Journal
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
Volume 16, Issue 5, Pages 647-656Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10841-011-9447-y
Keywords
Genetic differentiation; Evolutionary Significant Unit; Functional Conservation Unit; Mellicta species
Categories
Funding
- [NKFP-3 B/023/2004]
- [OTKA 84071 K]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In conservation genetics the existence of Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESU) is a crucial question in threatened or vulnerable species. It is of particular concern to determine whether different subspecies or ecotypes of a species can be considered as separate ESUs. Some Melitaea subg. Mellicta species (e.g. Mellicta aurelia, Mellicta britomartis) are declining or scarce in Europe. Therefore, the level of genetic differentiation and pattern of genetic variation were surveyed in three Melitaea (subg. Mellicta) species. Their habitat requirements and food plants partly overlap; accordingly they often co-occur in the same habitat. M. britomartis and M. aurelia have one brood per year in Hungary, while Mellicta athalia has a monovoltine and a bivoltine ecotype. The purpose of the study was to estimate the number of genetically differentiated ESUs among these species in the Carpathian basin. Samples were taken from 5 Hungarian regions and a few samples were collected in Transylvania as well. Enzyme polymorphism was studied using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The structure of genetic variation was analysed by F-statistics, AMOVA, PCA and Bayesian clustering method. UPGMA dendrogram was constructed on the basis of Cavalli-Sforza and Edwards chord distances. The three species are clearly differentiated from each other in all statistical analyses. They are evidently different Evolutionary Significant Units. The two ecotypes of M. athalia, however, do not show any genetic differentiation.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available