Table 2.
Qualities of descriptive traits used to identify stingless bees ethnospecies and the salient criteria that group said traits
| Specie/Vernacular name | Number of Reference | Organoleptic | Ethological | Piquera | Locations of Nests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tetragonisca fiebrigi (Schwarz, 1938)- "yateí" | 65 | Small, yellow. | Docile. Strong defense. | Tubular piquera, thin (1 cm) and of variable length. It may have more than one. | Inners-trees, walls, other substrates |
| Trigona spinipes (Fabricius, 1793)- "carabozá" | 59 | Medium-sized. Black. | Aggressive. Non-hygienic. | Generally without piquera. Tubular thick and short entrance, if it has one. | Outer |
| Tetragona clavipes (Fabricius, 1804)- "borá" | 47 | Medium-sized, yellow, striped abdomen. | Aggressive. Strong defense. |
Thick short tubular piquera, though it may not have one. | Inners-trees |
| Plebeia spp. (Schwarz, 1938)- "mirí" | 46 | Tiny, dark. | Docile/shy. Non-hygienic. |
With or without piquera. Described in several ways. | Inners-trees, walls, other substrates |
| Schwarziana quadripunctata (Lepeletier, 1836)- "abeja del suelo" | 35 | Medium-sized, thin, large wings. Black. Light spots on body and head, "bataraz" (grey and white pattern). | Shy. Strong defense. |
With tubular piquera or entrance on the ground without piquera (just one hole). | Underground |
| Lestrimelitta limao (Smith, 1863) and/or L. rufipes (Friese, 1903)- "iratín" | 32 | Small to medium-sized, thin ("fine"), round head. Black, bright. Strong lemon verbena or citronella smell. | Docile/shy Robber bees "snore" inside the nest |
Tubular piquera with 2 shapes; a) large (10-15 cm) and wide (3-4 cm); b) a wide main piquera surrounded by numerous blind wax tubes. | Inners-trees |
| Melipona quadrifasciata (Lepeletier, 1836)- "mandasaia" | 27 | Big, strong. Mainly yellow or black body. Conspicuous. Stripped abdomen. | Shy | Without piquera. Just one bee-diametered hole. | Inners-trees |
| Scaptotrigona depilis (Moure, 1942) and/or S. bipunctata (Lepeletier, 1836)- "tobuna" | 24 | Medium-sized with short body or retracted abdomen. Black. | Aggressive. Strong defense. |
Straight tubular piquera, thick (2-4 cm) and to 12 cm long. | Inners-trees |
| Melipona obscurior (Moure, 1971)- "mandurí" | 24 | Medium to big. Black, brown or yellowish. White face. Visible striped abdomen. "bataraz" or "tobiana" (black and white patterns). | Shy. | Without piquera. Just one bee-diametered hole covered in wax. It may have ornamentations. | Inners-trees |
| Melipona bicolor (Lepeletier, 1836)- "guaraipo" | 22 | Big, strong. Mainly black. Hairy. Striped abdomen, "barcina" (with black and brown stripes). | Shy. "buzz" like a bee. |
Without piquera. Just one bee-diametered hole covered in wax. It may have ornamentations. | Inners-trees |
| Cephalotrigona capitata (Smith, 1854)- "mambuca" | 13 | Medium to big. Black or brown. Big head. | Shy. "snore" in the nest. |
Without piquera. Just one bee-diametered hole covered in wax. | Inners-trees |
| Oxitrigona tataira (Smith, 1863)- "cagafuego" | 4 | Medium to small. Brown or yellow. "Ant head". | Aggressive (burning sensation) | With or without tubular piquera. | Inners-trees |