The melectine bee genera Brachymelecta and Sinomelecta (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

The enigmatic, cleptoparasitic bee genera Brachymelecta Linsley and Sinomelecta Baker (Apinae: Melectini) are redescribed, each represented by a single species which has not been reencountered since capture of the type series ca. 1878 and 1900, respectively. Both genera are the only melectines to possess two submarginal cells in the forewing but are otherwise wholly dissimilar. Brachymelecta mucida (Cresson), a species known only from the male holotype collected in "Nevada", is newly described and figured, including the first account of the hidden sterna and genitalia. Sinomelecta oreina Baker is similarly described and figured based on the holotype male and paratype female, apparently collected from the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Both genera are valid and from the available data do not appear to represent merely autapomorphic forms of Melecta Latreille. Indeed, the terminalia of Sinomelecta oreina are in some respects more similar to those of species of Thyreus Panzer.

Callosphecodes, a little-known bee (Hymenoptera, Halictidae, Sphecodes).

Callosphecodes Friese, 1909, a synonym or perhaps subgenus of Sphecodes Latreille, 1804, is known on the basis of one female of Sphecodes ralunensis (Friese, 1909)from New Britain and one female and one male of a similar species, Sphecodes manskii (Rayment, 1935) from northeastern Australia. The male is here described for the first time and the females of the two species are compared for the first time. In spite of considerable collecting, only these three specimens have appeared in over a century. Descriptions and illustrations are provided.

The professional development of an entomologist.

An account of the development of biological interest, and specifically interest in bees, by Charles D. Michener. Included topics are the role of graduate students and the relationship between behavioral studies and systematics. Sections are (a) upbringing, including initiation of biological interests, (b) early studies of bees, (c) student work at the University of California, Berkeley, (d) work at the American Museum of Natural History and in the U.S. Army, and (e) work at the University of Kansas, especially wild bee behavior and bee systematics.

Black flower coloration in wild Lisianthius nigrescens: its chemistry and ecological consequences.

The major pigments responsible for the flower color within the black flowered Gentianaceae, Lisianthius nigrescens, were characterized by HPLC and chemical analyses HPLC analysis showed one major and one minor anthocyanin and 3 major and 3 minor flavone glycosides. The anthocyanins [delphinidin-3-O-rhamnol(1-6)galactoside and its 5-O-glucoside] comprised an extraordinary 24% of the dry weight of wild collected L. nigrescens corallas, and were accompanied in a 1:1 ratio by a range of apigenin and luteolin 8-C-glucosides and their 7-O-methyl ethers. The high levels of anthocyanins and flavones (and their co-pigmentation) is thought to account for the almost complete absorption of both UV and visible wavebands observed by reflectance photography.

Economic value of tropical forest to coffee production.

Can economic forces be harnessed for biodiversity conservation? The answer hinges on characterizing the value of nature, a tricky business from biophysical, socioeconomic, and ethical perspectives. Although the societal benefits of native ecosystems are clearly immense, they remain largely unquantified for all but a few services. Here, we estimate the value of tropical forest in supplying pollination services to agriculture. We focus on coffee because it is one of the world's most valuable export commodities and is grown in many of the world's most biodiverse regions. Using pollination experiments along replicated distance gradients, we found that forest-based pollinators increased coffee yields by 20% within approximately 1 km of forest. Pollination also improved coffee quality near forest by reducing the frequency of "peaberries" (i.e., small misshapen seeds) by 27%. During 2000-2003, pollination services from two forest fragments (46 and 111 hectares) translated into approximately 60,000 USD per year for one Costa Rican farm. This value is commensurate with expected revenues from competing land uses and far exceeds current conservation incentive payments. Conservation investments in human-dominated landscapes can therefore yield double benefits: for biodiversity and agriculture.