Apidologie 35 (2004) 71-81
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2003066

Multivariate morphometric analysis of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in the Ethiopian region

B. Amssalu^a, A. Nuru^a, Sarah E. Radloff^b and H. Randall Hepburn<sup>a

a</sup>  Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
^b  Department of Statistics, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa

(Received 26 October 2001; revised 24 September 2002; accepted 21 July 2003)

Abstract
Honeybees sampled from 285 colonies at 57 localities were morphometrically analysed. The multivariate analysis established five statistically separable morphoclusters occupying ecologically different areas: Apis mellifera jemenitica in the northwest and eastern arid and semi-arid lowlands; A. m. scutellata in the west, south and southwest humid midlands; A. m. bandasii, in the central moist highlands; A. m. monticola from the northern mountainous highlands; and A.m.woyi-gambell in south western semi-arid to sub-humid lowland parts of the country. Moreover some areas with high inter and intracolonial variances were noted, suggesting introgression among these defined honeybee populations.

Key words: Apis mellifera / morphometry / race / introgression / Ethiopia

Correspondence and reprints: H. Randall Hepburn r.hepburn@ru.ac.za

© INRA, EDP Sciences, DIB, AGIB 2004