Abstract:  In order to study the distribution and morphometric characteristics of populations of the Chinese honeybee, Apis cerana cerana, and the diversity and genetic characteristics of A. c. cerana in different ecological regions in Fujian, Southeast China, a total of 780 worker bees of A. c. cerana collected from 11 samples throughout Fujian province were studied using morphometric methods. The 30 morphometric characters according to Ruttner et al. (1988) were measured. The data were statistically analyzed by analysis of significance of difference, discriminant analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed that a high degree of morphometric difference existed among the honeybees in Fujian. There were at least three populations of A. c. cerana, i.e., northern Fujian population, central Fujian population and southern Fujian population. The honeybees of northern Fujian had significantly larger size of body and wax mirror, longer fore wing and proboscis, and special forewing angles (P<0.01). The honeybees of Wuyi had the biggest wing angles G18, J10 and L13, and the smallest wing angle E9 (P<0.01). The honeybees of Guangze and Zhenghe had the smaller wing angles K19, O26 and L13, and the larger wing angles B4 and N23 (P<0.01). The honeybees of central Fujian population from Fuzhou, Youxi, Jiangle and Ningde differed significantly from those of other samples with larger body size, organs and the larger wing angles G18 and K19, the median N23 (P<0.01). The honeybee population from southern Fujian, Longyan, Yongding, Wuping and Zhangzhou differed significantly from those of other samples with smaller size of body and organs (P<0.01). Morphometric analysis of angles of forewing veins might be a useful tool for biodiversity studies of honeybees and other bees. This study provides more theoretical support for effectively preserving Fujian indigenous A. c. cerana as a genetic resource for future utilization in Asian honeybee breeding programs.

Key words: Apis cerana cerana, population, morphometric marker, angle of forewing, population differentiation