Celetrigona longicornis ( Friese, 1903 )

Camargo, João M. F. & Pedro, Silvia R. M., 2009, Neotropical Meliponini: the genus Celetrigona Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apinae), Zootaxa 2155, pp. 37-54 : 40-44

Celetrigona longicornis ( Friese, 1903) , auctorum

( Figs. 2, 4 , 5 , 10–14 , 15 , 16 ; Tab. I)

Trigona longicornis Friese 1903: 360 ; Marianno 1911: 116; Schwarz 1932: 244.

Melipona longicornis ; Ducke 1916: 14, 32, 90, pl. 2, fig. 2, pl.7, fig. 25b (partim); 1925: 342, 348, 362, 446, 448 (partim).

Trigona (Hypotrigona) longicornis ; Schwarz 1938: 498, Pl. LXI, fig. D; 1940: 1, 9, 10 (partim); 1948: 176.

Hypotrigona longicornis ; Moure 1944: 70; 1946: 611.

Hypotrigona (Celetrigona) longicornis ; Moure 1950: 246, 253.

Celetrigona longicornis ; Kerr & Silveira 1972: 198; Imperatriz-Fonseca 1977: 171; Cruz-Landim & Mota 1990: 587, 588; Sakagami et al. 1993: 243; Camargo 1994: 50, 51; Imperatriz-Fonseca & Zucchi 1995: 236; Oliveira et al. 1995: 16, 18; Michener 1997: 13; Oliveira 2001: 210; Kerr 2002: 6; 2004: 6; Rebêlo et al. 2003: 269, 272; Rocha et al. 2003: 316; Guedes et al. 2004: 329; Matos et al. 2004: 719; Pereira et al., 2004: 496; Zama et al. 2004: 30, 33, 34, 35, 38; Cruz-Landim et al. 2006: 166; Camargo & Pedro 2007: 275 -276.

Trigonisca longicornis ; Michener 1990: 96, 98, 105, 131, 132; 2000: 785, 804; 2007: 809, 829; Roubik 1992: 503; Silveira et al. 2002: 92.

Trigonisca (Celetrigona) longicornis ; Michener & Roubik 1993: 256; Faustino et al. 2002: 113.

Diagnosis (worker). Erect bristles short and slender on scape, pedicel and flagellum, the longest on base of scape ca. 1.6x scape diameter (in some specimens from Vilhena, RO, reaching 2x scape diameter); on apical half of scape bristles shorter or equal those on basal half; on pedicel and fl.1, no longer than 1.5–1.6x fl.3 diameter ( Fig. 5 ); following flagellomeres with erect bristles on posterior surface decreasing in length to apex, from 0.7x fl.3 diameter on fl.2 to 0.25x on fl.4 and next ones.

Male.

Dimensions. Total length, 4.18 mm; forewing length, from apex of costal sclerite to wing tip, 3.60 mm (including tegula, 4.03 mm); maximum head width, 1.66 mm; abdomen width (TIII), 1.38 mm.

Integument color. Black, except for the following parts yellowish (teneral specimen): antennal scape, pedicel, clypeus, supra-clypeal area, lower parocular areas up to little above the upper alveolar tangent, malar area, sides of pronotum, scutellum, metanotum, tegulae, and legs. Wing membrane hyaline (not smoky as in workers) and veins honey-colored.

Vestiture. Slightly finer, shorter and more whitish than in worker. Bristles on scape, pedicel and fl.1 approximately of uniform length, the longer as long as fl.3 diameter; micropilosity on flagellomeres denser than in workers.

Integument sculpture. Microreticulate-dull on head and thorax, TII–TIII smooth and shiny, like worker, on face slightly more superficial; integument of concave region next to frontal sulcus, more shiny and polished than in adjacent areas.

Form and proportions (measurements in Table I). On frons, two concave areas on each side of frontal sulcus, just above the antennal alveolus; region of ocelli elevated in relation to ocellorbital area. Head 1.2x wider than long. Eyes 2.15x longer than wide, convergent below. Malar area shorter than in workers, 0.7x fl.3 diameter. Clypeus 0.65x shorter than its maximum width, and 0.3x clypeocellar distance. Mandible, length 0.5x clypeocellar distance, narrowed apically, edentate; tubercles of labrum shorter and more rounded than in workers. Scape shorter than in workers, wider and cylindrical, length 0.9x alveolocellar distance. Interocellar distance 2.1x longer than ocellorbital distance and 1.9x median ocellus diameter. Scutellum 0.4x shorter than wide. Tibia III slightly swollen, 0.9x longer than head width and 3.7x longer than wide. Basitarsus III 1.8x longer than wide and 0.7x narrower than tibia III. Wing venation as described for the genus. Genitalia with gonocoxites asymmetrical ( Figs. 13–14 ) (10 males of 3 different nests were studied, all of them had asymmetrical gonocoxites), pre-genital sterna as in figures 10–12.

Type material: Holotype, worker from “Itaituba, Rio Tabajos [sic = Tapajós, Pará], A. Ducke, 18.August, No. 355”, whereabouts unknown ( Camargo & Pedro 2007); not at Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin (C. Rasmussen, personal communication). Friese (1903: 360) mentioned only a worker, interpreted by Camargo and Pedro (2007: 275) as the holotype. There is also a specimen, examined by Friese, now in AMNH, with the following labels: “ Brasil – 355, Pará, 16.8.1902, Ducke, Itaituba”; “ Tr. longicornis, 1900 , Friese det.”; and label “ PARATYPE ” in red, probably added by Lutz or Schwarz. Although having the handwritten label by Friese, with the same number (355) and locality as the type, but with a different date of collection, this second specimen was not mentioned in the original description and does not carry the labels of “ Type ” or “ Typus ”, and is therefore not considered a syntype. Moure (1950: 253) mentioned specimens from Itaituba studied by him, deposited in his collection (not located).

Additional material examined. PERU. Madre de Dios. Loromayo, on Inambari R., 10.IX.1962, L. E. Pena [sic = Peña] leg., in low forest area (2w, AMNH); Pto. Maldonado, 31.IX.1962, Luis Peña (3w, DZUP); BRAZIL. Amazonas: Bacururu, rio Juruá, 66º11’W, 3º45’S, 30– 31.VII-01.VIII.1993, Camargo, Pedro, Mazucato leg. (1w, 933594, RPSP); Foz do rio Caiari, rio Negro, 15-20.IX.1952, Th. Dobzhansky (2w, DZUP); Foz do rio Curicuriari, rio Negro, SA-19, 66º49’W, 0º13’S, 15–21.VII.1980, Camargo, Mazucato leg. (10w, RPSP); Tefé, VIII.1960, R. Carvalho (1w, DZUP); ibidem, idem, I.1962 (4w, DZUP); ibidem, 1- 4.XII.1961, F. M. Oliveira (2w, DZUP); ibidem, idem, I.1962 (1w, DZUP); ibidem, 300 km SE, Poço Pion, Petrobrás, 1988, W. E. Kerr leg. (3w, 881712–881714, RPSP); Pará: Faro, Amazonas, XII.1905, anonymous [probably Ducke leg], additional labels: “ Typus ”, “ Trigona longicornis 1909 Friese det.” (1w, AMNH); Gorotire (= Gradaus), SB-22, 51-8a, 20.VIII–5.IX.1983, Camargo leg. (13w, 830705–830708, RPSP); ibidem, IV.1983, W. L. Overal leg. (1w, RPSP); Itaituba, 16.VIII.1902, Ducke leg., 355, additional labels: “ Tr. longicornis 1900 Friese det.”, “ PARATYPE ” (1w, AMNH); Mussum (sic = Muçum), rio Tapajós, SA-21, 55º25’W, 3º40’S, 24-28.I.1979, Camargo leg. (1w, RPSP); Rondônia: Guajará-Mirim, S10º45.516’, W62º42.761’, 09.X.1996, Brown, Boina, Vieira leg. (2w, 1825, 1874, RPSP); ibidem, idem, S10º48.114’, W64º48.025’, 11.X.1996 (2w, 2133, 2135, RPSP); Mirante da Serra, S11º10.076’, W62º53.104’, 25.IX.1996, Brown, Boina, Vieira (3w, 2300, 2338, 2380, RPSP); ibidem, idem, S11º10.181’, 62º51.110’ (2w, 2465, 2491, RPSP); Pimenta Bueno, XI.1960, M. Alvarenga leg. (3w, DZUP); Vilhena, XI.1960, M. Alvarenga (7w, DZUP); ibidem, 22.VII–5.VIII.1983, F. J. A. Peralta leg. (12w, INPA); ibidem, 6.XII.1986, anonymous, 8-10 am, planta 9, mato 5 (1w, DZUP); Maranhão: Aldeia Yararuhu (Aracu), Igarapé Gurupi- Una, Maranhão, about 50 km E. Caninde, Rio Gurupi, Pará, 11–25.II.1966, Borys Malkin leg. (11w, AMNH); Imperatriz, 5.VIII.1949, Dobzhansky leg. (2w, DZUP); Mato Grosso: Aripuanã, Est. do Porto, 24.I.1976, manhã, L. P. Albuquerque & E. Rufino leg., 203 (1w, INPA); Barra do Garças, 10–24.I.1971, Camargo leg. (47w, RPSP); Chavantina [sic = Xavantina], VII.1962, Alvarenga – Oliveira (17w, DZUP); Diamantino, 12.II.1965, S. Laroca leg. (45w, DZUP); Gleba Uirapuru, km 557, estr. Cuiabá – Porto Velho, 12.VII. 1972, 700m, Milke & Brown (1w, DZUP); Jacaré, P.N. Xingu, 196? [date illegible], Alvarenga, Werner (1w, DZUP); Jaciara, XI.1963, M. Alvarenga (1w, RPSP); Local do Massacre, X.1949, Werner colleg. (3w, DZUP); Nhambiquara, XI.1960, M. Alvarenga (6w, DZUP); Nova Mutum, 13º50’S, 56º08”W, 25.VII.2000, S. Mateus leg. ninho em tronco seco (54w, 001250–001303, + males and workers in alcohol, RPSP); ibidem, Fazenda Buriti, 13º49’S, 56º04’W, Estrada da Roda D’água, 7.XII.1997, H. Mendes leg. (1w, 980137, RPSP); Nova Xavantina, 23.VII.1995, H. S. R. Cabette leg., em pau brasil seco (3w, 952025, 952026, 952039, RPSP); ibidem, 30.IX.2004, S. Mateus leg., col. 04/2004 (16w, 07.1167–07.1182, RPSP); Parecis, XI.1960, M. Alvarenga leg. (1m, DZUP); Ponce (= Coronel Ponce), no date, anonymous (1w, DZUP); Rio Koluene, Alto Xingú, VII.1953, Dr. W Kozak legit (10w, DZUP); Rondonópolis, XI.1963, M. Alvarenga leg. (2w, RPSP; 110w, DZUP); Serra das Araras, SD-21, 57º14’W, 15º27’S, 19-27.IX.1987, Gimenes leg. (5w, 870905, 870912–870915, RPSP); Serra do Roncador, R.S. Base Camp, 10.VII.1968, Laroca & Azevedo (20w, DZUP); ibidem, idem, 11.VII.1968 (41w, DZUP); ibidem, idem, 20.VII.1968 (6w, DZUP); ibidem, 17.VII.1968, Claudionor Elias (2w, DZUP); Sinop, lat. 12º31’ & long. 55º37’, X.1974, M. Alvarenga leg. (9w, AMNH); ibidem, idem, X.1976 (1m, AMNH); Utiariti, Rio Papagaio, 825m, VII- VIII.1961, K. Lenko col. (2w, DZUP); ibidem, idem, VIII.1961 (7w, DZUP); Goiás: Aragarças, I.1955, F. M. Oliveira (1w, DZUP); ibidem, 10–24.I.1971, Col. Camargo (nest no. 3c, 12w + fixed material: many workers and 2 males, RPSP); ibidem, idem (nest no. 14c, 10w, 1m, + fixed material: many workers, RPSP); ibidem, idem (nest no. 19c, 11w, RPSP); Piranhas, 10–24.I.1971, Col. W. E. Kerr (nest no. 9c, 38w, + fixed material: many workers, RPSP); BOLIVIA. El Beni. Rurrenabaque. X.1921 –1922, W. M. Mann, Mulford BioExpl. (1w, AMNH).

Geographical distribution: Bolivia (El Beni); Brazil (Amazonas, Rondônia, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará); Colombia (Caquetá) [?, from Ducke 1916] Peru (Pasco [?, Puerto Bermudez, Rio Pichis, from Schwarz 1940], Madre de Dios) ( Fig. 16 ).

Habitat and nesting. Amazon forests to “cerrados” of Central Brazil ( Fig. 16 ). Celetrigona longicornis is very common in “cerrados” near Aragarças, GO, where the five nests described here were found. It nests in slender hollows (4.0–6.0 cm diameter) of branches in dry or live trees; sometimes in fence posts (S. Mateus, pers. communication). One nest was located in Salvertia (Vochysiaceae) . Two nests were attacked by woodpeckers ( Picidae ). The notes below describe nest 9c, from Piranhas, GO, Brazil.

Nest entrance. Irregular opening ca. 1.5–3.5 cm high by 0.5 cm wide; tube lacking, only the opening to hollow lined with blackish and hardened resin ( Fig. 15 ). In one nest, the entrance continued in an inner vestibular tube of yellowish cerumen, 8.5 cm long and 1.8 cm wide, providing access to the nest.

Nest. 1.0– 1.5 m long and 4.0–6.0 cm wide, delimited above and below by dried and very hard batumen, made of blackish resin; upper batumen irregular, 0.1–0.2 cm thick; lower batumen ca. 2.0 cm thick and riddled with large alveoli on inner surface ( Fig. 15 ), which not cross the batumen completely. In two nests there was a third batumen plate with a central opening, located under a brood region (old batumen?). The walls of the hollow were lined with blackish resin. Brood cells arranged in clusters and interconnected by thin wax pillars, constituting 2–3 or more groups; the largest nest (9c) having about 3,000 cells. One nest occupied 58 cm inside a hollow of 5.0–7.0 cm diameter and had cells isolated or arranged in small clusters, spread across cracks throughout the nest area; there were no more than 200 cells. Worker cocoon 2.80–2.85 x 4.43 mm, gyne cell 3.45 x 5.80 mm ( Fig. 15 ). The cells in one nest had a greenish coloration. Pots of honey and pollen mixed, with adjoining walls, clustered ( Fig. 15 ), almost spherical, ca. 1.0 cm high by 0.8–0.9 cm diameter (isolated pots, in one nest, 1.0 x 0.5 cm) made of yellowish, translucent cerumen.

Population. Considering the largest nest found ( Fig. 15 ), with about 3,000 cells, the adult population may have 1,000 individuals.

Behavior. Timid, 5 to 6 workers remain at nest entrance, like behavior of Nannotrigona .

Remarks. It is possible that C. longicornis , as interpreted here, is composed of several cryptic species. Some specimens were included here with doubt, but the absence of discrete morphological characters challenges a different interpretation. Males from other localities could help clarify this question. Some specimens from Gurupi-Una and Imperatriz, western Maranhão, have bristles of the apical half of the scape as long as on the base and can be confused with C. manauara sp. nov., from which they are distinguished only by the lack of recurved bristles on the scape apex. In some specimens from Guajará-Mirim (no. 2133, 2135, 1825, 1874, 2491), Mirante da Serra (2380, 2465, 2338, 2300), Cerejeiras (5389), Vilhena, Pimenta Bueno, RO, Diamantino, Nhambiquara, Utiariti and Nova Mutum, MT (980137), the bristles on the scape base are as long as ca. 2.0x its diameter, but this is not a discrete variation and cannot characterize discontinuity or geographical disjunction. There is sympatry with C. hirsuticornis in Guajará-Mirim and Mirante da Serra. In other localities, the pattern of bristles of the antennae is very stable, even for specimens from Curicuriari, Rio Negro, AM. The specimen from Faro, PA (XII.1905, probably Ducke leg.) is practically identical to that from Itaituba, PA (16.VIII.1908, Ducke).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Celetrigona longicornis, nest (9 c), Piranhas, Goiás, Brazil, longitudinal section and detail of entrance and gyne cell. Edge A joins to edge B. Scales: nest = 4 cm, entrance = 1 cm, gyne cell = 2 mm.

FIGURE 16. Celetrigona, geographic records. The “? ” mark indicates uncertainty regarding the correct position of the “ Shudihar river ”, Guiana.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Celetrigona, workers: C. euclydiana sp. nov., Parque Nacional Serra do Divisor, Acre, Brazil, 1 – head (paratype, 971016), 3 – leg III, outer view (paratype 971019); C. longicornis, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil, 2 – detail of labrum and mandible, 4 – leg III, inner view. Scale bars = 0, 2 mm.

FIGURES 5 – 9. Celetrigona, workers, antennal pilosity: 5 – C. longicornis, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil; 6 – C. manaura, sp. nov., paratype, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; 7 – C. euclydiana sp. nov., paratype (971019), Parque Nacional Serra do Divisor, Acre, Brazil; 8, 9 – C. hirsuticornis sp. nov., Guajará-Mirim, Rondônia, Brazil. Scales = 0, 1 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 14. Celetrigona longicornis, male, Aragarças, Goiás, Brazil (nest 3 c): 10 – sternum VI, 11 – sternum VII, 12 – sternum VIII, 13 – genitalia, dorsal view, 14 – genitalia, ventral view. Scale = 0, 5 mm.