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<p>Stingless bees exhibit considerable morphological variations across species and environments. The present study aimed to assess the morphological diversity of <i>Tetragonula</i> nr. <i>pagdeni</i> Schwarz populations across six lateritic districts of West Bengal through the analysis of 440 workers and 183 male bees. A total of 20 morphometric parameters were examined in both sexes to evaluate the regional variations. The study documented a significant (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) district-specific variation in different morphological features of both sexes. The representative individuals of both sexes from the districts of Bankura and Purulia exhibited significantly lower size of different morphological features, whereas the districts like Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum had comparatively larger individuals. This finding is also supported by different multivariate analyses. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a strong positive correlation among most of the morphological characters. The PCA biplots clearly indicated the dominant role played by these size-related traits in separating populations across the study area. Furthermore, the cluster analysis grouped populations into three distinct clusters for both sexes, indicating consistent morphometric structuring. Cluster I featured observations with lesser morphometric values, while Cluster II represented locations with larger bee sizes, and Cluster III represented locations with intermediate bee sizes. This study is the first of its kind in West Bengal, highlighting the influence of local ecological conditions on bee morphology and providing essential baseline data for understanding population differentiation and supporting conservation efforts of stingless bees in the region.</p>

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Morphological variability among the populations of workers and associated males of Tetragonula nr. pagdeni Schwarz in the lateritic zone of West Bengal, India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月27日

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  • Amit Layek,
  • Shashidhar Viraktamath,
  • Debashis Mandal,
  • Samrat Saha,
  • Shantanu Jha

摘要

Stingless bees exhibit considerable morphological variations across species and environments. The present study aimed to assess the morphological diversity of Tetragonula nr. pagdeni Schwarz populations across six lateritic districts of West Bengal through the analysis of 440 workers and 183 male bees. A total of 20 morphometric parameters were examined in both sexes to evaluate the regional variations. The study documented a significant (p < 0.05) district-specific variation in different morphological features of both sexes. The representative individuals of both sexes from the districts of Bankura and Purulia exhibited significantly lower size of different morphological features, whereas the districts like Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum had comparatively larger individuals. This finding is also supported by different multivariate analyses. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a strong positive correlation among most of the morphological characters. The PCA biplots clearly indicated the dominant role played by these size-related traits in separating populations across the study area. Furthermore, the cluster analysis grouped populations into three distinct clusters for both sexes, indicating consistent morphometric structuring. Cluster I featured observations with lesser morphometric values, while Cluster II represented locations with larger bee sizes, and Cluster III represented locations with intermediate bee sizes. This study is the first of its kind in West Bengal, highlighting the influence of local ecological conditions on bee morphology and providing essential baseline data for understanding population differentiation and supporting conservation efforts of stingless bees in the region.