Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)
Miniature stingless bee queens have been studied concerning frequency distribution, production and egg laying performance. This study aimed to investigate size variation in eggs laid by Plebeia remota (Holmberg) queens and whether it is due to differences in queen size or colony conditions. A sample...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Sociobiology |
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| Online Access: | http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/605 |
| _version_ | 1818789057303412736 |
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| author | Márcia de Fátima Ribeiro Pérsio de Souza Santos Filho |
| author_facet | Márcia de Fátima Ribeiro Pérsio de Souza Santos Filho |
| author_sort | Márcia de Fátima Ribeiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Miniature stingless bee queens have been studied concerning frequency distribution, production and egg laying performance. This study aimed to investigate size variation in eggs laid by Plebeia remota (Holmberg) queens and whether it is due to differences in queen size or colony conditions. A sample of 10 queens (8 of typical size and 2 miniature) was measured morphometrically (head width, interorbital distance, and intertegular distance) as well the eggs they laid (length, width and volume). Initially, eggs were analyzed when laid by queens in their own colonies. Significant differences were found for length, width and volume of eggs considering the total group of queens or both queen morphotypes. However, no significant correlations were found between queen size and egg size. Afterwards, two experiments were performed to evaluate the influence of colony conditions on egg size. Firstly, we shifted the queens from their original colonies (i.e., a typical queen was placed into a miniature queen colony, and vice-versa). Secondly, they were put into another colony (both types of queens, one each time, were placed on a third colony, a ‘host colony’). In all situations, both queen morphotypes laid eggs of similar or different sizes than before, often with significant differences. The results indicate that variation in egg size is due to conditions imposed to queens in the colony (e.g. queen feeding status, number of cells available to be oviposited), and not due to variation in queen body size. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T14:33:30Z |
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| id | doaj.art-52cdf8cf3115463697107936beee3b1d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0361-6525 2447-8067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T14:33:30Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sociobiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-52cdf8cf3115463697107936beee3b1d2022-12-21T21:04:32ZengUniversidade Estadual de Feira de SantanaSociobiology0361-65252447-80672014-12-0161410.13102/sociobiology.v61i4.483-489Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)Márcia de Fátima Ribeiro0Pérsio de Souza Santos Filho1Embrapa SemiáridoUniversidad de São Paulo (USP)Miniature stingless bee queens have been studied concerning frequency distribution, production and egg laying performance. This study aimed to investigate size variation in eggs laid by Plebeia remota (Holmberg) queens and whether it is due to differences in queen size or colony conditions. A sample of 10 queens (8 of typical size and 2 miniature) was measured morphometrically (head width, interorbital distance, and intertegular distance) as well the eggs they laid (length, width and volume). Initially, eggs were analyzed when laid by queens in their own colonies. Significant differences were found for length, width and volume of eggs considering the total group of queens or both queen morphotypes. However, no significant correlations were found between queen size and egg size. Afterwards, two experiments were performed to evaluate the influence of colony conditions on egg size. Firstly, we shifted the queens from their original colonies (i.e., a typical queen was placed into a miniature queen colony, and vice-versa). Secondly, they were put into another colony (both types of queens, one each time, were placed on a third colony, a ‘host colony’). In all situations, both queen morphotypes laid eggs of similar or different sizes than before, often with significant differences. The results indicate that variation in egg size is due to conditions imposed to queens in the colony (e.g. queen feeding status, number of cells available to be oviposited), and not due to variation in queen body size.http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/605miniature queenseggs’ morphometrystingless beesMeliponini |
| spellingShingle | Márcia de Fátima Ribeiro Pérsio de Souza Santos Filho Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) Sociobiology miniature queens eggs’ morphometry stingless bees Meliponini |
| title | Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) |
| title_full | Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) |
| title_fullStr | Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) |
| title_short | Size variation in eggs laid by normal-sized and miniature queens of Plebeia remota (Holmberg) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) |
| title_sort | size variation in eggs laid by normal sized and miniature queens of plebeia remota holmberg hymenoptera apidae meliponini |
| topic | miniature queens eggs’ morphometry stingless bees Meliponini |
| url | http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/605 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marciadefatimaribeiro sizevariationineggslaidbynormalsizedandminiaturequeensofplebeiaremotaholmberghymenopteraapidaemeliponini AT persiodesouzasantosfilho sizevariationineggslaidbynormalsizedandminiaturequeensofplebeiaremotaholmberghymenopteraapidaemeliponini |