Browsing by Author "Maamri, Sarra Wassila"
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- Comparison of intra-colonial genetic diversity of the founder and leading edge populations of Vespa velutinaPublication . Maamri, Sarra Wassila; Henriques, Dora; Souai, Oussama; Pinto, M. AliceVespa velutina nigrithorax, commonly known as the yellow-legged hornet is a species of Vespidae native to Southwestern Asia. It was first observed in 2004 in Southwestern France (Lot-et-Garonne) and rapidly spread to neighboring countries; reaching Spain in 2010 and Portugal in 2011 in Viana do Castelo. Since 2011 it has been spreading through Portugal, with Bragança representing the most marginal distribution area of V. velutina in the northern region. Its spread rate is explained by its great capacity for climate adaptation and its polyandry. The invasion of V. velutina in Europe has caused significant ecological and economic damages. In fact, this hornet is a major threat to beekeeping since Apis mellifera consists in a third of its diet. Genetic studies have provided insights into the colonization patterns of this invasive predator, revealing a genetic bottleneck upon its arrival in Europe, which led to reduced genetic diversity. In this study, we used 16 microsatellites to genotype a total of 120 female hornets from two nests of Viana do Castelo (Vila de Punhe) and two from Bragança (Macedo de Cavaleiros and Mirandela). This study aims to assess and compare the genetic diversity of V. velutina population in the districts of Bragança and Viana do Castelo in Portugal. Bragança represents the leading edge of the northeastern expansion in the Portuguese territory. Surprisingly, the genetic diversity observed in the two colonies from Bragança was higher than that in the colonies from Viana do Castelo. This discrepancy suggests that the population in Bragança is a result of expansion from multiple sources, introducing new alleles to the local population.