Apis nigrocincta
Encyclopedia
Apis nigrocincta is a species of honey bee
that inhabits the Philippine
island of Mindanao
as well as the Indonesia
n islands of Sangihe and the Celebes
or Sulawesi
.
The species builds nests in cavities like the closely related Apis cerana
. In fact, there are few substantial differences between the two species: the genitals of the respective drone
s, for instance, are identical. However, there are small morphological
differences, genetic polymorphism
in the mitochondrial DNA
, as well as behavioral differences.
In areas where the A. cerana and A. nigrocincta live together, they can most immediately be distinguished by their coloration and size: A. cerana tends to be darker and smaller, while A. nigrocincta tends to be larger and have a yellowish clypeus
(the lower area of the face). They can best (reliably) be differentiated using morphometrics, which can also be used to identify morphologically
distinct populations in both species.
The architecture of the colonies is also a point of difference: the opening of the drone cell of A. cerana is covered in wax, under which there is a conical cocoon with a central hole or pore. In A. nigrocincta, however, the cell of the drone has a narrow opening, without a hard wax cap and hole. In addition, the queens of A. nigrocincta generally create colonies with greater numbers of drones than those of A. cerana.
Another noticeable behavioral difference between the species is the time of day at which they prefer to gather pollen.
A. nigrocincta contracts the parasite-caused honey bee disease Varroatosis by playing host to the species of Varroa mite
known as Varroa underwoodi. In this way, they are similar to Apis cerana nuluensis
, which is also susceptible to the same species of parasite.
Honey bee
Honey bees are a subset of bees in the genus Apis, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis...
that inhabits the Philippine
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
island of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
as well as the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n islands of Sangihe and the Celebes
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
or Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
.
The species builds nests in cavities like the closely related Apis cerana
Apis cerana
Apis cerana, or the Asiatic honey bee , is a species of honey bee found in southern and southeastern Asia, such as China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea. This species is the sister species of Apis koschevnikovi, and both are in the same subgenus as the Western honey...
. In fact, there are few substantial differences between the two species: the genitals of the respective drone
Drone (bee)
Drones are male honey bees. They develop from eggs that have not been fertilized, and they cannot sting, since the worker bee's stinger is a modified ovipositor .-Etymology:...
s, for instance, are identical. However, there are small morphological
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
differences, genetic polymorphism
Polymorphism (biology)
Polymorphism in biology occurs when two or more clearly different phenotypes exist in the same population of a species — in other words, the occurrence of more than one form or morph...
in the mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
, as well as behavioral differences.
In areas where the A. cerana and A. nigrocincta live together, they can most immediately be distinguished by their coloration and size: A. cerana tends to be darker and smaller, while A. nigrocincta tends to be larger and have a yellowish clypeus
Clypeus
The clypeus is one of the sclerites that makes up the "face" of an arthropod.In insects, the clypeus delimits the lower margin of the face, with the labrum articulated along the ventral margin of the clypeus. The mandibles bracket the labrum, but do not touch the clypeus. The dorsal margin of the...
(the lower area of the face). They can best (reliably) be differentiated using morphometrics, which can also be used to identify morphologically
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
distinct populations in both species.
The architecture of the colonies is also a point of difference: the opening of the drone cell of A. cerana is covered in wax, under which there is a conical cocoon with a central hole or pore. In A. nigrocincta, however, the cell of the drone has a narrow opening, without a hard wax cap and hole. In addition, the queens of A. nigrocincta generally create colonies with greater numbers of drones than those of A. cerana.
Another noticeable behavioral difference between the species is the time of day at which they prefer to gather pollen.
A. nigrocincta contracts the parasite-caused honey bee disease Varroatosis by playing host to the species of Varroa mite
Varroa
Varroa is a genus of parasitic mites associated with honey bees, placed in its own family, Varroidae. The genus was named for Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar who was also a beekeeper.-History and behavior:...
known as Varroa underwoodi. In this way, they are similar to Apis cerana nuluensis
Apis cerana nuluensis
Apis cerana nuluensis is a subspecies of honey bee described in 1996 by Tingek, Koeniger & Koeniger. The geographic distribution of the subspecies is the south-east Asian island of Borneo, politically divided between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei....
, which is also susceptible to the same species of parasite.