The indigenous honey bees of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner): Their natural history and role in beekeeping
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Issue Date
2012-06-14Author
Alqarni, Abdulaziz S.
Hannan, Mohammed A.
Owayss, Ayman A.
Engel, Michael S.
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
Is part of series
ZooKeys;134
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner (= yemenitica auctorum: vide Engel 1999) has been used in apiculture throughout the Arabian Peninsula since at least 2000 BC. Existing literature demonstrates that these
populations are well adapted for the harsh extremes of the region. Populations of A. m. jemenitica native to Saudi Arabia are far more heat tolerant than the standard races often imported from Europe. Central Saudi Arabia has the highest summer temperatures for the Arabian Peninsula, and it is in this region where only A. m. jemenitica survives, while other subspecies fail to persist. The indigenous race of Saudi Arabia differs from other subspecies in the region in some morphological, biological, and behavioral characteristics. Further taxonomic investigation, as well as molecular studies, is needed in order to confirm whether the Saudi indigenous bee populations represent a race distinct from A. m. jemenitica, or merely an ecotype of this subspecies.
ISSN
1313-2989Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
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