Morphometric analysis on different species of honeybees in NEH region of India

Abstract

Morphometric studies were carried out on different species of honeybees in North-East hill region of India and it was found that the longest mean tongue length was found in A. dorsata with a mean length of 4.19±0.07 mm followed by A. mellifera (3.87±0.12 mm) and shortest tongue length was found in A. florea with a mean length of 2.14±0.05mm. The length and breadth of forewing was longest in A. dorsata with a mean length of (12.5±0.00 mm) and (4.32 ±0.12 mm), respectively followed by A. mellifera (8.89±0.14 mm) and (3.15 ±0.06 mm) and the shortest length and breadth of forewing was found in A. florea with a mean length of (6.94±0.28 mm) and (2.40±0.06mm), respectively. The longest cubital index was found in A. dorsata with a mean length of (2.88±0.08 mm) followed by A. mellifera (2.80 ±0.05mm) and the shortest cubital index were found in A. florea (2.87±0.09mm). The number of wing hooks was highest in A. dorsata with a mean number of (27±0.06) followed by A. mellifera (20±1.25) and the minimum number of wing hooks was found in A. florea (11±1.06). The width of 3rd and 4th tergite was found maximum in A. dorsata with a (2.72±0.10mm) and (2.79±0.06mm) and minimum width was found in A. florea with mean width of (1.49±0.10mm) and (1.40±0.06mm), respectively. Morphomatrics of all eighteen morphological characters of different honey bee species was in the order: Apis dorsata (Manipur)˃Apis mellifera (Assam)˃ Apis cerana himalaya (Assam)˃ Apis cerana himalaya (Manipur)˃ Apis florae (Manipur).