Evidence of at least two evolutionary lineages in Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini) suggested by mtDNA variability and geometric morphometrics of forewings

Autor(es)

Bonatti, Vanessa ^[1] ; Paulino Simoes, Zila Luz ^[2] ; Franco, Fernando Faria ^[3] ; Francoy, Tiago Mauricio ^[4]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Genet, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biol, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Biol, Ctr Ciencias & Tecnol Sustentabilidade, BR-18052780 Sorocaba, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Escola Artes Ciencias & Humanidades, BR-03828000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN; v. 101, n. 1, p. 17-24, JAN 2014.
• Citações Web of Science: 18

Resumo

Melipona subnitida, a tropical stingless bee, is an endemic species of the Brazilian northeast and exhibits great potential for honey and pollen production in addition to its role as one of the main pollinators of the Caatinga biome. To understand the genetic structure and better assist in the conservation of this species, we characterized the population variability of M. subnitida using geometric morphometrics of the forewing and cytochrome c oxidase I gene fragment sequencing. We collected workers from six localities in the northernmost distribution. Both methodologies indicated that the variability among the sampled populations is related both to the environment in which samples were collected and the geographical distance between the sampling sites, indicating that differentiation among the populations is due to the existence of at least evolutionary lineages. Molecular clock data suggest that this differentiation may have begun in the middle Pleistocene, approximately 396 kya. The conservation of all evolutionary lineages is important since they can present differential resistance to environmental changes, as resistance to drought and diseases. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/07857-9 - Caracterização populacional de abelhas das orquídeas (Apidae, Euglossini) do estado de São Paulo por morfometria geométrica de asas e variabilidade do DNA mitocondrial
• Beneficiário: Tiago Mauricio Francoy
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Jovens Pesquisadores