Euglossa pleosticta Dressler, 1982b

Nemésio, André, 2012, Species of Euglossa Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossina) belonging to the purpurea species group occurring in eastern Brazil, with description of Euglossa monnei sp. n., Zootaxa 3151, pp. 35-52 : 41

Euglossa pleosticta Dressler, 1982b

This species is the most common and most widespread of all species of the Euglossa purpurea group in the Atlantic Forest ( Fig. 4 ) and the only, besides E. amazonica , not endemic in this biome, since some specimens were already collected in the Amazon (discussed by Nemésio 2007). Almost 200 specimens were collected during samplings in the “Hileia Baiana” (among ca. 15,000 orchid bees), virtually in all forest remnants. Nevertheless, even this figure is relatively low. Euglossa pleosticta seems to be more common in areas in the drier portions of the interior of the Atlantic Forest (e.g. Rebêlo & Garófalo 1997). It is heavily attracted to cineole in southern Bahia, northern Espírito Santo and northeastern Minas Gerais, although some specimens were also collected in vanillin baits and a few specimens were attracted to eugenol and skatole.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Map showing the known geographic distribution (black circles) of Euglossa pleosticta Dressler, 1982 b in the Atlantic Forest.