Determination of genetic diversity of native Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae) populations in The Mediterranean Region by microsatellite markers

A total of 107 worker bee samples were collected from 3 native B. terrestris populations (Antalya-Kemer, Antalya-Termesos and Adana). The genetic structure of the native Bombus terrestris populations was investigated by using ten microsatellite markers (BT06, BT09, BT20, B100, B116, B118, B119, B121, B124 and B126). The mean number of alleles (Na), effective number of alleles (Ne), observed heterozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) values for the Antalya - Kemer, Antalya -Termesos and Adana populations were estimated as Na = 10.3, 9.8 and 9.2, Ne = 6.4, 5.7 and 5.8, Ho = 0.73, 0.71 and 0.70 and He = 0.75, 0.72 and 0.74 respectively. There was not significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the population. Genetic data generated in the present study showed that examined mikrosatelit loci were not effective markers to distinguish of B. terrestris ecotypes.