Differentiation of Apis mellifera africanized, european and North African colonies using morphological characteristics

• Fabiola T. P. Sereno ^[3] ; Francisco Padilla ^[1] ; D. Message ^[2] ; E. F. Vilela ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidad de Córdoba

     Universidad de Córdoba

     Cordoba, España

     
  2. [2] Universidade Federal de Viçosa

     Universidade Federal de Viçosa

     Brasil

     
  3. [3] Embrapa Pantanal, Brasil

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• Localización: Archivos Latinoamericanos de Producción Animal, ISSN 1022-1301, ISSN-e 1022-1301, Vol. 12, Nº. 4, 2004 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Supl. 1. II Simposio Iberoamericano sobre Recursos Genéticos)
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The liberation in Brazil of bees queens belonging to the breed Apis mellifera scutellata from Africa, the quick adaptation, and their mixture with the colonies of European bees there present originated a hybridization of the insects. This study searches for morphological traits that allow an easy identification of Africanized honeybee colonies. A total of 18 morphological variables of work bees from 53 beehives was analyzed. The beehives came: two from North of Africa, 12 from Brazil, 14 from Portugal, four from Madeira, and 21 from Spain. The discriminant analysis using the "Forward Stepwise" method with the 18 morphological variables indicates that exist differences statistically significant among beehives. The graphic representation of the results shows that the colonies coming from Spain, Madeira and North of Africa form a homogeneous morphological group, and this group differs from the one formed by the beehives from Brazil and Portugal.