Evolutionary Tree for All Bumblebee Species World-Wide Estimated by Combining Information from Fast-Evolving Genes, Slow-Evolving Genes, and Genomic Data (Apidae, Bombus)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Evolutionary trees are of central importance in biology to develop explanatory frameworks for many kinds of studies, including studies of behaviour, ecology, and conservation. Since the last major estimate of evolutionary relationships among many bumblebee species two decades ago, there have been revisions to their taxonomy, descriptions of new species, and sequencing of many rarer species. By combining: (1) earlier data mostly from slow-evolving nuclear genes as a backbone tree; with (2) new data from fast-evolving mitochondrial COI barcodes to resolve more of the twigs on the tree, including sequences obtained from rare old specimens with ancient DNA techniques; as well as (3) the results from broader genomic data for resolving deep relationships, we make a Bayesian estimate of evolutionary relationships with BEAST 2 among all 289 published and accepted extant bumblebee species, an increase of more than 29% of the species on the previous largest tree. The new tree will serve as a framework for future comparative studies that should enable broader insights into the evolution and ecology of all bumblebees. We illustrate this with an analysis of the evolution of some male morphological characters related to male mate-searching behaviour. We also present a novel map of spatial variation in net diversification rates among bumblebee species world-wide, which indicates an especially rapid net diversification within the more recent Mesoamerican and South American faunas.
Source: Insects
Institutions: Natural History Museum, University of Würzburg, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Royal Holloway University of London, University of Mons, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Institute of Zoology, Kunming Institute of Botany, University of Vienna, Chulalongkorn University, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W7162072323