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Vaca-Sánchez MS, Cuevas-Reyes P, Munck I, Oki Y, Moia N, Freitas T, Almeida A, Castelan K, Fernandes GW. Patterns in Wing Morphology and Fluctuating Asymmetry in Eulaema nigrita along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Brazilian Rupestrian Grassland. Neotrop Entomol 2023; 52:837-847. [PMID: 37552457 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-023-01069-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Mountain ecosystems experience abrupt abiotic changes that represent environmental filters for many organisms, shaping their phenotypic expressions. However, little is known about the morphological and symmetric adjustments of native bees along altitudinal gradients. We evaluated the changes on wing morphology, wing size, and vein fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier (Apidae: Euglossini) associated with climatic variables along an altitudinal gradient in the rupestrian grassland (known also as campo rupestre or rupestrian field) of Serra do Cipó, Brazil. Seven sampling points along the altitudinal gradient were selected and distributed among 800 and 1400 m.a.s.l., and then, 40 individuals of E. nigrita were collected per each altitudinal point to determine the FA levels and the morphological changes using geometric morphometric techniques. We found that the wing size of E. nigrita decreased with increasing altitude. At the highest altitudes, the levels of FA of the wing veins were greater compared to bees from lower altitudes. We detected significant changes in wing morphology along the altitudinal gradient; bees of lower altitudes showed longer and wider wings than bees of higher altitudes, which had narrower and less elongated wings. Our results show a set of morphological adjustments and phenotypic expressions in E. nigrita associated with the variation in environmental conditions along the altitudinal gradient. We highlight the importance of environmental variables as insect-stressor factors, and that FA and geometric morphometric can be excellent tools for monitoring and evaluating environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Sofía Vaca-Sánchez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Pablo Cuevas-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Interacciones Bióticas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Israel Munck
- Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia & Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Yumi Oki
- Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia & Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Natalia Moia
- Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia & Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thamires Freitas
- Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia & Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Aline Almeida
- Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia & Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Kamilla Castelan
- Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia & Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Geraldo Wilson Fernandes
- Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia & Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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