Identificación morfométrica y molecular de Apis mellifera: una revisión de enfoques integrados para la caracterización poblacional y evolutiva
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23857/dc.v12i2.4883Palabras clave:
Apis mellifera, africanización, morfometría tradicional, morfometría geométrica, ADN mitocondrial, COI-COIIResumen
La identificación de Apis mellifera constituye una herramienta fundamental para comprender la diversidad, estructura poblacional y origen evolutivo de las abejas melíferas manejadas y silvestres. Esta especie presenta una amplia variabilidad intraespecífica asociada a procesos de diferenciación geográfica, adaptación ambiental, movilización antrópica, hibridación e introgresión entre linajes y subespecies. En América, la introducción de abejas europeas y la posterior expansión de abejas con ancestría africana originaron poblaciones híbridas africanizadas en varias regiones; sin embargo, este proceso no es uniforme en todo el continente. En este contexto, la presente revisión analiza la utilidad, limitaciones y complementariedad de los principales métodos morfométricos y moleculares empleados para la caracterización de linajes, subespecies y poblaciones híbridas de A. mellifera. Se examina el valor de la morfometría tradicional, la morfometría geométrica de alas y los marcadores moleculares, especialmente el ADN mitocondrial y la región COI-COII, como herramientas para interpretar la variación fenotípica, el origen materno y los procesos de diferenciación poblacional. La evidencia revisada indica que la morfometría alar constituye una herramienta accesible, reproducible y útil para discriminar afinidades poblacionales, mientras que el ADN mitocondrial permite identificar linajes maternos, aunque no refleja por sí solo la composición genética biparental. Por ello, la integración de enfoques morfométricos y moleculares proporciona una interpretación más robusta de la estructura poblacional, especialmente en regiones tropicales, altoandinas e insulares. Esta revisión destaca la necesidad de fortalecer estudios regionales en Ecuador, Cuba y otros escenarios latinoamericanos, incorporando marcadores nucleares, bases de datos alares y metadatos ambientales para apoyar programas de conservación, selección genética y manejo apícola sostenible.
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Derechos de autor 2026 Leonardo Daniel Cabezas Andrade , Erika Belén Pilamunga Llagua , Hugo Alejandro Castro Alban , Jenevith Alexandra Cuadrado Andrade
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