Foliar cuticular alkanes of Camarea (Malpighiaceae) and their taxonomic significance

Camarea is a South-American endemic genus comprising eight species. In the present work n-alkanes from foliar cuticular waxes of 23 specimens, representing seven species of Camarea were analyzed, aiming at establishing interspecific affinities and evaluating the usefulness of n-alkane distribution as species characteristic. The sampling included also specimens of Peixotoa rericulata and Janusia guaronitica (both Malpighiaceae). The results were used to obtain a phenogram indicating chemical affinities between species. The results are in agreement with morphological similarities among some Camarea species. Intraspecific variability was small, suggesting that n-alkane distribution may be useful for species characterization and establishment of links among Camarea species. The results support the recognition of Camarea triphylla as a synonym of Camarea axillaris and are not coherent with a hybrid condition of a population exhibiting morphological characteristics combining Camarea affinis and Camarea hirsuta, suggesting instead that the individuals analyzed belong either to Camarea hirsuta or a close species. Distribution of n-alkanes is inadequate to distinguish among Malpighiaceae genera: P reticulata has n-alkane distribution similar to several Cumarea species. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selective preying of the sphecid wasp Trachypus boharti on the meliponine bee Scaptotrigona postica: potential involvement of caste-specific cuticular hydrocarbons

The specialist digger wasp Trachypus boharti Rubio-Espina preys exclusively on males of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica Latreille 1807, although the hunting attacks involve both male and worker bees of S. postica and members of its own species. To understand the mechanism of prey selection, the cuticular hydrocarbon patterns of workers and males of S. postica are analyzed in detail, and the mandibular secretion of males is examined. The cuticular profiles of males and workers are distinctively different. The major group of cuticular compounds, heptacosene isomers, is twice as abundant in workers as in males. There is no clear distinction between worker and male mandibular secretions. Such a distinct and straightforward caste-specific difference in cuticular hydrocarbons could function as a recognition cue by which T. boharti distinguishes between workers and males of S. postica.