The first record of Apis mellifera jemenitica IN EGYPT AS AN EXOTIC RACE
Abstract
The Arabian or Nubian honeybee, scientifically known as Apis mellifera jemenitica (A. m. jemenitica), is a distinct subspecies of the western honeybee. A. m. jemenitica is indigenous to several tropical locations, including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Somalia. A. m. jemenitica has not been recorded before in Egypt. Therefore, this work aimed to validate the visual observation of the beginning of the appearance of Yemeni bees in Egypt. Fifteen morphometric measures and two molecular markers (Simple Sequence Repeats; SSRs and 16SrRNA) were used to establish morphological and genetic identity among A. m. jemenitica samples collected in Egypt and those acquired in Saudi Arabia as a reference. Morphometric and molecular analyses revealed close similarities between the studied bees, which confirm our hypothesis about the presence of Yemeni bees in Egypt.
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