Hybrid status of honey bee populations near the historic origin of africanization in Brazil

• Published in: Apidologie Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 643 - 652
• Main Authors: Shepppard, W.S. (United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville (USA). Agricultural Research Service, Bee Research Laboratory), Soares, A.E.E, DeJong, D, Shimanuki, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis EDP Sciences 1991; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: ABEILLE AFRICANISEE; ABEJA AFRICANIZADA; ADN; AFRICANIZED BEES; Agricultural sciences; Animal biology; ANIMAL POPULATION; Animal production studies; Animals; Apidae; APIS MELLIFERA; BIOCHEMICAL POLYMORPHISM; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; DNA; Ecology, environment; ENZIMAS; ENZYME; ENZYMES; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GENETICA; GENETICS; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; GENETIQUE; HIBRIDOS; HYBRIDE; HYBRIDS; Hymenoptera; Invertebrate Zoology; Life Sciences; MITOCHONDRIA; MITOCHONDRIE; MITOCONDRIA; POBLACION ANIMAL; POLIMORFISMO BIOQUIMICO; POLYMORPHISME BIOCHIMIQUE; POPULATION ANIMALE; SAO PAULO; South America; Brazil; America; Origin; Insecta; Apidae; Hybrid; Mitochondrial DNA; Hybridization; Apis mellifera; Africanized bee; Gene frequency; Apoidea; Arthropoda; Hymenoptera; Invertebrata; Morphometry; Geographical variation; Aculeata
• ISSN: 0044-8435; 1297-9678
• DOI: 10.1051/apido:19910607

We report here the results of a population genetic study of honey bees sampled near the origin of neotropical Africanization combining analyses of morphological, allozyme and mtDNA characters. Data from this study support previously reported allozyme frequency estimates and support the expectation that populations from this region are comparatively stable in genetic composition; and further, that significant polymorphism of European origin persists in the Africanized population of the region. Morphological and mtDNA data from these neotropical populations reveal the strong influence of the African race, A. m. scutellata . Apparent discordance among data sets from the several analytical methods reflects variation in selection and population size on the inheritance or persistence of such characters and indicates the importance of multiple character analysis.