Genetic structure of Melipona capixaba Moure e Camargo, 1994 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) / Estrutura genética de Melipona capixaba Moure e Camargo, 1994 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

The bee specie Melipona capixaba, popularly known as uruçu negra (black uruçu), is endemic in the mountainous region of the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil, and it is included since 2003 in the list of threatened species of IBAMA, the only eusocial insect in this list. In order to characterize the genetic diversity and populational structure of this bee, studies were performed with M. capixaba worker collected at various locations, covering the municipalities of Afonso Cláudio, Alfredo Chaves, Conceição do Castelo, Domingos Martins, Marechal Floriano, Santa Maria de Jetibá, Santa Teresa, Vargem Alta and Venda Nova do Imigrante. Using specific primers, DNA of 93 M. capixaba workers was used to amplify the complete sequences of the regions ITS- 1/5.8S/ITS-2 (ITS/5.8S) of nuclear rDNA and tRNATyr/ COI/tRNALeuL2 (tRNA/COI) of mtDNA followed by digestion with restriction enzymes and characterization of the electrophoretic patterns of restriction. No polymorphism was identified in ITS/5.8S region, suggesting vulnerability in terms of genetic variability. In contrast, 8 mitochondrials tRNA/COI haplotypes, but with little genetic difference between them, were identified. tRNA/COI haplotypes shared among samples groups from different locations was observed. A possible explanation for this haplotypes sharing is the common practice of transporting colonies by beekeepers in the survey area. Analysis by AMOVA resulted in the observation that these colonies transport may be contributing to the inbreeding reduction, and thus favoring the species preservation. ST values obtained were above 0.25 (0.41 and 0.36 before and after colonies transportation, respectively), suggesting high geographic structuring of the analyzed M. capixaba population. The haplotypes network, UPGMA and Dollo Parsimony trees obtained showed low genetic divergence between the identified haplotypes and the same division of haplotypes groups. Efforts to lead the management and conservation of M. capixaba must be made in order to increase the population number of colonies, to preserve the genetic diversity, reintroduce colonies of the same region or closest region in areas where this species has become extinct or are dramatically reduced, and ensure the integrity of all its restricted area of occurrence that is highly degraded.

ASSUNTO(S)

coi genetic variability its biologia geral pcr-rflp coi variabilidade genética its pcr-rflp

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