RESUMO

This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of different extenders on the cryopreservation of semen from Africanized honeybees (A. mellifera). Semen from honeybee drones from 10 different colonies was obtained by endophallus exposure technique and immediately evaluated for motility, viability using fluorescent probes, functional membrane integrity using the water test, and morphology. Samples from each colony were divided in three aliquots and subjected to a dilution ratio of 12:1 (diluent: semen) using Tris, Tris + egg yolk (Tris+EY), and Collins extender. Samples were cryopreserved and stored in liquid nitrogen for one week and then rewarmed and reevaluated. Immediate dilution provoked no significant effect on sperm motility and functional membrane integrity, regardless of the extender used; however, the greatest values (P < 0.05) for normal sperm morphology were found at the use of isolate Tris (69.3 ± 1.9%). After thawing, there were no significant differences among extenders with relation to the preservation of sperm motility, viability, and functional membrane integrity, but the Tris extender provided the highest post-thawing values (P < 0.05) for sperm normal morphology (49.2 ± 4.9%) while the Collins extender provoked the highest amounts (P < 0.05) of curled tail defects (67.5 ± 3.2%). Moreover, the Tris was the only extender at preserving the proportion of normal sperm after thawing similar to what was verified for fresh samples. In summary, we suggest the use of a Tris-based extender for the cryopreservation of Africanized honeybee semen.

RESUMO

La abeja africanizada (Apis mellifera L) ha sido objeto de estudios recurrentes en diferentes partes del mundo, mucho se sabe sobre obreras y reinas de abejas africanizadas en diferentes regiones y diferentes biomas, pero poco se sabe sobre zánganos y mucho menos o casi nada sobre los drones africanizados ubicados en el semiárido brasileño y sobre los efectos del bioma caatinga. El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo estudiar las variaciones en el tamaño del abdomen, el tamaño del cuerpo y el peso de los zánganos africanizados de la región semiárida del noreste de Brasil en el bioma caatinga, con el fin de ser pionero en un patrón para los parámetros evaluados, que aún no tienen si sabía con seguridad. Se realizó un muestreo de 100 zánganos de diferentes colonias, todos ubicados en el mismo apiario y bajo las mismas condiciones geográficas y de manejo. Mediante los datos recolectados se verificaron de manera pionera los patrones de parámetros morfométricos y peso corporal en zánganos africanizados, pudiendo así caracterizar a estos animales ubicados en una región semiárida sobre los efectos del bioma caatinga.

The Africanized bee (Apis mellifera L) has been the subject of recurrent studies in different parts of the world, much is known about workers and queens of africanized bees in different regions and different biomes, however little is known about drones and much less or almost nothing about the Africanized drones located in the Brazilian semi-arid region and the effects of the caatinga biome. The present study aimed to observe the variations in abdomen size, body size and weight of Africanized drones from the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil in the caatinga biome, in order to pioneer a pattern for the evaluated parameters, which have not yet been if they knew for sure. A sampling of 100 drones from different colonies was carried out, all located in the same apiary and under the same geographical and management conditions. Through the collected data, the patterns of morphometric parameters and body weight in Africanized drones were verified in a pioneering way, thus being able to characterize these animals located in a semi-arid region on the effects of the caatinga biome.

A abelha africanizada (Apis mellifera L) vem sendo alvo de recorrentes estudos em diferentes partes do mundo, muito se sabe sobre operarias e rainhas de abelhas africanizadas em diversas regiões e diferentes biomas, porem pouco se sabe sobre os zangões e muito menos ou quase nada sobre os zangões africanizados situados na região do semiárido brasileiro e sobre os efeitos do bioma caatinga. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar as variações de tamanho do abdômen, tamanho do corpo e do peso dos zangões africanizados provenientes da região semiárida do nordeste brasileiro no bioma caatinga, a fim de verificar pioneiramente um padrão para os parâmetros avaliados, os quais ainda não se sabiam ao certo. Foi realizada uma amostragem de 100 zangões de colônias diferentes, todas situadas no mesmo apiário e sobre as mesmas condições geográficas e de manejo. Através dos dados coletados verificaram-se de forma pioneira os padrões dos parâmetros morfométricos e peso corporal nos zangões africanizados, podendo assim vir a caracterizar esses animais situados em região semiárida sobre os efeitos do bioma caatinga.