A comprehensive reference collection of DNA barcodes for Iberian bees has been published in association with the Safeguard project. The database covers 514 species from the Iberian Peninsula and represents a significant new resource for researchers working on pollinator biodiversity and taxonomy.
The dataset, titled "InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: DNA Barcodes of Iberian bees," contains records from 1,059 sequenced specimens collected between 2014 and 2022. The Iberian Peninsula is home to approximately 1,100 known bee species, nearly 100 of which are endemic, making it an important location of bee diversity. The new collection captures around 47% of that total diversity and 21% of endemic species. Coverage is notably stronger for peninsular Portugal, where the dataset accounts for 71% of known species and 50% of endemics.
Of the 514 sequenced species, 75 are new additions to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), with 112 new Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) added. While the vast majority of species (94.9%) were assigned to a single BIN, 27 nominal species were assigned to multiple BINs. The researchers note this likely reflects unrecognised species-level diversity in certain taxa. Conversely, certain species pairs were placed into the same BINs, which underscores the continued need for integrative taxonomy across the Mediterranean Basin.
The dataset is an important baseline for ongoing taxonomic revisions across the broader West Palaearctic biogeographical region.