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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The invasion of Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in the Americas provides a window of opportunity
to study the dynamics of secondary contact of subspecies of bees that evolved in allopatry in ecologically distinctive
habitats of the Old World. We report here the results of an 11-year mitochondrial DNA survey of a feral honeybee
population from southern United States (Texas). The mitochondrial haplotype (mitotype) frequencies changed radically
during the 11-year study period. Prior to immigration of Africanized honeybees, the resident population was essentially
of eastern and western European maternal ancestry. Three years after detection of the first Africanized swarm there
was a mitotype turnover in the population from predominantly eastern European to predominantly A. m. scutellata
(ancestor of Africanized honeybees). This remarkable change in the mitotype composition coincided with arrival of
the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, which was likely responsible for severe losses experienced by colonies of European
ancestry. From 1997 onward the population stabilized with most colonies of A. m. scutellata maternal origin.
Description
Keywords
Africanization Africanized honeybee Apis mellifera Biological invasion Mitochondrial DNA haplotype Mitotype
Citation
Pinto, M. Alice; Rubink, William L.; Coulson, Robert N.; Patton, John C.; Johnston, J. Spencer (2004). Temporal pattern of africanization in a feral honeybee population from Texas inferred from mitochondrial DNA. Evolution. ISSN: 1558-5646. 58:5, p. 1047-1055
Publisher
Wiley, The Society for the Study of Evolution