REAL

Contrasting genetic structure in cuckoo and predatory Maculinea butterflies

Pecsenye, K. and Bereczki, Judit and Juhász, E. and Tartally, András and Varga, Z. (2015) Contrasting genetic structure in cuckoo and predatory Maculinea butterflies. CONSERVATION GENETICS, &. &. ISSN 1566-0621

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Abstract

In Europe, both Maculinea alcon and M. teleius frequently co- occur inhabiting humid meadows. Although their parasitic life cycle is similar, ecological differences have been demonstrated between them: (i) spatial distribution of their eggs is different, and (ii) M. alcon is a cuckoo species, while M. teleius is predatory. The aim of the present study is to identify the genetic consequences of the ecological differences between these two butterfly species. To do so, we studied the genetic structure in samples from 9 M. alcon and 16 M. teleius sites obtained from the Carpathian Basin using 16 polymorphic enzyme markers. Both species exhibited relatively low enzyme polymorphism compared to other lycaenid species. Nevertheless, all measures of variation were significantly higher in M. teleius than in M. alcon. Genetic differentiation, however, was generally higher among M. alcon populations as compared to M. teleius. Moreover, the results of Bayesian clustering indicated a clear regional pattern with three well-defined cluster regions in M. alcon. In contrast, the regional pattern was less evident in M. teleius where we found three comparatively less distinct cluster regions. Putatively adaptive genetic differences were detected among cluster regions exploiting different host ants in M. alcon, while they were less evident in M. teleius. These results conform to our predictions on the differences between the utilization of their host ants. Since the pattern of genetic differentiation is different in the two Maculinea species, conservation strategies need also to differ in their cases.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Q Science / természettudomány > QL Zoology / állattan
SWORD Depositor: MTMT SWORD
Depositing User: MTMT SWORD
Date Deposited: 24 Sep 2015 20:40
Last Modified: 24 Sep 2015 20:40
URI: http://real.mtak.hu/id/eprint/27885

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