Hybridization between European and Africanized honeybees in tropical Yucatan, Mexico. II. Morphometric, allozymic and mitochondrial DNA variability in feral colonies

This paper presents the results of a long-term study on the genetic status of feral Yucatecan honey bees combining analyses of morphological, allozyme and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) characters. The results showed that feral Yu catecan colonies had varying degrees of association between European/Africa n morphology, allozymes and haplotypes. Frequencies of European markers var ied between years, but markers (polymorphisms) of European origin were pres ent in the Yucatecan feral population in frequencies that indicate a proces s of European/African hybridization. These data suggest that population siz e, environmental conditions and characteristics of the established feral po pulation in Yucatan have provided quantitative and qualitative opportunitie s For European gene introgression in the feral population, and thus better explain the present genetic composition of feral Africanized honeybees in s outheast Mexico.