>...it looks to me as if you are saying that morphometrics is only 
good for comparison and selection within a known population of honey 
bees.  If so, by extension, I would see that as suggesting that the 
technique is not well suited to identifying the race of unknown 
samples of honey bees.  

Oh yes, it does. It depends on which kind of morphometric method you 
choose.

> Morphometry is no 'magic bullet' and should never be the final arbiter
> in decision making. 

But pretty close. See abstract bellow.

Abstract from Eurbee 2006.

EUROPEAN BEES, THEIR MORPHOLOGY AND MICROSATELLITES 
Frantisek Kaspar1, Tomas Kott2, Kvetoslav Cermak1, Dalibor Titera1
1Bee Research Institute at Dol, E-mail beedol©beedol.cz
2Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague - Uhríneves, E-mail 
kott.tomas©vuzv.cz

The protection and use of bees´ gene pool in special programs, in 
rearing and in beekeeping practice cannot omit the description of the 
belonging to races. The description of gene types were afore based 
only on pedigree records and phenotypical, morphometric analysis. The 
new feature for the genotype description is the microsatellite 
analysis.  

DNA was isolated from  of worker bees conserved after the taking by 
drying, freezing or by inserting into 75% ethanol. Isolation was 
carried out on ABI 3100 Nuclei Acid Preparation Station using 
NucPrep™ Chemistry method. The analysis was based on tests of 14 
locuses assembled in four multiplexes [A29, Ap33, Ap36, Ap43],[Ap1, 
Ap12, Ap55],[ A37, A7, A8],[Ap113, Ap16, Ap19, Ap34].  In this way 
600 bees were analysed various geographical races [carnica, 
mellifera, ligustica] from various regions. The applied method offers 
data for very detailed discrimination of distances among populations. 
 
The results were compared and completed by morphometric analysis of 
wings using DAWINO method. The method of microsatellite analyzes is a 
good tool for very detailed discrimination of distances among 
populations.    


http://www.beedol.cz/
http://www.beedol.cz/dawino/DAWINO_prosp_EN.pdf
http://www.beedol.cz/dawino/DAWINO_protocol_EN.pdf

And the poster !!!

http://www.quicknet.se/home/q-119076/BONUS/1-bonus.html
-> Avel -> DAWINO; see point 5

\vov

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