Abstract

DOMINGUEZ-REBOLLEDO, Álvaro et al. Morphometric identification of the predominant species of Varroa (Parasitiformes: Varroidae) in bee colonies in Hopelchén, Campeche. Abanico vet [online]. 2022, vol.12, e2022-5.  Epub June 23, 2023. ISSN 2448-6132.  https://doi.org/10.21929/abavet2022.21.

Worldwide, varroasis continues to be the main sanitary problem in beekeeping production systems, causing great economic losses; currently in the Yucatan Peninsula the presence of Varroa has been reported, however, it is unknown which of the 4 species parasitize Apis mellifera bees in Campeche State. The aim of this research was to identify morphometrically the predominant species of Varroa (Parasitiformes: Varroidae) in bee colonies in Hopelchén, Campeche; for this purpose, 61 hives were evaluated from 5 apiaries, 200 to 300 bees were collected from each one; for the morphometric analysis, 244 mites were placed in 50% lactic acid for 2 hours at 100ºC, and then the segments were measured in an ocular micrometer. The results indicated that 100% of the mites evaluated belonged to the Varroa destructor species, the mean K clusters indicated intraspecific differences (P< 0.05), observing 5 morphotypes of V. destructor, the variables that presented greater variability were width of the anal shield (P=0.001) and width of the genital shield (P=0.001). It is concluded that although 100% of the mites belonged to V. destructor, they showed intraspecific morphometric differences.

Keywords : haplotype; varroasis; infestation; Apis.