Abstract
An analysis of southern African bee diversity patterns based on 420 species reveals a bipolar pattern with highest species diversity located in the arid west of South Africa and the relatively moist east of the country. A detailed investigation of the distributions of 59 Colletes species shows a congruence of distribution areas of most species with seasonality of precipitation, a pattern that can be assumed for the majority of bee species. A total of 32 (sub)genera with about 256 species is strictly endemic to southern Africa with an exceptionally high number of endemic species (95%) strictly confined to the winter rainfall area.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
API (African Pollinator Initiative), 2003, Plan of action of the African Pollinator Initiative, African Pollinator Initiative Sekretariat, Nairobi.
Barthlott, W., Biedinger, N., Braun, G., Feig, F., Kier, G. and Mutke, J., 1999, Terminological and methodological aspects of the mapping and analysis of global biodiversity, Acta Bot. Fenn. 162:103–110.
Corbet, S. A., Williams, I. H. and Osborne, J. L., 1991, Bees and the pollination of crops and wild flowers in the European Community, Bee World 72:47–59.
Cowling, R. M., Richardson, D. M. and Pierce, S. M., 1997, Vegetation of southern Africa, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Eardley, C. D., 1989, Diversity and endemism of southern African bees, Bull. Pl. Prot. Res. Inst. 18:1–2.
Eardley, C. D., 1996, The genus Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), Afr. Ent. 4:37–92.
Engel, M. S., 2002, Phylogeny of the bee tribe Fideliini (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), with the description of a new genus from southern Africa, Afr. Ent. 10:305–313.
Michener, C. D., 1979, Biogeography of the bees, Annls. Miss. Bot. Gard. 66:277–347.
Michener, C. D., 2000, The bees of the world, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
Peters, D. S., 1972, Über die Stellung von Aspidosmia Brauns 1926 nebst allgemeinen Erörterungen der phylogenetischen Systematik der Megachilidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Apoidea), Apidologie 3: 167–186.
Peters, D. S., 1978, Archeriades gen. n., eine verhältnismäßig ursprüngliche Gattung der Megachilidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), Ent. Germ. 4:337–343.
Proctor, M., Yeo, P. and Lack, A., 1996, The natural history of pollination, Timber Press, Portland.
Schulze, R. E., 1997, South African atlas of agrohydrology and-climatology, Water Research Commission, Pretoria.
Whitehead, V. B., Giliomee, J. H. and Rebelo, A. G., 1987, Insect pollination in the Cape flora, S. Afr. Scient. Progr. Rep. 141:52–82.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Springer
About this paper
Cite this paper
Kuhlmann, M. (2005). Diversity, Distribution Patterns and Endemism of Southern African Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). In: African Biodiversity. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-24320-8_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-24320-8_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-24315-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-24320-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)