Geographic patterns of intra-specific variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences provide information on the historical biogeography of A. cerana. Data from a non-coding mtDNA sequence previously revealed (1) a large northern group of related haplotypes in mainland Asia, (2) a southern or Sundaland group of haplotypes from the southern Malay peninsula, Indonesia and Borneo, and more divergent haplotypes in (3) Palawan and (4) the oceanic islands of the Philippines. Initial studies of the biogeography of A. cerana from Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Viet Nam and Cambodia showed that bees from the Islamabad region of Pakistan and from Laos carry mtDNA haplotypes belonging to the mainland Asian group. In Thailand, the shift from mainland Asian to Sundaland haplotypes occurs at approximately 10o 30' north latitude. The biogeography of A. ceranain Myanmar is complex, with haplotypes from both mainland Asian and Sundaland lineages represented. Surprisingly, bees with Sundaland haplotypes were found as far north as Thantaung (19o 01' N, 96o 34' E) and Thahton (20o 06' N, 96o 13' E), while bees with northern haplotypes occurred as far south as Bogalay (16 o 15' N, 95 o 23' E). These biogeographic patterns are important for understanding host-parasite relationships between A. cerana and the mites Varroa jacobsoni and V. destructor.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Apidae Apis cerana (Asian honey bee, Asian cavity nesting honey bee)
Species 2: Acari Varroidae Varroa destructor (Varroa mite)
Species 3: Acari Varroidae Varroa jacobsoni
Keywords: mtDNA, biogeography
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Subsection Cb. Apiculture and Social Insects (Termites and Honey Bees)
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Section Ca, Cb, Cc, Cd, Ce, and Cf
Back to The 2002 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition