CORBICULA Meaning and
Definition
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Corbicula, also known as a "pollen basket," is a specialized structure on the hind legs of female bees, particularly honeybees and bumblebees. It is used by these bees to collect and transport pollen back to their nests.
The corbicula is a concave depression surrounded by long and stiff hairs, located on the outer side of the tibia of the hind legs. The structure varies in size and shape across different bee species, but generally, it appears as a flattened area with a sticky surface.
When collecting pollen, bees use their front legs to scrape pollen from flower anthers and then transfer it to their middle legs. The middle legs then transfer the pollen to the hind legs' corbicula. This process allows the bee to carry significant amounts of pollen, providing food for their colony.
The sticky surface of the corbicula helps hold the pollen grains in place during flight, preventing them from falling off and ensuring successful transportation. Once the bees return to their nests, they unload the collected pollen with the help of their front legs to store it for feeding future bee broods and the rest of the colony.
The corbicula is a crucial adaptation that enables efficient pollen collection and contributes to the critical role of bees as pollinators in various ecosystems. Without corbiculae, bees would be unable to transport pollen effectively, leading to a decline in pollination and subsequent ecological consequences.
Common Misspellings for CORBICULA
- xorbicula
- vorbicula
- dorbicula
- cirbicula
- ckrbicula
- clrbicula
- cprbicula
- c0rbicula
- c9rbicula
- coebicula
- codbicula
- cofbicula
- cotbicula
- co5bicula
- co4bicula
- corvicula
- corgicula
- corbucula
- corbjcula
- corbkcula
Etymology of CORBICULA
The word "corbicula" comes from the Latin term "corbis", meaning "basket", combined with the suffix "-cula", indicating a diminutive form. "Corbis" refers to a type of wicker basket used to gather and transport various goods or crops. The word "corbicula" was first used to describe the pollen basket or hind leg basket of certain bees, due to its resemblance to a small basket. This term was later adopted in the field of biology to refer to similar structures in other organisms, such as certain marine animals and some plants.
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