New research has found that two previously distinct bee species are actually male and female of the same species, underscoring the importance of DNA barcoding in species identification. Male Xanthesma (Xenohesma) brachycera. Credit: Curtin University
A recent study conducted by researchers from Curtin and Flinders Universities reveals that what were previously believed to be two distinct speciesA species is a group of living organisms that share a set of common characteristics and are able to breed and produce fertile offspring. The concept of a species is important in biology as it is used to classify and organize the diversity of life. There are different ways to define a species, but the most widely accepted one is the biological species concept, which defines a species as a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce viable offspring in nature. This definition is widely used in evolutionary biology and ecology to identify and classify living organisms.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>species of native Australian bee are, in actuality, one species.
Lead researcher Dr. Kit Prendergast from the Curtin School of Molecular and Life Sciences said the study, based on native bee surveys at Perth locations of Wireless Hill, Shenton Park, and Russo Reserve, fundamentally alters previous thinking.
Research Methodology and Discovery
“Essentially the research team used DNADNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule composed of two long strands of nucleotides that coil around each other to form a double helix. It is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms that carries genetic instructions for development, functioning, growth, and reproduction. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>DNA sequencing to show that what we used to think of as two different species of bees are actually just the males and females of one, single species,” Dr Prendergast said.
“For many native bee species in Australia, their descriptions were based on only one sex. Identifying males and females as belonging to the same species solely through observation can be challenging, as both sexes of the same species often display noticeable differences.
“In this study, I collected what appeared to be the female of a bee species that has been described only from the male – a species at the time called Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra. The team then used DNA analysis to confirm these female bees were in fact the same species as the male.
“Surprisingly, their DNA also matched another species, that had only ever been described from the female – the Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera, so we were able to prove that the two were in fact the same species.
“It appears both sexes had never been collected in the same place at the same time, and both were described in the early 1900s, well before the advent of DNA analysis.”
The Value of DNA Barcoding
Dr Prendergast said the findings showed the value of DNA barcoding in accurately identifying males and females that belong to the same species. This is particularly crucial because males and females of the same species may have distinct appearances, while different species of the same sex can appear quite similar.
“Our findings are significant because being able to correctly identify species is fundamentally important to virtually every aspect of biological sciences,” Dr Prendergast said.
“Accurate species identification enables us to determine how many species are present in an area, helps us understand the evolution of life on earth, and how species are related. It also allows us to assess conservation needs.
“We hope this research is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the taxonomy of Australian native bees, and that it inspires agencies and government to invest in more taxonomic work, especially on the Euryglossinae, which is an important, yet understudied group of bees native to Australia.”
Reference: “Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera are conspecific based on DNA barcodes” by Kit S. Prendergast and James B. Dorey, 26 October 2023, Australian Journal of Taxonomy.
DOI: 10.54102/ajt
Source: SciTechDaily
