Chaves dicotómicas dos géneros de abelhas de Portugal: Hymenoptera Anthophila

Overview & Synopsis

Bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila), with around 750 species in Portugal, are a group of pollinating insects that are crucial to the functioning of ecosystems and food security. However, bees face strong threats, with negative trends in the abundance of individuals and species diversity. In this context, there is an urgent need to develop conservation actions that guarantee the protection of biodiversity and the long-term sustainability of ecosystems. These conservation actions must, however, be designed and implemented based on robust action plans and monitoring programs implemented over the long term. At the same time, we have seen a lack of investment in insect taxonomy over several decades, resulting in a limited number of entomologists to monitor action plans. It is therefore crucial to train new generations in the field of entomology, particularly in the identification of bees. This work is an adaptation of Michez et al. (2024) and represents an updated version of the dichotomous keys to the bee genera of Portugal. This work provides a general characterization of the life cycle, ecology and external morphology, summarizes the families, subfamilies, tribes and genera present in Portugal, including the number of species and the main bibliographic references available for subsequent identification to species, and provides two keys for identifying genera, one for females and one for males. The aim of these keys is to make teaching and learning about the taxonomy of bees in Portugal more accessible and to promote entomology.