The Fauna of Sri Lanka - IUCN

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Karunaratne & Edirisinghe: Current Status and Future Directions in Bee Taxonomy in Sri Lanka 1991), Sakagami, Ebmer and Tadauchi (1996 and 1998), Snelling (1980) and Baker (1996). The landmark publication on the bees of the world by Michener (2000) includes 29 genera and several subgenera of bees that have been documented form Sri Lanka. The Smithsonian Sri Lanka Insect Survey has resulted in the identification of several bee species. Duplicate specimens of bees identified through this survey have been deposited in two locations in Sri Lanka. The insect collection at the National Museums, Colombo holds about 58 species and about 42 species are held in the Invertebrate Systematics and Diversity Facility (ISDF) of the Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya. Following the work of Bingham (1897) and the Smithsonian Survey, recently local scientists undertook taxonomic studies on bees, their floral hosts and nesting. The recent study (Karunaratne, Edirisinghe and Pauly, 2005) documented 148 species of bees that are deposited in the ISDF of the Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya. Diversity of Bees The world bee fauna according to Michener (2000) is classified under seven families of which only four families are known to occur in Sri Lanka (Appendix 1). The four families are Apidae (with 9 genera and 58 species), Colletidae (with one genus and two species), Halictidae (with 19 genera and 53 species) and Megachilidae (with 9 genera and 35 species). Apidae and Halictidae are the most specious families of bees in Sri Lanka while the two genera Lasioglossum and Megachile include the most number of species. The recent study conducted in Sri Lanka documented 5 genera and 15 species of bees previously not recorded and a species new to science. Karunaratne, Edirisinghe and Pauly, (2005) provides an updated list of bees with new records. The so far recorded bees numbering 148 species are listed in Appendix 1. Affinities of the Bee Fauna Of the 38 bee genera recorded from Sri Lanka 10 genera are cosmopolitan in distribution according to Michener (2000). These include the well-known bee genera such as Apis, Ceratina, Lasioglossum, Megachile, and Xylocopa. The remaining bee genera are shared with one or more zoogeographic regions of the world while one genus is confined to the Oriental Region. Our bee fauna has close affinities with the Ethiopian Region where 34 of our genera (89%) are shared with this region. Eighteen genera (47%) are shared with the Palearctic Region and another 18 genera with the Australian Region. With reference to the bees of the Indian subcontinent (Gupta 2003), 18 of our bee species have been recorded from other countries of the subcontinent other than India. About 30 species of our bees have also been recorded from neighbouring India. It is noteworthy that of them, seven species are confined to Sri Lanka and India. Floral Hosts of Bees Floral relationships of bees of Sri Lanka have not been recorded previously except for the four well known species of honeybees (Punchihewa, 1994) and Euaspis edentata (Gupta, 2003). The recent field study by Karunaratne (2004) documented 167 species of plants as floral hosts of bees. Pollen carriage by these flower-visiting bees was also documented. The documented floral hosts of bees consist of 167 species of plants in 115 genera and 44 families. Of the different plant families, Fabaceae included the most number of bee floral hosts (23 species). Majority (51%) of the floral hosts of bees were indigenous plants. Naturalized exotic floral species (44%) were equally attractive to bees. Wild flowers were the most frequented floral hosts of bees followed by vegetable crops. Flowers of 6 plant species attracted unusually large number of bee species. Of them, Hyptis suaveolens, a naturalized exotic weed is highly attractive to bees from which 60 species of bees were recorded. 13
The Fauna of Sri Lanka (2006) Nesting Ecology Bees are diverse in their nesting habits. Honeybees make hives in which they store honey and pollen for their young. All other bees are termed pollen bees as they store only pollen to feed their young. Pollen bees have diverse nesting habits. Majority are ground nesters. Others nest in plant stems, in wood and in crevices. Krombein and Norden (2001) were the first to record nesting in pollen bees in Sri Lanka during the Smithsonian Surveys. Three species of trap nesting bees, Anthidiellum butarsis, A. krombeini (Megachilidae) and Hylaeus sedens (Collectidae) have been reported. Recent field study identified 16 species of trap nesting bees in the families Apidae (5 species) and Megachilidae (8 species). Thirteen species of ground nesting bees were also recorded. Nesting in three species of wood boring carpenter bees of the Genus Xylocopa were also documented. Gaps in Bee Taxonomy The major constrains in bee taxonomy in Sri Lanka is the lack of regional bee specialists. Revision of known taxa is an essential task. Recent upgrading of the subfamily Nomiinae in Sri Lanka (Karunaratne, Edirisinghe and Pauly, 2005) resulted in 11 genera of bees that were previously under 3 genera. This highlights the need for revision of our bee taxa by experts of the regional fauna. Lack of an expert identified reference bee collection in the country is a major impediment to taxonomy. Conservation Being the most efficient pollinators of most of our flowering plants including certain crops, conservation priorities and proper management plans should focus on bees. Conserving the floral hosts that provide food for bees and their nesting sites is a priority. Rational and planned application of insecticides and weedicides that would affect the bees the least should be followed. Measures such as application of insecticides prior to flowering and at a time of the day when bees are less active on flowers (late evenings) would minimize their exposure to such chemicals. Acknowledgements Authors are grateful to the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka for funding (RG/2001/B/02) the project on ‘Taxonomy and Ecology of bees of Sri Lanka’. Drs. S.W.T. Batra, formerly of the USDA and B.B. Norden, formerly of the Smithsonian Institution are acknowledged for initiating bee research in Sri Lanka. References Baker, D. B. (1996) Notes on some palearctic and oriental Systropha, with descriptions of new species and a key to the species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae), Journal of Natural History, 30. 1527-1547 Bingham, C. T. (1897) The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma, Hymenoptera Vol. 1, Wasps and Bees. Taylor and Francis. London. Dalla Torre, C. G., (1896) Catalogus Hymenopterorum hucusque descriptorum systematicus et synonymicus. X: Aphidae (Anthophilla) – Leipzig 643 pp. Gupta, R. K. (2003) An annotated catalogue of bees of the Indian Region, online http://geocities.com/ BeesInd2/braunsapis.htm Karunaratne, W. A. I. P. (2004). Taxonomy and Ecology of Bees of Sri Lanka. Ph.D. Thesis (Submitted), Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya. 14
Page 1 and 2: The Fauna of Sri Lanka: Status of T
Page 3 and 4: Contents Message from the Country R
Page 5 and 6: Message from the Country Representa
Page 7 and 8: Dedication This publication is dedi
Page 9 and 10: Acknowledgements The World Conserva
Page 11 and 12: This recent research also highlight
Page 13 and 14: Land snails: Patterns of diversity
Page 16 and 17: Abstract An Overview of the Taxonom
Page 18 and 19: Wijesekera: An Overview of the Taxo
Page 28 and 29: Karunaratne & Edirisinghe: Current
Page 34 and 35: Ecological Significance of Dragonfl
Page 36 and 37: Bedjanic: Current Status of Taxonom
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Page 48 and 49: Edirisinghe & Wijerathna: Current S
Page 56 and 57: Abstract Dias: Current Taxonomic St
Page 58 and 59: Dias: Current Taxonomic Status of A
Page 66 and 67: Abstract Perera & Bambaradeniya: Sp
Page 68 and 69: Perera & Bambaradeniya: Species Ric
Page 70 and 71: Reference Perera & Bambaradeniya: S
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Perera & Bambaradeniya: Species Ric
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Abstract Dilrukshi: Taxonomic THE F
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Dilrukshi: Taxonomic Status of Tick
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Dilrukshi: Taxonomic Status of Tick
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Benjamin & Bambaradeniya: Systemati
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Bahir & Pethiyagoda: Conservation T
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Bahir & Pethiyagoda: Conservation o
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Ranawana: Land Snails in Sri Lanka
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Trachypithecus vetulus Vimukthi Wee
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Conservation of Sri Lankan Freshwat
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Pethiyagoda: Conservation of Sri La
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Amarasinghe et al.: Some Aspects of
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Pethiyagoda et al.: Sri Lankan Amph
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De Silva: Current Status of the Rep
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Warakagoda & Sirivardana: Status of
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Weerakoon & Goonatilake: Taxonomy S
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Wijesinghe: Ecological Traits of En
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Abstract Miththapala: The Ecology T
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Miththapala: The Ecology of the Wil
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Linckia laevigata Saman Liyanage Da
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Abstract Coral Associated Invertebr
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Fernando: Coral Associated Inverteb
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FAMILY BRISSIDAE Brissus latecarina
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De Silva:Current Status of Taxonomy
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Ilangakoon: Taxonomy and Current St
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