The characterization of the Tunisian bee was performed using a cytoplasmic molecular marker: mitochondrial DNA (DNAm). Molecular analysis was carried out on 655 colonies from 7 populations. This study showed that the Tunisian bee Apis mellifera intermissa has a maternal origin belonging to the A line, which contradicts its belonging to the M line as demonstrated on the basis of the biometric study alone. There is a genetic polymorphism within the local breed by the presence of four haplotypes

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... , A8 and A9 and A4. The distribution of haplotypes A4 and A9 depends on climatic conditions. The foreign haplotypes are present in the region of Ghardimaou, and represented by the haplotype C7.