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Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Meliponini) from Gabon 13 Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Meliponini) from Gabon 13 Edgard Cédric Fabre Anguilet, Taofic Alabi, Bach Kim Nguyen, Toussaint Ndong Bengone, Éric Haubruge, and Frédéric Francis 2015). Indeed, the Congo Basin forest constitutes 13.1 Introduction a habitat where several African species are com- monly encountered. Consequently, a number of Stingless bees are highly eusocial and are distrib- African species have been identified in Gabon uted in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide (see Fig. 13.1) (Pauly 1998; Eardley 2004; (Michener 2007). Africa is a region with a low Eardley and Urban 2010; Fabre Anguilet et al. richness of stingless bee species. For example, 22 2015). stingless bee species have been recorded in Bees contribute to the pollination of native Africa (Table 13.1) versus approximately 400 and crop plants (Michener 2007); thus, stingless species in tropical America (Camargo and Pedro bees are potentially efficient pollinators of crops 2008). In Africa, stingless bees have been found like coffee (Coffea), avocado (Persea), and safou in the sub-Sahara, with the greatest diversity (Dacryodes) (Tchuenguem et al. 2001, 2002; occurring in Central Africa (Fabre Anguilet et al. Slaa et al. 2006; Munyuli 2014). Rural human populations also use honey and cerumen for tra- ditional practices in Gabon. Consequently, sting- E.C. Fabre Anguilet (*) less bees have important ecological, economic University of Liege – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech. and cultural roles in these regions. Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Passage des Déportés 2, BE-5030 Gembloux, The abundance, ecology, nesting behaviour, Belgium nest structure and taxonomy of stingless bees Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et have been studied in several African countries; Technologique (CENAREST), Institut de Recherches however, clarification is required due to the pres- Agronomiques et Forestières (IRAF), ence of cryptic species, which are species that are Trois Quartier B, 3090 Libreville, Gabon morphologically similar and may only be distin- e-mail: [email protected]; efabreanguilet@ gmail.com guished by fine morphological characteristics (Michener 2007). The nest structure is also used T. Alabi • B.K. Nguyen • É. Haubruge • F. Francis University of Liege – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech. to distinguish different species of stingless bees Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, (Roubik 2006). Some species were reclassified by Passage des Déportés 2, BE-5030 Gembloux, Eardley (2004) but were later re-established by Belgium Pauly and Fabre Anguilet (2013). The use of mor- T. Ndong Bengone phological identification associated with molecu- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et lar tools for cryptic species could help resolve Technologique (CENAREST), Institut de Recherches Agronomiques et Forestières (IRAF), taxonomic and phylogenetic issues (Hoy 2013), Trois Quartier B, 3090 Libreville, Gabon allowing the taxonomy of African stingless bees © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018 179 P. Vit et al. (eds.), Pot-Pollen in Stingless Bee Melittology, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-61839-5_13 180 E.C. Fabre Anguilet et al. Table 13.1 Stingless bee fauna recorded in Gabon (Darchen and Pain 1966; Brosset and Darchen 1967; Darchen 1969; Pauly 1998; Eardley 2004; Pauly and Fabre Anguilet 2013; Pauly and Hora 2013) African species Species recorded in Gabon Cleptotrigona cubicep (Friese 1912) × Dactylurina staudingeri (Gribodo 1893) × Dactylurina schmidti (Stadelmann 1895) Hypotrigona araujoi (Michener, 1959) × Hypotrigona gribodoi (Magretti 1884) × Hypotrigona ruspolii (Magretti 1898) × Hypotrigona squamuligera (Benoist 1937) Meliponula (Meliplebeia) beccarii (Gribodo 1879) × Meliponula (Meliponula) bocandei (Spinola 1853) × Meliponula (Axestotrigona) cameroonensis (Friese 1900) × Meliponula (Axestotrigona) erythra (Schletterer 1891) × Meliponula (Axestotrigona) ferruginea (Lepeletier 1841) × Meliponula (Meliplebeia) griswoldorum Eardley 2004 Meliponula (Meliplebeia) lendliana (Friese 1900) × Meliponula (Meliplebeia) nebulata (Smith 1854) × Meliponula (Meliplebeia) roubiki Eardley 2004 × Meliponula (Axestotrigona) togoensis (Stadelman 1895) × Liotrigona bottegoi (Magretti 1895) Liotrigona bouyssoui (Vachal 1903) × Liotrigona gabonensis Pauly and Fabre Anguilet 2013 × Liotrigona baleensis Pauly and Hora 2013 Plebeina armata (Magretti 1895) Fig. 13.1 Scutum and scutellum: (a) Hypotrigona gribodoi and (b) Liotrigona gabonensis (Photo: E.C. Fabre Anguilet © Fabre Anguilet E. C., 2016) 13 Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Meliponini) from Gabon 181 to be agreed upon. DNA barcoding is one of the Dactylurina, Meliponula, Hypotrigona and methods used to distinguish species of bees. For Liotrigona (see Table 13.1). instance, Koch (2010) demonstrated the existence These species were determined based on mor- of a new species of Western Malagasy Liotrigona phological characteristics and nest structure (see in addition to the three already described species Sect. 13.4). Eardley (2004), Michener (2007), using morphometry and DNA barcoding. Pauly and Fabre Anguilet (2013) and Pauly and Seventy-eight percent of the territory of Hora (2013) provide full descriptions of stingless Gabon is covered by rainforest, of which a bee species encountered in Gabon. Thus, only a great part is exploited by logging companies few of the main morphological characteristics are (Drouineau and Robert 1999; Fabre Anguilet presented here. et al. 2015). In addition, there are mining conces- There are two general size categories of sting- sions, oil concessions and, essentially, rural agri- less bees: species with small body size and rela- cultural practices. Stingless beekeeping is not tively large stingless bees. Small bees generally practised and beekeeping using Apis mellifera is have a body length less than 5 mm. This group scarce. As a result, some beekeeping projects includes C. cubiceps, H. araujoi, H. gribodoi, H. have been initiated by the Food and Agriculture ruspolii, L. bouyssoui and L. gabonensis. These Organization of the United Nations (FAO), species have a dark-coloured integument, with a National Higher Institute of Agronomy and metasoma ranging from black to orange-yellow Biotechnology (INSAB) and private companies, in colour (Eardley 2004; Michener 2007). such as COLAS Gabon. To date, these projects Hypotrigona and Liotrigona have forewings with have failed to achieve a wide dissemination or a few veins. Some cryptic species may be present popularity in Gabon. in these and ratios to distinguish some species However, some initiatives in the sustainable (Eardley 2004). Liotrigona resemble Hypotrigona management of biodiversity resources have been but may be differentiated by a few morphologi- implemented. For example, the establishment of cal characteristics. For instance, the scutum of protected areas or sustainable management plans Liotrigona is smooth, shiny and sparsely punc- of forest resources by logging companies. These tate, while that of Hypotrigona is dull and densely initiatives primarily take into account the sustain- punctate (Eardley 2004; Eardley et al. 2010; see able management of flora and large mammals, due Fig. 13.1). Dactylurina and Meliponula include to the existence of significant scientific works. species of intermediate to large body size. These However, bees, particularly stingless bees, are species have a body length of 5–9 mm. Dacty­ rarely incorporated into these initiatives. Thus, lurina staudingeri has a black integument, slen- research is needed to improve our understanding der body and weakly plumose vestiture (Eardley of the biology, ecology and diversity of stingless 2004; Michener 2007). This species has fore- bees in Gabon, along with the impact of different wings with a faintly black colour. The Meliponula human activities. To achieve this, the current sta- are further subdivided into three subgenera: tus of stingless bees must be established. Here, we Meliponula, Axestotrigona and Meliplebeia provide an overview of the diversity, distribution, (Eardley et al. 2010). Meliponula bocandei is biology, ecology and traditional knowledge and the only species classified in the subgenus uses of stingless bees in Gabon. Meliponula. The integument of this species var- ies from black to red-black in colour, with orange and yellow-orange areas (Eardley 2004). The 13.2 Taxonomy and M. (Axestotrigona) subgenus includes species Morphological Diversity of that lack yellow markings (M. cameroonensis, Stingless Bees in Gabon M. erythra, M. ferruginea and M. togoensis), while Meliplebeia have yellow markings on the In Gabon, 16 stingless bee species have been face (M. beccarii, M. lendliana, M. nebulata and listed (see Fabre Anguilet et al. 2015). These spe- M. roubiki) (Eardley 2004; Eardley et al. 2010). cies are divided into five genera: Cleptotrigona, In addition, M. lendliana has yellow markings on 182 E.C. Fabre Anguilet et al. the proximal ends of the tibiae, whereas M. nebulata distribution of stingless bees across this country has black markings on the tip of the forewings between 1984 and 1987. Several species of sting- (Pauly 1998). less bee are widely distributed in Gabon (Pauly 1998; Eardley 2004; Pauly and Fabre Anguilet 2013) (see Fig. 13.2). Thus, C. cubiceps, D. 13.3 Distribution of Stingless Bee staudingeri, H. gribodoi, L. bouyssoui, L. gabo­ Fauna in Gabon nensi, M. bocandei, M. nebulata and M. togoensis are distributed across numerous locations, Stingless bees are distributed throughout Gabon. whereas M.
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