Morphotypes of Varroa destructor collected in Apis mellifera colonies from different geographic locations of Argentina

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 105; no. 6; pp. 1629 - 1636
• Main Authors: Maggi, Matías D, Sardella, Norma H, Ruffinengo, Sergio R, Eguaras, Martín J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01-11-2009; Springer-Verlag; Springer
• Subjects: Animal productions; Animals; Apiculture; Apis mellifera; Argentina; Bees - parasitology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cluster Analysis; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Genetic Variation; Geography; Immunology; Insecta; Invertebrates; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Original Paper; Terrestrial animal productions; Varroa destructor; Varroidae - anatomy & histology; Varroidae - classification; South America; Argentina; America; Parasite Population; Discriminant Function; Phenotypic Plasticity; Fluctuate Asymmetry; Mite Population; Parasitiformes; Insecta; Apidae; Varroidae; Parasite; Varroa destructor; Social insect; Morphotype; Apis mellifera; Arachnida; Acari; Apoidea; Arthropoda; Colony; Hymenoptera; Invertebrata; Localization; Gamasida; Aculeata
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-009-1605-8

Parasites display considerable phenotypic plasticity in life-history traits such as, body size. Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic mite of the western honey bee Apis mellifera. Several studies have reported that in V. destructor, there is a wide phenotypic plasticity within a population of mites. However, it is unknown if there are morphologic variations in V. destructor populations affecting different A. mellifera populations. A morphometric study of V. destructor populations was conducted to provide information concerned to the relationships among parasite populations found in different geographic locations from A. mellifera colonies of Argentina. The hypothesis tested was different morphotypes of V. destructor populations parasitizing different A. mellifera populations from Argentina exist. A discriminant analysis employing eight morphologic variables revealed that it is possible to differentiate morphotypes of mites in Argentina. However, the level of discrimination detected among mites population varied according to the grouping of mite's population. Possible causes explaining the morphometric variability in the V. destructor populations were discussed.