Project's information

Project's title Diversity and peculiarity of wasps and bees (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of Vietnam
Project’s code QTPL01.02/19-20
Research hosting institution Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources
Project leader’s name Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Lien
Job Title, The rank of a Professor, Academic degree Assoc. Prof.
Project duration 01/05/2019 - 31/05/2020
Project’s budget 200.000.000
Classify Excellent
Goal and objectives of the project

In the first phase, the project has the following objectives:
• Investigate the composition of aculeate Hymenoptera in the Northeastern part of Vietnam (focusing on family Chrysididae, Apidae, Megachilidae, and Vespidae), revise the taxonomy, describe new species and new recorded species.
• etermine further research priorities (taxa requiring further research on taxonomy and biolody, endangered taxa, endemic taxa, etc.).
• Create a comparative collection.
• Improve research, training and cooperating for both sides of the project.

 

Main results

- A total of 148 species of aculate hymenoptera belonging to four families  Chrysididae, Apidae, Megachilidae and Vespidae was recorded in three provinces (Cao Bang, Lang Son and Tuyen Quang) in the Northeastern part of Vietnam. Of them, 31 species and 6 genera were in family Chrysididae, 29 species and 10 genera were in Apidae, 11 species and 4 genera were in Megachilidae, and 77 species and 30 genera were in Vespidae. The highest number of species recorded in Lang Son (71 species), followed by Cao Bang (62 species) and Tuyen Quang (59 species), of which 39 species have been recorded only in Lang Son, 37 species only recorded in Cao Bang and 32 species only recorded in Tuyen Quang. This shows the peculiarity of the distribution of aculate hymenoptera of the four families in the study sites.
- Three new species were described for science. Two genera and 16 species were newly recorded for the Vietnamese fauna. In particular, 3 new species for science have been described in the family Chrysididae (Trichrysis aliciae Wiśniowski, 2020; Trichrysis chamchuensis Wiśniowski & Nguyen, 2020 and Trichrysis kylan Wiśniowski & Cuong, 2020) and 10 species have been newly recorded  (Chrysis chlorosoma Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis insulicola (Mocsáry, 1913); Chrysis gracilenta Mocsáry, 1889; Chrysis (Hexachrysis) principalis Smith, 1874; Chrysis (Pyria) stilboides Spinola, 1838; Praestochrysis palawanensis (Mocsáry, 1899); Stilbum calens (Fabricius 1781); Trichrysis excisifrons (Mocsáry, 1912); Trichrysis luzonica (Mocsary, 1889) and Trichrysis trigona (Mocsary, 1889)). Two new recorded genera (Bathanthidium and Tetralonioidella) and four new recorded species (Ctenoplectra cornuta Gribodo, 1892; Habropoda sinensis Alfken, 1937; Tetralonioidella wuae Niu & Zhu, 2017; Trachusa formosana (Friese, 1917) in the two families Apidae and Megachilidae have been recorded. In the family Vespidae two species (Vespa fumida van der Vecht, 1959 and Vespula flaviceps (Smith , 1870)) have been recorded as new for the Vietnamese fauna. There were 7 species whose scientific names have not yet been identified, of which Chrysididae has 4 species, Apidae has 1 species and Megachilidae has 2 species.
- Determined taxa requiring further research on taxonomy in the next phase  such as Chrysis, Trichrysis (Chrysididae), stingless bees (Apidae), Bathanthidium, Habropoda, Trachusa (Megachilidae), Polistes, Allorhynchium, Pararrhynchium, Symorphus (Vespidae) ...
- A classification key has been developed for species of the genus Trichrysis (Chrysididae) and species of the genus Vespa (Vespidae) in Vietnam.
- Published 03 scientific papers in SCI-E journal list.
- A collection of 100 comparative specimens of 45 species belonging to four families was built, contributing additional samples for research and training in Vietnam.

 

Novelty and actuality and scientific meaningfulness of the results

- Three species were described as new to science. Two genus and 16 species were newly recorded for Vietnamese fauna.
- For the first time, a collection of comparative specimens of species of the Chrysididae and Megachilidae families was built, making an important contribution to the research and training of experts on these two target groups in Vietnam.

 

Products of the project

- Publications: 03 papers (in SCI-E journal list).
Nguyen L.T.P., Vu T.T., Daglio A. & Wiśniowski B., 2019. Taxonomic review and distribution of the genus Vespula Thomson, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae) from Vietnam. Zootaxa 4691 (3): 279–285.
Vu T.T., Nguyen L. T. P. & Wiśniowski B., 2020. Taxonomic notes on the genus Vespa Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae) from Vietnam, with a new record of a species and an updated key to species. Zootaxa 4801 93): 584-590.
Wiśniowski B., Nguyen L. T. P. & Nguyen C. Q., 2020. Discovery of four new species of the genus Trichrysis Lichtenstein, 1876, cyanea species group (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae) from Vietnam. Zootaxa (Accepted).
- Patents:
- Products (description...):
A comparative collection of  100 specimens in the four families (Chrysididae, Apidae, Megachilidae and Vespidae)  from three provinces in the Northeastern part (Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang and Lang Son) of Vietnam was built. The samples were pinned, dried, labeled with full of information, stored in wooden boxes and housed at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (80 samples) and the Vietnam National Museum of Nature (20 samples).
- Other products:
Training: supported to 01 Ph.D student and 01 undergraduate student.

 

Research region

The results of the study will be used by the authorities of the three northeastern provinces such as Forest Protection Department, Phia Oac National Park, Cham Chu Nature Reserve, Huu Lien Nature Reserve, which is a scientific basis for these agencies to use for building plans on conservation, promotion and rational use of biological resources in service of local socio-economic development.

Recommendations The composition of aculeate Hymenoptera in Vietnam is very diverse and rich, but taxonomic research has received little attention, so it is recommended to continue research on taxonomy and distribution of the groups of bees and wasps in other regions of our country in order to have an overview of their diversity and distribution in Vietnam, to build a complete database for conservation research and use them in the future.