Abstract: 【Aim】 To analyze the genetic diversity of Apis cerana cerana populations in Longshan, Hunan, central China by using 11 pairs of microsatellite markers, so as to evaluate the genetic variation within the population and genetic differentiation between populations. 【Methods】 A total of 60 colonies of A. c. cerana were collected from Longshan County, Hunan Province at different altitudes (1 080 and 665 m). Ten to twenty adult worker bees were randomly collected from each colony, of which one individual was randomly selected to extract DNA as a template, and PCR was performed using 11 pairs of microsatellite primers. Based on PCR amplification products, the dominant allele frequency (Pi), expected heterozygosity (He) and polymorphism information content (PIC) of each locus in the high altitude population (G) and the low altitude population (D) were calculated by Microsatellite-Toolkit software. The inbreeding coefficient (Fis) within population was calculated according to the FSTAT program. The significance of differences in Pi, He, PIC and Fis between the two populations (G and D) was analyzed by using SPSS 25.0 software. 【Results】 The Pi analysis indicated that both the high altitude (G) and low altitude (D) populations of A. c. cerana in Longshan County, Hunan Province had high genetic diversity. The average values of He, PIC and Fis in the high altitude population (G) were 0.593, 0.556 and 0.121, respectively, which were slightly lower than those of the low altitude population (D) (0.631, 0.587 and 0.187, respectively). There was no significant difference in Pi, He, PIC and Fis between the high and low altitude populations (P_Pi=0.721＞0.05, P_He=0.759＞0.05, P_PIC=0.802＞0.05, P_Fis=0.767＞0.05). 【Conclusion】 A. c. cerana populations from high and low altitudes in Longshan County in Wuling Mountain area have high genetic diversity, but the degree of genetic differentiation is not high, suggesting that the altitude factor may not directly affect the population genetic diversity of A. c. cerana.

Key words: Apis cerana cerana, microsatellite, genetic diversity, altitude, dominant allele frequency