Genetic divergence between populations of the stingless bee uruçu amarela (Melipona rufiventris group, Hymenoptera, Meliponini): is there a new Melipona species in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais?

Abstract

Allozyme, microsatellite and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers were used to investigate the within and between population genetic variability and between population genetic differentiation of the Brazilian stingless bee uruçu amarela (nominally Melipona rufiventris Lepeletier, 1836) present in savanna and Atlantic forest habitats of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais (MG). We found low levels of within population variability, although there were a large number of private alleles that specifically characterized these populations. The F ST values indicated a high level of genetic diversity between populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed a high degree of population differentiation between the savanna and Atlantic forest habitats, confirmed by population pairwise F ST data. Principal coordinates analysis and unweighted pair-group method using an arithmetic average (UPGMA) dendrograms also confirmed that in Minas Gerais the savanna populations (M. rufiventris) were genetically distinct from those present in the Atlantic forest (M. mondury). In addition, populations from locations near the towns of Dom Bosco and Brasilândia de Minas were genetically different from those collected in other localities in the savanna. Our data indicate that populations of uruçu amarela found in the savanna and Atlantic forest habitats of Minas Gerais state should be treated separately for conservation purposes and that special attention should be given to the populations found in the region of Dom Bosco and Brasilândia de Minas until their taxonomic status is clarified.

Genetic Variability of Stingless Bees Melipona mondury Smith and Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from a Meliponary

“…Low genetic variability in native stingless bees is also documented in studies using molecular markers such as RAPD (Tavares et al, 2001), mitochondrial polymorphism (Brito et al, 2013), ISSR (Inter Single Sequence Repeats) (Nascimento et al, 2010;Miranda et al, 2012), and microsatellites (Francisco et al, 2006;Tavares et al, 2007;Carvalho-Zilse et al, 2009;Francini et al, 2009;Alves et al, 2011;Duarte et al, 2011).…”

New molecular evidence for fragmentation between two distant populations of the threatened stingless bee Melipona subnitida Ducke (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

“…A high degree of population differentiation has also been observed for Melipona quadrifasciata populations based on ISSR patterns (Nascimento et al 2010) and M. rufiventris Lepeletier (Tavares et al 2007) based on allozyme, microsatellite and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers. Both studies were conducted within the State of Minas Gerais (Brazil).…”

“…Genetic differentiation within Melipona subnitida populations was probably because of low gene flow, caused by limited dispersal ability (Engels and ImperatrizFonseca 1998;Tavares et al 2007), the large distance separating the NAT and PAR populations, and extensive disturbances of population dynamics due to anthropogenic habitat degradation and fragmentation (Quezada-Euan et al 2007). More recently, mtDNA data has also pointed to genetic differentiation between these M. subnitida populations from Rio Grande do Norte (Mossoró city) and Piauí (Parnaíba city, on the border of Maranhão state) (Bonatti et al 2014).…”

Genetic diversity of two stingless bees, Trigona nigerrima (Cresson 1878) and Trigona corvina (Cockerell 1913), in coffee dominated landscapes in southern Mexico

“…In fact, a genetic approach would reveal critical information, not attainable by conventional ecological methods, about the viability status of populations, not mentioning genetic diversity. For example, several studies have evaluated the effect of beekeeping upon both genetic variability ) and maintenance of populations (Alves et al 2010), while others have evaluated genetic variability and population structure of stingless bees (Costa et al 2005, Francisco et al 2006, Garcia Tavares et al 2007, Hurtado-Burillo et al 2013. Additionally, population genetics is a powerful tool to estimate colony density for the study of population dynamics (Cameron et al 2004, Moritz et al 2007, Kraus et al 2008, a better alternative to find and count colonies in the field (Zayed 2009).…”