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Genetic changes in Apis mellifera after 40 years of Africanization

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Abstract

The Africanization process of the honeybee Apis mellifera in America is considered one of the most spectacular biological invasions documented so far. It started in São Paulo (Brazil) in 1956 and the process has extended to almost all the continent (from the United States, to Argentina and Uruguay). The aim of this study was to evaluate the present status of Africanization in Uruguay after 40 years of its entrance, as well as to determine the circulating honeybee haplotypes through genetic (mitochondrial DNA) and morphometric approaches. Results showed that Africanized bees are completely established in Uruguay, representing 80 % of the analyzed colonies, distributed throughout the whole country. A great genetic diversity was found, detecting eight different haplotypes. Some of them have been previously reported in the country, while others are new. The persistence of the non-African haplotypes in western provinces (Paysandú, Río Negro, Soriano and Colonia) may be due to a strong importation of European queens. This fact is probably avoiding the complete Africanization of the Uruguayan colonies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Ciro Invernizzi, Gustavo Ramallo, the Apiculure section of INIA La Estanzuela (Colonia, Uruguay) and the AMSUD Pasteur Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avda. Italia 3318, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Belén Branchiccela, Pablo Zunino & Karina Antúnez

  2. Laboratorio de Biotecnología, INIA La Platina, Santa Rosa 11610, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile

    Carlos Aguirre

  3. Laboratorio de Entomología, INIA La Platina, Santa Rosa 11610, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile

    Gloria Parra & Patricia Estay

Authors
  1. Belén Branchiccela
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  2. Carlos Aguirre
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  3. Gloria Parra
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  4. Patricia Estay
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  5. Pablo Zunino
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  6. Karina Antúnez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karina Antúnez.

Additional information

Manuscript editor: Marina Meixner

Modifications génétiques chez Apis mellifera après 40 ans d’africanisation

Abeille africaine / haplotype / ADN mitochondrial / Amérique du Sud / Uruguay

Genetische Veränderungen in Apis mellifera nach vierzig Jahren Afrikanisierung

Afrikanisierung / afrikaniserte Honigbiene / mitochondriale DNA / Haplotyp

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Branchiccela, B., Aguirre, C., Parra, G. et al. Genetic changes in Apis mellifera after 40 years of Africanization. Apidologie 45, 752–756 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-014-0293-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-014-0293-2

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