Genetic variation in bumblebees (Bombus, Psithyrus) and putative sibling species of Bombus lucorum

PAMILO, P., VARVIO‐AHO, S. and PEKKARINEN, A. 1984. Genetic variation in bumblebees (Bombus, Psithyrus) and putative sibling species of Bombus lucorum.—Hereditas 101: 245–251. Lund. Sweden. ISSN 0018–0661. Electrophoretic variation is here reported in eight species of bumblebees (Bombus) and three species of cuckoo bumblebees (Psithyrus). Although based on a small number of loci, consistent results from the species suggest a low level of genie variation. Combined with our earlier results, the mean heterozygosity per locus is 0.018 in eleven Bombus and 0.012 in three Psithyrus species. Geographic allele frequency variation in Fennoscandia seems to be absent or slight. The samples identified as Bombus lucorum have two PGM electromorphs. both of which are often found in the same population without any heterozygous patterns. This indicates that the samples may include two sibling species with wide distribution.