Gain and loss of gut symbionts during stingless bee diversification is linked to host group size
Nickole Villabona, Alejandro Vázquez, Jennifer Schlauch, Claus Rasmussen, Richard Joyce, Christopher M. Martinez, Tobin J. Hammer
The paper investigates how group size in stingless bees influences the presence of gut symbionts, finding that larger colonies are more likely to harbor specific bacteria.
bioRxiv · Oct 21, 2026 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology