An update on gynandromorphism records in the Meliponini tribe (Hymenoptera: Apidae): first case in Melipona flavolineata

Abstract

Gynanders are individuals with genetic anomalies that express characteristics of both sexes in the same individual. Gynandromorphism is very recurrent in solitary bees but with few records in social stingless bees. In this article, we describe a gynander for Melipona flavolineata, compile the literature records for the Meliponini tribe compared with them, and discuss the causes and implications of this anomaly. The described specimen shows mosaic gynandromorphism. Of the five cases already available in the literature, two referred to mosaic gynanders and two to bilateral gynanders. No transverse gynandromorphs in Meliponini have been recorded to date. With this study, there are now a total of five gynanders published in the literature for Meliponini, but there is no defined morphological pattern between the different reports. We suggest that polyploidy is the main factor responsible for the randomness in the expression of anomalous traits.

Keywords:

• Stingless bees
• anomaly
• intersexual bee
• gynandry
• Melipona flavolineata

Acknowledgments

We thank the Eduardo Andrade Botelho de Almeida for grant us the specimen for this study from coleção Prof. J.M.F. Camargo (RPSP). The authors thank the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (PPG-ENT). MLO thanks CNPq Brasil for the productivity grant (311016/2023-5).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors thank the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (PPG-ENT). MLO thanks CNPq Brasil for the productivity grant (311016/2023-5). This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001, and FAPEAM-Programa POSGRAD.