Molecular Identification of Dwarf Honey Bees (Apis florea Fabricius) Distributed in the Eastern Region of Iraq

Abstract

Abstract This study was conducted to identify the genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships among 17 isolates of the dwarf honey bee collected from the north and west of some Iraqi areas, reaching higher elevations in the districts of Kifri, Kalar, and Darbandikhan in the plains of Iraq. these isolates were molecularly identified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and determining the nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene. The nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that all the characterized isolates in this study belong to the red dwarf honey bee species, Apis florea. The identified isolates showed a high level of similarity (100%) within each group, with isolates 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, and 17 being identical to each other. It was also found that isolates 2, 5, 8, 9, 12, and 14 had a similarity of 100% to each other. The characterized isolates in this study showed a genetic distance from other characterized isolates such as those identified in India, Thailand, Japan, and China. The genetic information within the mitochondrial 16S rDNA genes provided in this paper have crucial data for understanding the genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships of A. florea. The study also provides important genetic information about A. florea in Iraq and contributes to the understanding of its genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships.