Abstract: Hairiness on the body surface of bee pollinators plays an important role in pollination success by collecting and transporting pollen. However, few studies examined the morphological and distribution characteristics of hairiness of bee pollinators. In this study, five bee pollinator species (Colletes gigas, Andrena camellia, Bombus eximius, Apis cerana, Vespa velutina nigrithorax) for Camellia oleifera were collected and identified. We compared the morphological characteristics of the hindlegs, as well as the morphology, length, quantity, and density of the hairiness in each part of hindlegs of the five pollinator species. The results showed that all the five pollinator species except V. velutina nigrithorax had pollen basket structures in the hindleg, and the hindleg structure of C. gigas was highly similar to A. camellia. The long hair on the hindlegs of the five bees could be divided into five types: long hair with feather branches, long hair with short branches, long hair with long branches at the end, long hair with spiky branches, and cone-shaped long hair without branches. There were significant differences in the number and density of hairiness on the hindleg of the five bee pollinator species. The distribution characteristics of hairiness on different parts of the hindleg of the same species were significantly different. The differences in the hairiness characteristics of the hindleg further confirmed that C. gigas, A. camellia, and B. eximius were suitable pollinators for C. oleifera. By clarifying the differences in the morphological characteristics of the hairiness on the hindleg of different bee pollinators and their relationship with pollination function, this study provides theoretical reference for the protection and utilization of bee pollinators for C. oleifera.

Key words: Camellia oleifera, bee pollinator, hindleg, functional trait, hairiness