Apifauna (hymenoptera, anthophila) associada às flores do pequizeiro (Caryocar brasiliense cambess - caryocaraceae) em diferentes áreas verdes urbanas de Palmas, Tocantins

Abstract

Bees represent one of the most important groups of pollinating insects, performing this phenomenon that preserves and regenerates the ecosystems where they live. Knowledge of the taxonomic identity of these animals is the first step towards effective actions for their conservation and protection, also ensuring the integrity of the ecosystems where they live and the production of food in the world. In the municipality of Palmas/Tocantins, there are still many pequi trees (Caryocar brasiliense Cambess) preserved in residential blocks, squares and urban parks. This plant is an important source of food and nesting resources for the local apifauna. This study aimed to catalog the native bee species that visit the pequi flowers, as well as to raise aspects of the floral biology and nectar characteristics of this botanical species, which are attractive to these insects. The samples were conducted in urban green areas of the municipality of Palmas, using entomological networks, with a total of 20 collections carried out in the years 2022 and 2023. To characterize the flowers of C. brasiliense, aspects such as color and odor, flower arrangement, numbers of petals, sepals, stamens, stylets, internal and external nectaries, duration and period of anthesis, volume and concentration of nectar were observed. A total of 1,131 specimens of floral visiting bees of the pequi tree were sampled, corresponding to 54 species, 23 genera, 8 tribes and 4 families. Previous studies had recorded an apifauna of 122 species of native bees for Tocantins. The species collected from pequi flowers represent approximately 44% of the state's bee community. The highest abundance and richness of species occurred in the family Apidae, with 79.5% of the species inventoried. The tribe Meliponini showed the highest richness (14 genera and 36 species). The genera with the highest richness were Trigona (8 species), Trigonisca (5 species) and Tetragona (4 species). The most abundant species were Geotrigona mombuca (18.5%), Trigona spinipes (14%) and Trigona pallens (9%). This work brings the first record of occurrence for 2 genera and 9 species. The knowledge about the diversity of native bees that visit the pequi trees of the municipality becomes relevant to develop strategies for the conservation of this fruit tree, which is so important from a social, economic and cultural point of view for the human populations residing in the Cerrado areas of Brazil, as well as for the conservation of the local beekeeping and the maintenance of urban green areas.