A comparative study of esterase isozymes in 6 species of Apis and 9 genera of Apoidea

Li Shao-Wen, Meng Yu-Pini, J. T. Chang, Li Ju-Huai, He Shao-Yu And Kuang Bang-Yu

Electro-focusing combined with the PAGE method of electrophoresis was used to study variations in esterase isozymes among the four recognized species of Apis (A. mellifera, A. cerana, A. dorsata, A. florea) and two putative species A. laboriosa, A. andreniformis), sampled in tropical rain forest in Yunnan province, China. Eight other genera (one species of each) of Apoidea were also sampled. Wide variation was found between genera, with most bands occurring between pH 4 and pH 8, and there were distinct differences among Apis species, although all bands fell within the pH range 5-6. It was possible to differentiate between A. dorsata and A laboriosa, which are similar morphologically, and between A andreniformis and A. florea which likewise resemble each other closely.