59

appeared to consist only of variants from the D300 group. A. m. mellifera

samples examined contained Ddel variants from the D100, D200, and D300

groups. These distributions are not absolute, but accurately reflect current

sample availability.

 A detailed accounting of the variation in A. m. scutellata was obtained

from the identification of alleles composed of Mspl and Ddel variants in drones

from South Africa, collected in the area from which the New World African

bees originated.


North American bees.

 The genetic variation at locus 178 in New World European bees was

ascertained by examining drone bees in the USA and feral workers from

northern Mexico. The Mspl variant groups were the same as those found in

Old World European bees. The frequencies for the M100 restriction fragment

patterns in A. m. ligustica workers from Europe and workers from the USA

were nearly identical. In USA populations, the high frequency for the M100

variant group reflects the preferred use of A. m. ligustica for beekeeping.

These results concur with the frequencies in USA bees reported for east

European-specific nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers (Hall 1986, 1990;

Hall & Smith 1991; Schiff & Sheppard 1993), as well as for malate

dehydrogenase (MDH) allozymes (Nunamaker, Wilson & Haley 1984; Sheppard

1988). The low frequency (9%) for the M100 variant group in bees collected