Asymmetrical distribution of a mitochondrial DNA polymorphism between 2 introgressing honey bee subspecies

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA from 62 samples of Apis mellifera carnica and A m ligustica collected from within areas of endemism and an area of known introgression was extracted and digested with the restriction enzymes Accl, Bc/l, Bg/II, EcoRI and Xbal. Digestion with Xbal revealed a polymorphism with an asymmetrical distribution between the subspecies. This polymorphism occurs primarily in Austrian and Slovenian A m carnica and may be useful for studying introgression be- tween this race and A m ligustica.