Kimberly Anak Ador (2023) Morphometric analysis and genetic variation of selected bornean stingless bee, tetragonula spp. (hymenoptera: meliponini) and its potential as pollinators for vanilla planifolia and hylocereus polyrhizus. Doctoral thesis, Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
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Abstract
This study is mainly concerned with one of the most abundant stingless bees with many cryptic species in Malaysia, Tetragonula spp. (Hymenoptera; Meliponini). The aims of this study are i) to determine the habitat preferences, morphometric and morphological traits, and phylogenetic relationships of selected species of cryptic Bornean Tetragonula, ii) to investigate the morphological and molecular characters of cryptic speciation in Tetragonula laeviceps, iii) to investigate the potential of T. laeviceps as a pollinator of vanilla and pitaya flowers, and iv) to investigate the antioxidant activity, phenolic compound and chemical composition in products of the stingless bee. This study was conducted from October 2017 to February 2021. Samples of workers of the genus Tetragonula were collected from the Malaysian states of Sabah (Tuaran, Putatan, Kinarut, Kota Marudu, Kudat, Beaufort, Beluran and Sandakan, Sabah) and Sarawak (Tebedu) to study their morphological characteristics, molecular analysis and quality of bee products. DNA was extracted from the whole insect, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced to obtain suitable data for molecular analysis. The pollination efficiency of T. laeviceps on pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) and vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) was studied at the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture. Honey, pollen and propolis from T. laeviceps and Heterotrigona itama were used to analyse antioxidants and compare the quality of stingless bee products. Five species of Tetragonula were examined in this study, namely T. laeviceps, T. melanocephala, T. fuscobalteata, T. iridipennis and T. ruficornis. Pearson's correlation showed that there was a significant difference between the morphometric traits and factor 1 score analysis of Tetragonula spp. (p < 0.05). The use of both morphometric characters and phylogenetic classification to distinguish cryptic species of stingless bees could increase the accuracy of identification (p < 0.001). The most important morphological characters of T. laeviceps to distinguish between groups or subspecies were body size and body colouration. The relatively large genetic or intraspecific distance within the phylogenetic relationships of T. laeviceps, resulting in four different clades, suggests the possibility of cryptic species. Pollination by T. laeviceps resulted in better fruit quality in terms of fruit weight, fruit length and fruit diameter of pitaya, while vanilla was completely dependent on hand pollination. There were significant differences between the pollen samples of T. laeviceps and H. itama in terms of antioxidant activity as measured by t-test (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in pH analysis in all samples of honey, pollen and propolis from T. laeviceps and H. itama, measured with the t-test (p > 0.05). Twenty-eight chemical compounds were identified in the honey samples of T. laeviceps and H. itama. Amino acids, gamma-butyrolactones and steroidal saponins were identified as major constituents as they were present in all honey samples.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Keyword: | Morphometric variation, Genetic variation, Phylogenetic relationships, Stingless bee, Tetragonula spp., Pollination |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QL Zoology > QL1-991 Zoology > QL360-599.82 Invertebrates |
| Department: | FACULTY > Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture |
| Depositing User: | DG MASNIAH AHMAD - |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Jul 2024 10:24 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Jul 2024 10:24 |
| URI: | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/39099 |
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