Squash bee

Squash bee

Taxobox
name = Squash bee
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Hymenoptera
familia = Apidae
subfamilia = Apinae
tribus = Eucerini
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Peponapis" "Xenoglossa"

The name Squash bee is applied to two related genera of bees in the tribe Eucerini; "Peponapis" and "Xenoglossa". Both genera are oligoleges (pollen specialists) on the plant genus "Cucurbita" and closely-related plants (squash, cucumbers, etc.). They are small genera, containing only 13 and 7 described species, respectively, and their combined range is nearly identical to the range of "Cucurbita" in the New World, from South America to North America. Their range has become somewhat expanded along with the movement of cucurbits into other areas (as crop plants). The bees themselves are of moderate size, equal to various bumblebees. The pollen-carrying hairs on their legs (the scopa) are unbranched or nearly so, and sparse, to accommodate the exceptionally large, coarse pollen of the host plants. They have also evolved a matinal daily activity cycle, flying before sunrise. Some "Xenoglossa" species have become morphologically specialized to fly while it is still dark, with greatly enlarged ocelli to allow them to fly in near-darkness.

The two genera are sometimes thought to be sister taxa, but there are enough differences between them to suggest that the similarities may be due to convergent evolution, based on their adaptation to utilize the same host plants.

References

* [http://www.fao.org/AG/AGP/AGPS/C-CAB/Castudies/pdf/1-002.pdf Importance of squash bees (Peponapis & Xenoglossa) as pollinators of domestic Cucurbita in the Americas:SPAS (Squash Pollinators of the Americas Survey)]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Squash (plant) — For other uses, see Squash. Yellow squash Summer squash Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy 69  …   Wikipedia

  • Squash vine borer — Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum …   Wikipedia

  • Colony collapse disorder — Honey bees entering a beehive Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear. While such disappearances have occurred throughout the history of apiculture, the… …   Wikipedia

  • Pumpkin — is a gourd like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds). [http://www.itis.gov Integrated Taxonomic Information System ] ] It is a common name of or can refer to cultivars of any one of the following …   Wikipedia

  • George Victor Browning — The Right Reverend George Victor Browning was the 9th bishop of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn in the Anglican Church of Australia. He was elected on January 31 1993 and installed on May 30 1993.Bishop Browning was born in Brighton, England …   Wikipedia

  • Manchester — This article is about the city of Manchester in England. For the wider metropolitan county, see Greater Manchester. For the larger conurbation, see Greater Manchester Urban Area. For other uses, see Manchester (disambiguation). Coordinates …   Wikipedia

  • Zucchini — This article is about the fruit. For the 1982 children s novel, see Zucchini (novel). Zucchini / Courgette Zucchini fruit and spent flower on plant …   Wikipedia

  • Beekeeping — [cite web| last =Traynor | first =Kirsten | title =Ancient Cave Painting Man of Bicorp | publisher =MD Bee | url =http://www.mdbee.com/articles/cavepainting.html format =Web article | accessdate =2008 03 12 ] ] Beekeeping (or apiculture, from… …   Wikipedia

  • Manchester — Manchester …   Wikipédia en Français

  • angiosperm — /an jee euh sperrm /, n. Bot. a plant having its seeds enclosed in an ovary; a flowering plant. Cf. gymnosperm. [ANGIO + SPERM] * * * ▪ plant Introduction       any member of the more than 300,000 species of flowering plants (division Anthophyta) …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”