SPECIES VARIABILITY IN AFROTROPICAL GENUS HYPOTRIGONA (COCKERELL) WITHIN THREE DISTRICTS IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF GHANA

ABSTRACT

This research was carried out to investigate the species variability within Afrotropical

stingless bees of the genus Hypotrigona (Cockerell) in three districts in the Central

Region of Ghana. Hypotrigona species are common visitors to flowering plants in the

tropics and subtropics. Structurally, the three known Afrotropical Hypotrigona

species are very similar and pose difficulty in accurately identifying existing species.

In view of this taxonomic impediment, this present study aimed at investigating

variation within the Afrotropical genus Hypotrigona based on their nest entrance

characteristics, the geo-morphometry of their wings and the traditional morphometry

of the bees within three districts in the Central Region of Ghana. The research was

conducted from April 2013 to November 2013. A total of 5441 bees were sampled

from 68 colonies. Using nesting characteristics, geometric morphometrics and

traditional morphometrics, three probable species were observed in the study.

Precisely 2027 individual right forewings of Hypotrigona bees were assessed using

geometric morphometrics. Statistical analyses (PCA, CVA, DFA, correlation and

Procrustes ANOVA) conducted on the right forewings were statistically significant p

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