Parasites and pathogens associated with native bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus spp.) from the highlands of Bolivia and Peru

PLISCHUK, SANTIAGO; FERNANDEZ DE LANDA, GREGORIO; REVAINERA, PABLO DAMIAN; QUINTANA, SILVINA; POCCO, MARTINA; GIGLIANO, MARÍA; LANGE, CARLOS

STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2020

0165-0521

As effective pollinators, bumble bees of genus Bombus play a key role in thebiodiversity rich Central Andean region. Parasites and pathogens may constitute athreat to their populations. In order to determine the eventual occurrence of suchnatural enemies in the mentioned region, workers and males of Bombus funebris,Bombus opifex and Bombus pauloensis were collected in three localities fromhighlands of Bolivia and Peru. Analyzes by both optical and molecular techniquesrevealed the presence of the Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV), themicrosporidium Vairimorpha ceranae, the flagellates Crithidia bombi and Lotmariapassim, and five species of mites of the genera Parasitellus Willmann, PneumolaelapsBerlese, Proctolaelaps Berlese, Tyrophagus Oudemans, and Kuzinia Zachvatkin.Given the potential entry of the alochtonous bumble bee Bombus terrestris to theregion, this information is essential to evaluate autochtonous biodiversity conservationstrategies