Expanded range of eight orchid bee species (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini) in Costa Rica

Abstract

The Monteverde region of Costa Rica is a hotspot of endemism and biodiversity. The region is, however, disturbed by human activities such as agriculture and urbanisation. This study provides a list of orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Euglossini) compiled from field surveys conducted during January-October 2019 in the premontane wet forest of San Luis, Monteverde, Costa Rica. We collected 36 species of Euglossine bees across four genera. We provide new geographic distribution and elevation data for eight species in two genera. Due to their critical role in the pollination of orchids and other plants, the distribution and abundance of Euglossine bees has relevance to plant biodiversity and conservation efforts. This is especially important in a region with a high diversity of difficult-to-study epiphytic orchids, such as in the Monteverde region. A total of 2,742 Euglossine male individuals across four genera (Eufriesea, Eulaema, Euglossa and Exaerete) were collected in this study. Updated geographic distributions and elevation ranges were established for eight species of Euglossini in two genera: Eufriesea mussitans (Fabricius, 1787), Eufriesea rufocauda (Kimsey, 1977), Euglossa dodsoni (Moure, 1965), Euglossa dressleri (Moure, 1968), Euglossa hansoni (Moure, 1965), Euglossa ignita (Smith, 1874), Euglossa tridentata (Moure, 1970) and Euglossa turbinifex (Dressler, 1978). These are the first recorded occurrences of these species in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica, according to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) database (https://doi.org/10.15468/9f9kgp). This study also established expanded elevation ranges for Euglossa allosticta, Euglossa bursigera, Euglossa mixta, Euglossa heterosticta and Euglossa maculabris, though these five species have been previously recorded in the Monteverde region and, thus, are not described in detail here. Additionally, our capture of 123 Eufriesea concava individuals is significant, as it indicates its abundance in this region. Prior to this study, there was a single record of E. concava in the Monteverde region, documented in 1993.