A MORPHOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF THE DWARF HONEY-BEES OF SOUTHEASTERN THAILAND AND PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES

Morphological descriptions using measurements common to honey bee taxo nomy are provided for Apis andreniformis Smith (1858) from southeaster n Thailand and Palawan, Philippines and Apis florea Fabricius (1787) f rom southeastern Thailand. Overall, A andreniformis has a very differe nt morphology from the sympatric A florea and from all other well-desc ribed species of honey bees. One difference, the color of the scutellu m, although not species specific, is sufficient in many cases to facil itate field identifications. Very few morphological differences occurr ed between the Thai and the Philippine populations of A andreniformis.