| Apis mellifera simensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Apis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | A. m. simensis |
| Trinomial name | |
| Apis mellifera simensis Meixner, Leta, Koeniger, Fuchs 2011[1] | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Apis mellifera simensis is known by thecommon name of theEthiopian honey bee, discovered in 2011 through DNA analysis, which directly contradicted previous researchers which had misidentified the honey bees of Ethiopia, attributing them to neighboring subspecies in eastern Africa, in part due to similarMorphometrics.A. m. simensis was found to deviate substantially from otherApis mellifera when genetically analysed, in that a new Y Lineage branch of theApis mellifera was created for them: There had previously thought to be up to five different subspecies within Ethiopia.[1]
They are larger than most honey bees of Africa, only slightly smaller than the EgyptianApis mellifera lamarckii to the north, and slightly larger than theApis mellifera monticola to the south, however having much longer and broader wings typical of larger honey bees. They are usually very dark like theA. m. monticola, occasionally with some pigmentation, and also like theA. m. monticola they have relatively longer hair.[1]
Their distribution is typically in the mountain ranges of Ethiopia, covering the northern and central areas of the country, only theA. m. simensis was detected throughout Ethiopia, samples were collected from the greater part of the country.[1]
The namesimensis is taken from theSimien Mountains, a dominant mountain range in northern Ethiopia and aWorld Heritage Site.[2] A previously attempted naming by Mogga in 1988 ofApis mellifera bandasii andApis mellifera woyi-gambella by Amssalu in 2004 were both determined to benomina nuda according to theICZN rules.[1] In 2022 research was conducted within Ethiopia onA. m. simensis mistakenly referred to asApis mellifera bandasii.[3]