Tetragonisca angustula, (LATREILLE)

Rozen, Jerome G., Jr., Quezada-Euán, J. Javier G., Roubik, David W. & Smith, Corey Shepard, 2019, Immature Stages of Selected Meliponine Bees (Apoidea: Apidae), American Museum Novitates 2019 (3924) : -

TETRAGONISCA ANGUSTULA (LATREILLE)

Figures 7, 8, 23–26

DIAGNOSIS: The egg of T. angustula (figs. 7, 8) is the smallest of the four species of meliponine eggs described here. It is linear in form with the posterior end narrower than the anterior end, as is the case with the slightly longer and more oval egg of S. pectoralis (figs. 5, 6).

DESCRIPTION: Color white; chorion faintly uneven when viewed at high magnification with stereomicroscope. Shape (figs. 7, 8) moderately elongate; when viewed from above or below, with sides converging slightly and symmetrically toward posterior end; long axis of egg perhaps slightly curved (possibly accident of preservation) in lateral view (fig. 8). Dimensions of 10 specimens selected at random: length 1.03 mm, range 1.0–1.05 mm, maximum width 0.35 mm, range 0.32–0.36.

When viewed with SEM, most of chorion with distinct pattern of elevated hexagons (fig. 23) but extreme posterior end smooth (fig. 27); micropylar area slightly bulging (fig. 24) with micropyle slightly recessed (fig. 25).

MATERIAL STUDIED: More than 10 eggs: Panamá: Colón Prov., 4 km SE Sabanitas, Roubik Preserve, March , 2018 (D. Roubik) .