Insight on kleptoparasitic bee, Melecta chinensis (hymenoptera: Apidae), in the Republic of Korea: Morphology, biology and molecular characteristics

Abstract

This study focused on a kleptoparasitic bee, Melecta chinensis, which is not well-known in the Republic of Korea. We provided a detailed morphological illustration of the adult bees and their nesting biological characteristics with distributional data. Additionally, the complete mitochondrial genome of the species is presented for the first time, and its phylogenetic position within the family Apidae is estimated. As a result, we could suggest a full redescription of M. chinenesis for identification and a newly reported potential flower host for it. In addition, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of M. chinensis is revealed as 15,489 base pairs (bp) long, with 35 eukaryotic mitochondrial genes (13PCGs, 2 rRNAs, and 20 tRNAs) and a 706 bp AT-rich region. The overall base composition is 75.82% AT and 24.18% GC. The 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) started with a typical ATN codon (ATA in nine genes and ATG in four genes) and terminated with TNN (TAN in 10 genes and TTT in one gene) or ANN (AAC in one gene and ATT in one gene). The phylogenetic results based on 13 PCGs showed that M. chinensis is distantly positioned to bumble bees (Bombus) and honey bees (Apis) but closely related to a stingless bee, Frieseomelitta varia, within the family.