| Defining honeybee subspecies in an evolutionary context warrants strategized conservation | |
Qiu, Lifei; Dong, Jiangxing; Li, Xingan1; Parey, Sajad H.; Tan, Ken3 ; Orr, Michael4; Majeed, Aquib2; Zhang, Xue; Luo, Shiqi; Zhou, Xuguo5; Zhu, Chaodong4; Ji, Ting6; Niu, Qingsheng1; Liu, Shanlin; Zhou, Xin
| |
| 2023 | |
| Source Publication | ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH
 |
| ISSN | 2095-8137 |
| Volume | 44Issue:3Pages:- |
| Abstract | Despite the urgent need for conservation consideration, strategic action plans for the preservation of the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana Fabricius, 1793, remain lacking. Both the convergent and divergent adaptations of this widespread insect have led to confusing phenotypical traits and inconsistent infraspecific taxonomy. Unclear subspecies boundaries pose a significant challenge to honeybee conservation efforts, as it is difficult to effectively prioritize conservation targets without a clear understanding of subspecies identities. Here, we investigated genome variations in 362 worker bees representing almost all populations of mainland A. cerana to understand how evolution has shaped its population structure. Whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) based on nuclear sequences revealed eight putative subspecies, with all seven peripheral subspecies exhibiting mutually exclusive monophyly and distinct genetic divergence from the widespread central subspecies. Our results demonstrated that most classic morphological traits, including body size, were related to the climatic variables of the local habitats and did not reflect the true evolutionary history of the organism. Thus, such morphological traits were not suitable for subspecific delineation. Conversely, wing vein characters showed relative independence to the environment and supported the subspecies boundaries inferred from nuclear genomes. Mitochondrial phylogeny further indicated that the present subspecies structure was a result of multiple waves of population divergence from a common ancestor. Based on our findings, we propose that criteria for subspecies delineation should be based on evolutionary independence, trait distinction, and geographic isolation. We formally defined and described eight subspecies of mainland A. cerana. Elucidation of the evolutionary history and subspecies boundaries enables a customized conservation strategy for both widespread and endemic honeybee conservation units, guiding colony introduction and breeding. |
| Keyword | Apis cerana Integrative taxonomy Species concept Pollinator insect Centrifugal diversification Morphology Genomics |
| Subject Area | Zoology |
| DOI | 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.414 |
| Indexed By | SCI |
| Language | 英语 |
| WOS ID | WOS:001012610700003 |
| Citation statistics | |
| Document Type | 期刊论文 |
| Identifier | https://ir.xtbg.ac.cn/handle/353005/13639 |
| Collection | 2012年后新成立研究组 |
| Affiliation | 1.China Agr Univ, Coll Plant Protect, Dept Entomol, Beijing 100193, Peoples R China 2.Jilin Prov Inst Apicultural Sci, Key Lab Bee Genet & Breeding, Jilin 132108, Jilin, Peoples R China 3.Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah Univ, Sch Biosci & Biotechnol, Dept Zool, Rajouri 185234, Jammu & Kashmir, India 4.Chinese Acad Sci, Xishuangbanna Trop Bot Garden, CAS Key Lab Trop Forest Ecol, Xishuangbanna 650000, Yunnan, Peoples R China 5.Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Zool, Key Lab Zool Systemat & Evolut, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China 6.Univ Kentucky, Dept Entomol, Lexington, KY 40546 USA 7.Yangzhou Univ, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, Peoples R China |
| Recommended Citation GB/T 7714 | Qiu, Lifei,Dong, Jiangxing,Li, Xingan,et al. Defining honeybee subspecies in an evolutionary context warrants strategized conservation[J]. ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH,2023,44(3):-. |
| APA | Qiu, Lifei.,Dong, Jiangxing.,Li, Xingan.,Parey, Sajad H..,Tan, Ken.,...&Zhou, Xin.(2023).Defining honeybee subspecies in an evolutionary context warrants strategized conservation.ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH,44(3),-. |
| MLA | Qiu, Lifei,et al."Defining honeybee subspecies in an evolutionary context warrants strategized conservation".ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH 44.3(2023):-. |
| Files in This Item: | Download All | |||||
| File Name/Size | DocType | Version | Access | License | ||
| Defining honeybee su（2361KB） | 期刊论文 | 出版稿 | 开放获取 | CC BY-NC-SA | View Download | |
Items in the repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
Edit Comment