Project Molecular differentiation and ecology of the cryptic bumblebee species of the Bombus lucorum complex in the Alps

In Austria, 47 of the world's approximately 250 bumblebee species have been detected, making our country one of the hot spots for bumblebee biodiversity. Recent studies using DNA barcoding have now shown that it is not possible to differentiate the sometimes very common species of the Bombus lucorum complex (Bombus lucorum, B. cryptarum and B. magnus) with common morphological characteristics. However, the analyses with mtDNA flawlessly yield three taxa, which are called molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs). By demonstrating the unreliability of species identification with phenotypic characteristics, the results of all previous ecological studies on this species group have also become obsolete.