Abstract
Samples of the stingless bee Trigona pagdeni Schwarz were collected from north, northeast, central and peninsular Thailand. Genetic variation and population structure were investigated using a DNA fingerprinting technique, TE-AFLP, and Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA). We found high levels of genetic variation among individuals in all populations, but mean expected heterozygosity was highest in the Northeast. We used AMOVA to calculate φPT (analogous to Wright's φST for codominant markers) to compare genetic differentiation among populations. This revealed significant genetic differentiation among the four populations (φPT = 0.18, P = 0.01). We also detected differentiation (φPT = 0.13, P = 0.001) between samples collected north and south of the Kra ecotone, a biogeographical zone of transition between seasonal evergreen and mixed moist deciduous forests. However the greatest differentiation was detected between samples from the northeast and the other locations combined (φPT = 0.21, P = 0.001). This method can be applied to the study of population structure in T. pagdeni and other stingless bees, and may provide a useful tool for management and conservation of this species. Meliponini / Trigona / DNA fingerprinting / AFLP / geographic variation
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