Phylogeny Analysis

One of my observations was a furry bee which I identified to be a type of Bumblebee (genus Bombus though I could not identify the subgenus). When examining its phylogeny, I discovered bumblebees to be part of the family Apidae along with honey bees, orchid bees, and stingless bees (all with pollen baskets), though it shares the most common ancestor with stingless bees (Meliponini). All of the insects I observed had antennae that aid them in assessing the physical and chemical characteristics of the environment they're in. The defining characteristic of a bumblebee is the long-branched setae all over its body called pile which gives the bumblebee a furry look. Bumblebees adapted to have these hairs as they provide an efficient means to collect pollen (which sticks to the individual hairs). In addition, the hair also helps bees detect vibrations from the atmosphere and helps with temperature regulations.

Publicado el septiembre 15, 2021 11:45 TARDE por alexdimitrov1