Work

Visual physiology of Australian stingless bees

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Stingless bees engage in a range of visually guided behaviours that require relatively high spatial resolution and contrast sensitivity. Although the eyes of honeybees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, and sweat bees have been studied extensively, there is limited knowledge of stingless bees. Here, we studied two sympatric Australian species, Tetragonula carbonaria and Austroplebeia australis , which are important crop pollinators. The bigger A. australis had more and larger ommatidial facets compared to T. carbonaria . Using pattern electrophysiology, we showed that A. australis had higher contrast sensitivity (13.07) compared to T. carbonaria (5.99), but their spatial resolving power did not differ (0.53 cycles deg -1 ). We discuss these differences in visual physiology in the context of the distinct foraging behaviours of the two species.

Source: Journal of Comparative Physiology A

DOI: 10.1007/s00359-025-01740-x

Authors: Bhavana Penmetcha, Laura A. Ryan, Yuri Ogawa, Nathan S. Hart, Ajay Narendra

Institutions: The University of Sydney, Macquarie University, Flinders University

Language: English

Topic: Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,990

Funders: Macquarie University, Australian Research Council