MORPHOMETRICS OF APIS CERANA FROM AGROCLIMATIC ZONES OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

摘要

Study on morphometries of Apis cerana was conducted for 13 characters in order to examine the variability and comparison with earlier reports. Samples of workers bees were collected from the apiaries at different locations namely, Bajaura (Kullu), Bharmour (Chamba), Nagrota Bagwan, Palampur (Kangra) and Sangla (Kinnaur) representing different zones. Results showed that head height x width, proboscis length, thorax length, abdomen length, fore wing length x width, cubital index, hind wing length x width, number of hamuli, coxa length, trochanter length, femur length, tibia length and metatarsus length x width varied from 2.87- 3.07 x 3.49- 3.78 mm, 5.35- 5.46 mm, 3.97- 4.39 mm, 5.18- 6.01 mm, 8.46- 8.93 x 2.86- 3.03 mm, 2.70- 3.38,5.97- 6.37 x 1.62-1.72 mm, 18.64-19.90,0.91- 1.08 mm, 0.63- 0.76 mm, 2.29- 2.42 mm, 2.72- 2.95 mm and 1.83- 1.97 x 0.98- 1.07 mm, respectively. Present findings on morphometries of three important characters viz., proboscis length, fore wing length and cubital index were compared with the earlier reports wherein the mean proboscis length (5.41 mm) and forewing length (8.67 mm) were found to be close to A. cerana cerana. However, cubital index value (3.01) was at wide variance from A. cerana cerana.