Molecular characterization of <i>Apis florea </i>(Hymenoptera: Apidae), An unsung pollinator of major horticultural crops

Apis florea (Hymenoptera: Apidae), also known as the red dwarf honeybee due to its reddish-brown abdomen and small size, is the smallest known bee species. These stingless bees play a vital role in pollinating wild and cultivated plants in their habitat. This study examines A. florea populations from Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, shedding light on their genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships. Gel electrophoresis revealed a common band of around 800 base pairs in all samples, indicating a shared genetic fragment. This consistency suggests conserved genetic traits across different groups. Molecular analysis showed high sequence similarity with reference sequences from the NCBI database, with slight regional variations. A phylogenetic tree, backed by high bootstrap values, demonstrated strong genetic similarity among the isolates, distinguishing them from A. mellifera. Pairwise nucleotide difference ranged from 370 to 402, indicating moderate genetic diversity. The closest genetic relationship was between the Tamil Nadu and Gujarat isolates, while the greatest differences were between Bangalore and Maharashtra. This points to distinct genetic lineages shaped by geographic variation. PCA and MDS analyses confirmed the genetic diversity, with the Bangalore isolate showing the most divergence. The Haplotype Network and Minimum Spanning Tree analyses further highlighted the unique genetic characteristics of the Bangalore isolate. Overall, the study underscore highlights both genetic uniformity and diversity within A. florea, reflecting their evolutionary dynamics and adaptation to different regions. These findings are important for the conservation and management of these species.