Discrimination of the bumblebee species Bombus cryptarum and B lucorum by means of male labial gland secretions and morphological characters Hymenoptera Apidae Abgrenzung der Hummel-Arten Bombus cryptarum und B lucorum mittels mannlicher Labialdrusen-Sekrete und morphologischer Merkmale Hymenoptera, Apidae
Bertsch, A.
Entomologia Generalis 22(2): 129-145
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0171-8177
Accession: 038149834
Three taxa of the subgenus Terrestribombus Vogt 1911 (genus Bombus Linnaeus 1758) have been reared in the laboratory and assigned by the main component (MC) of the male labial gland secretions to the species terrestris Linnaeus 1758 (MC = 2,3-Dihydrofarnesol), lucorum Von Linne 1761 (MC = Myristoleic acid ethyl ester) and cryptarum Fabricius 1775 (MC = Lauric acid ethyl ester). Individuals of terrestris can be identified by proboscis-length, individuals of lucorum and cryptarum by the Rf-values of Phosphoglucomutase on PAGE-gel. Coloration and boundary of the collate at the edge of the pronotolobus of queens are reliable characters to discriminate cryptarum and lucorum. 39 compounds including mainly hydrocarbons, alcohols and esters are identified from the male labial glands of cryptarum.