Unraveling the species complex of the fire bee Oxytrigona tataira (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): an integrative approach

Abstract

Oxytrigona tataira Smith (Trans Ent Soc Lond 11:497–512, 1863) was considered by different taxonomists to be a species with complex taxonomy, a dubious status and in need of taxonomic reevaluation. Furthermore, it has Oxytrigona cagafogo Müller (Nature 10:31–32, 1874) as its junior synonym, although there is no evidence to support such a decision. In this study, we used an integrative approach combining morphological data, geometric morphometric analysis of wings, and ecological niche overlap analysis to elucidate the true identity of O. tataira. For the morphological study, 923 specimens and the lectotype of Trigona tataira (= O. tataira) were examined, 470 wings were used for geometric morphometry, and 106 unique occurrence records were used for niche overlap analysis. In the morphological study, three species/morphospecies were identified: morphospecies 1 (morphologically corresponding to O. tataira), morphospecies 2 (morphologically corresponding to O. cagafogo), and morphospecies 3 (a new species for the genus). The geometric morphometry of the wings corroborated the results of the morphological study. The ecological niche overlap analysis, despite indicating a small niche overlap between O. tataira and O. cagafogo, also corroborated the results of the morphological and morphometric studies. Thus, our results confirmed the hypothesis that O. tataira and O. cagafogo are distinct taxonomic entities; therefore, we propose the revalidation of the taxonomic status of O. cagafogo Müller (Nature 10:31–32, 1874) status nov. Furthermore, it was still possible to identify and delimit a new species for Oxytrigona, which has already been described and will soon be formally published.