MAGRETTI 1898b: 586 , worker holotype (MCSNG). Type locality: Ethiopia, “Sancurar e gli Amarr”, II-IV.1896, leg. Bottego (Sankurar, 4°01’N 40°07’E; Amarr, ca 5°10’N 36°40’E).

Melipona alinderi var. nigrita ALFKEN, 1932: 54-55 , worker holotype (BMNH). Type locality: Abyssinia ", Djem Djem Forest , circa 8000ft, 22-23.IX.1926, 2D, leg. H. Scott.

VARIATIONS.

This species has been described under various name of species as well as subspecies and varieties, as showed in the list above. They differs by the expansion of yellow marks or size. In the same locality they have the same pattern, probably corresponding to as many ecotypes.

The lectotype and paratypes of T. beccarii from Keren have yellow maculations on terga 1- 5 (Fig. 1a) and extensive maculation on the face (Fig. 2a).

T. beccarii var. nigrita from Alfken is the black form (Fig. 1f) with black face (Fig. 2d).

The type of somalina has yellow maculations on terga (Fig. 1b) but less extensive yellow maculations on the face (Fig. 2b).

The lectotype of M. ogouensis (Vachal, 1903) ( Gabon: Ndoro , designated here in MNHNP) is larger with yellow brown maculations (Figs 1c, 2f) .

DISTRIBUTION. Cameroun, République Centrafricaine, Gabon,

Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Angola.

D. R.

Congo, Sudan,

a - lectotype M. beccarii from Keren (MCSNG)

c - lectotype of M. ogouensis from Gabon b - holotype of M. b. somalina from Sancurar

d - yellow form, from Harenna Forest e - form two yellow spots on T2, from Chefawoledi f - black form, from Holetta ( var. nigrita ) Fig. 1. Meliponula beccarii , workers, dorsal habitus.

a - lectotype of M. beccarii from Keren

c - specimen from Chefawoledi e - specimen from Harenna Forest

Fig. 2. Meliponula beccarii , worker heads.

b - holotype of M. beccarii somalina from Sancurar

d - specimen from Holetta ( var. nigrita )

f - lectotype of M. ogouensis from Gabon, Ndoro

OLD MATERIAL.

ERITREA. Bogos , Keren, 1870, 32D paratypes ( MCSNG) , 1D ( BMNH), 2D ( MNHNP).

ETHIOPIA. Near Addis Allem , circa 8000ft, 18-19.IX.1926, 1D, leg. J. Omer Cooper ( BMNH) ( var. alinderi ) .

NEW MATERIAL (all leg. GTI project, RBINS, HBRC, ZMUA).

Black form (metasoma totaly black)

OROMIA: Suba Forest, 3.X.2010, Bidens pachyloma , 5D, Bidens prestinaria , 1D. - Sebeta, 3.X.2010, Guizotia scabra , 2D, Bidens prestinaria , 2D; 13.X.2010, Bidens pachyloma , 2D, 12.IX.2012, 1♂. – Holetta, 2450m, 10-16.X.2010, Bidens prestinaria , 11D, Brassica nigra , 1D, Trifolium rueppelianum , 1D, Cirsium schimperi , 1D; 4.XI.2010, Salvia leucantha , 13D; 26.XII.2010, Brassica nigra , 3D; 1.I.2011, Ruta chalepensis , 3D. – Guder, 1700m, 6-7.XI.2010, Guizotia scabra , 1D. – Muger, 17.X.2010, Guizotia scabra , 1D, Guizotia abyssinica , 1D. – Between Managasha Kolobo to Genet, 12.X.2010, Bidens pachyloma , 2D, Guizotia scabra , 2D.

SOUTHERN. Chencha, 1910m, 20.IX.2012, 1D.

Black form with two yellow spots on T2:

AMHARA. Chefawoledi, 20-21.XI.2010, Guizotia scabra , 8D, Hygrophila auriculata , 2D. – Kemise, 21.XI.2010, Guizotia scabra , 19D.

Yellow form (metasoma with yellow maculations on T1-T3):

OROMIA. [Bale] Harenna Forest, 27.I.2011, Vernonia auriculifera , 5D. – [Bale] Goro, 23.X.2010, Aloe berhana , 1D.

a - distribution in Africa b - distribution in Ethiopia

Fig. 3. Distribution of Meliponula beccarii in Africa and Ethiopia.

a - nesting site in a meadow

b - entrance of the nest in the ground c - nest entrance with guardians Fig. 4. Meliponula beccarii , nesting site in Holeta Bee Research Station.