| The genus Apis (honeybee) belongs to the family Apidae, order Hymenoptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda. At present, there are nine species which have been recognized in the genus Apis. Honeybees are important economic insects which can produce honey, royal jelly, bee pollen, etc. On the other hand, honeybees are important pollinating insects which can greatly improve the yields and quality of crops and maintain the ecological balance. In addition, honeybees are important model organisms which can be used in some research fields, such as social behavior, learning, memory, etc. However, many threats are severely affecting these important species, the main ones being deforestation, hunting with destructive methods and the change of ecological environment, etc.In China, six Apis species have been found. Except Apis mellifera L. which was an introduced species, Apis cerana F., Apis dorsata F., Apis florea F., Apis laboriosa Smith and Apis andreniformis Smith are all indigenous species. However, limited research has been carried out on the Apis species in China and the methods were also backward. Furthermore, few Chinese samples were included in the phylogenetic analyses of Apis species, and the A. dorsata of Hainan Island have never been included in comparative studies on the worldwide distribution of A. dorsata. Therefore, it is not only conducive to protect Apis species in China but also helpful for relative studies in the world that studies on the phylogeny of Apis species for Chinese samples and the genetic structure of Chinese A. dorsata population.In this paper, we carried out the phylogenetic analyses of Apis species which mainly based on the Chinese samples. We also investigated the genetic structure of Chinese A. dorsata population based on mitochondrial DNA sequences, microsatellites and morphological characteristics respectively. The genetic relationships of A. dorsata populations between China and neighboring Asian areas were analyzed. Furthermore, we investigated the evolution of OBP5gene in the genus Apis. The results are as follows:1. The phylogenetic analyses of Apis species from China and abroad were consistent with the generally accepted Apis phylogeny. The comparative studies of A. dorsata and A laboriosa in China further supported the species status of A. laboriosa.2. Our investigations showed that A. dorsata was mainly distributed in Yunnan, Guangxi Provinces and Hainan Island. Altitude distributions are mainly below1500m. Significant genetic structuring of A. dorsata between Hainan Island and China mainland (Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces) was revealed from the studies of mitochondrial DNA, microsatellites and morphology. This may be the result of geographical isolation between Hainan Island and China mainland by Qiongzhou Strait. Furthermore, population genetic structure of A. dorsata from different regions was supported in the microsatellite analysis. A. laboriosa was quite separate from A. dorsata in the morphological study.3. Analyses of A. dorsata from China and neighboring Asian areas showed that there was a high genetic diversity in Malaysia. The results support the hypothesis that glaciations and deglaciations during the Pleistocene could have greatly influenced the distribution and divergence of A. dorsata in China and Southeast Asia. In addition, there was genetic differentiation among the three A. dorsata subspecies, and the genetic variation may also exist in A. laboriosa.4. OBP5gene was found to be negatively selected by comparing the evolution of OBP5gene sequences in the genus Apis. This suggests that OBP5may be more conservative and play an important role in the honeybee’s life. Phylogeny based on OBP5gene sequences also supported the Apis phylogeny which was generally accepted. |
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