Using geometric morphometrics and standard morphometry to discriminate three honeybee subspecies

Abstract

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) subspecies usually are distinguished by standard morphometry methods, based mainly on multivariate analysis of distances and angles. Recently another method of statistical analysis of shape, geometric morphometrics, has been developed. The new method is based on characteristic points described by Cartesian coordinates. The two methods were used here to discriminate three honeybee subspecies (A. m. mellifera, A. m. carnica and A. m. caucasica) according to forewing venation. Forewing venation was described either by coordinates of 18 vein junctions and centroid size or by 4 distances and 11 angles. All colonies, described by mean of 10 workers, were correctly classified using both methods. In the case of individual wings discrimination, geometric morphometrics was 84.9% successful and standard morphometry was 83.8% successful. The results show that geometric morphometrics is marginally more reliable than standard morphometry for discrimination of honeybee subspecies.