Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery. They found the fossil of a 14,6 million-year-old bee in New Zealand. This is an important find as it’s the first bee fossil to be found in what was once Zealandia. It is a puzzling discovery that has implications for bee evolution and pollinator history.
Where It Was Found
The bee fossil was found in the Hindon Maar Complex on the southern island of New Zealand. The site is already well known for having the fossils of insects that lived millions of years ago, giving paleontologists a glimpse into life in the Miocene era.
The Fossil
The bee that was found was identified as Leioproctus (Otagocolletes) barrydonovani. Scientists even identified the bee as a female measuring 6.4 millimeters. Through research, they’ve concluded that the bee had adaptations similar to those for pollen collection as its modern counterpart.
Well-Preserved
Because the complex where the bee was found is composed of layers of sediment-filled craters, the bee was well-preserved in the organic mudstone. Researchers studied the bees and could even see the wings in detail.
A Close Relative
Although the bee lived nearly 15 million years ago, by studying its wings, researchers have found that it is a close match to the modern bees that call New Zealand home. This means that there was little need for evolutionary adaptation.
Limited Diversity
By studying modern bees, it’s been found that they have very little diversification and are somewhat limited or have never had to adapt more than they already have. There could also be unknown genetic barriers or ecological restraints.
Few Species
Despite the opportunity to evolve more, bees in New Zealand have startling low diversity. There are only 18 endemic bee species, which is considered quite low compared to the time they had to evolve and diversify.
Theories
Possible theories for the limited diversity in the bee species include ecological pressures not giving the bee enough opportunity to thrive and diversify more. Another theory is that the same lineage could have dominated the region, offering a low chance of having a broader genetic makeup.
Zealandia
Zealandia was an ancient continent that became submerged after a continental breakup. From fossils found in the region, scientists have concluded that the continent had broadleaf forests that supported pollinators like the bees. Researchers may learn more about the region by conducting further studies on the ancient bee fossil.
Possible Plants
The ancient bee found would have been a pollinator, just like bees today. A possible plant that it could have pollinated is Pseudopanax, which is found in high numbers at the complex. These plants would have highlighted the need for pollinators even 15 million years ago.
The Lineage Of Pollinators
Despite low bee diversity and scientists scratching their heads, the fossil shows the survival and lineage of the bee population in New Zealand. Further studies must be conducted to determine why nearly no evolution happened in 15 million years.
Pollinator Evolution
The discovery of the bee challenges evolutionary adaptations, which are always a given over time. More links in the fossil record may have to be found to solve this evolutionary puzzle about the history of pollinators in New Zealand.
A Complex History
The history of these bees is complex, but as it stands now, there are only hypotheses as to how so few lineages are present today. The ecosystem itself may have to be studied more to better understand what factors didn’t drive evolution in the bees.
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