Issue |
Genet. Sel. Evol.
Volume 35, Number 3, May-June 2003
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|
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Page(s) | 339 - 350 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/gse:2003012 |
DOI: 10.1051/gse:2003012
Genetic structure of Balearic honeybee populations based on microsatellite polymorphism
Pilar De la Rúaa, José Galiána, José Serranoa and Robin F.A. Moritzba Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Apdo. 4021, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
b Institute of Zoology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Kröllwitzer Str. 44, 06099 Halle/Saale, Germany
(Received 2 January 2002; accepted 21 November 2002)
Abstract
The genetic variation of honeybee colonies collected in 22 localities
on the Balearic Islands (Spain) was analysed using eight
polymorphic microsatellite loci. Previous studies have demonstrated
that these colonies belong either to the African or west European
evolutionary lineages. These populations display low variability
estimated from both the number of alleles and heterozygosity values,
as expected for the honeybee island populations. Although genetic
differentiation within the islands is low, significant heterozygote
deficiency is present, indicating a subpopulation genetic structure.
According to the genetic differentiation test, the honeybee
populations of the Balearic Islands cluster into two groups: Gimnesias
(Mallorca and Menorca) and Pitiusas (Ibiza and Formentera), which
agrees with the biogeography postulated for this archipelago. The
phylogenetic analysis suggests an Iberian origin of the Balearic
honeybees, thus confirming the postulated evolutionary scenario for
Apis mellifera in the Mediterranean basin. The microsatellite
data from Formentera, Ibiza and Menorca show that ancestral
populations are threatened by queen importations, indicating that
adequate conservation measures should be developed for protecting
Balearic bees.
Key words: honeybee / microsatellites / population structure / genetic diversity / Balearic Islands
Correspondence and reprints: Pilar De la Rúa
e-mail: pdelarua@um.es
© INRA, EDP Sciences 2003