Ocorrência e morfologia de glândulas tegumentares no abdome de algumas abelhas (Hymenoptera: Apidae): Um estudo comparado

Abstract

The present paper describes the presence, distribution and morphology of the abdominal tegumentar glands of Exomalopsis auropilosa Spinola, Centris fuscata Lepeletier, Epicharis flava Friese and Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) suspecta Moure & Camargo. The studied bees have epithelial glands (class I) and unicellular glands (class III) distributed dorsally (tergal) and ventrally (esternal) without any pattern that could be correlated to the phylogenetic position. However, there is a tendency toward increased number of glands or more developed glands in the species with some degree of sociality as E. auropilosa and X. suspecta.