GEOGRAPHIC-VARIATION IN APIS-CERANA-INDICA F - A SPATIAL AUTOCORRELATION ANALYSIS OF MORPHOMETRIC PATTERNS

Spatial patterns of morphometric variation in Apis cerana indica were analysed. Factor and spatial autocorrelation analyses were applied to 29 characters, measured in 17 populations in India. Correlograms showe d that 15 characters are patterned geographically, and 13 of them are related to overall size. These characters are distributed as a north-s outh cline, probably reflecting adaptations to environmental condition s. However, the great number of characteristics without geographical p attern suggests that part of the morphometric variability is due to lo cal stochastic divergences.