Genetic Differentiation in the Stingless Bee, Scaptotrigona xanthotricha Moure, 1950 (Apidae, Meliponini): a Species with Wide Geographic Distribution in the Atlantic Rainforest.
Stingless bees are important pollinators that are severely threatened by anthropic interference, resulting in a strong population decline. Scaptotrigona xanthotricha has a wide distribution in the Atlantic Rainforest, ranging from the northeastern state of Bahia to Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. To understand the genetic structure of S. xanthotricha, 12 species-specific microsatellite loci were analyzed in 42 colonies sampled throughout the species range. The results indicated 5 distinct clusters throughout the sampled area with high rates of genetic diversity, and the greatest diversity was found in southern Bahia. Greater differentiation was observed between samples from the extremes of the distribution, with an FSTvalue of 0.189 between cluster 1 and 5. The genetic differentiation analysis for all loci had an FSTvalue of 0.113, a result that is consistent with the analysis of molecular variance, which revealed 7.72% of the variation occurring between groups. The Mantel correlation between a genetic differentiation matrix and a geographic distance matrix (r = 0.184, P = 0.043) indicated a tendency toward increased differentiation with increased distance. This study revealed the profile of differentiation and distribution of genetic diversity in this species and indicates parameters that should be considered in future taxonomic revisions and activities for its management and conservation.
From the Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazaré de Andrade, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, Bairro Salobrinho, Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil.
Olívia M P
OM
Duarte
From the Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazaré de Andrade, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, Bairro Salobrinho, Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil.
Fernanda A
FA
Gaiotto
From the Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazaré de Andrade, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, Bairro Salobrinho, Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil. costama@uesc.br.
Marco A
MA
Costa
D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001516:Bees / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D040961:Genetic Drift; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D065947:Rainforest

bees
; 
genetic divergence
; 
genetic structure
; 
microsatellites
