Morphological similarity of widely separated populations of two Euglossini (Hymenoptera; Apidae) species based on geometric morphometrics of wings

Abstract

Euglossini bees are able to fly long distances, which could help to maintain gene flow among widely separated populations. In order to investigate if different environmental conditions affect morphological variation in Euglossa annectans and Euglossa truncata, we analyzed the patterns of venation of the forewings of 310 individuals, sampled in the same six locations for the two species. Populations from the two species clustered in a similar way, following the phytophysiognomy of the sampling sites. These populations also presented little or no population structure. Based on our results, we suggest that the forest fragmentation is not a problem for these species. The tendency of samples to group based on site phytophysiognomy can be explained by phenotypic plasticity or local adaptations.