We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
A molecular phylogenetic analysis of <i>Speyeria</i> and its implications for the management of the threatened <i>Speyeria zerene</i><i>hippolyta</i>.
- Authors
McHugh, Anne; Bierzychudek, Paulette; Greever, Christina; Marzulla, Tessa; Van Buskirk, Richard; Binford, Greta
- Abstract
The genetic structure of lineages can provide important information for delineating “evolutionarily significant units” (ESUs) for conservation, and for planning actions to protect and restore taxa threatened with extinction. Speyeria zerenehippolyta, the Oregon silverspot butterfly, is a U.S.A. federally threatened subspecies that is the focus of considerable conservation effort, but whose evolutionary relationships with other Speyeria taxa are not well-understood. We conducted a genetic analysis of nine Speyeria species and 25 subspecies from western U.S.A., using both mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Our goal was to determine whether such data supported (a) S. z.hippolyta’s designation as an ESU, and (b) the current morphologically-based taxonomy of Speyeria spp. Our data for S. z.hippolyta were equivocal; while nuclear markers resolved all these individuals into a single clade, mtDNA data suggested the existence of two clades. Aside from S. cybele, which was consistently supported as monophyletic, our data provided little support for most of the species currently recognized for western U.S. Speyeria, including S. zerene, and even less for the many subspecies designations. These genetic findings stand in contrast to the morphological differences recognized by experts, and suggest a relatively recent origin for many of these taxa. Two of 66 individuals screened for Wolbachia infection tested positive for this symbiont. Our results provide no persuasive evidence that S. z.hippolyta should lose its status as an ESU, but they have important implications for ongoing management actions such as population augmentation.
- Subjects
FATE mapping (Genetics); CONSERVATION &; restoration; MITOCHONDRIAL DNA; SPEYERIA; OREGON silverspot butterfly; WOLBACHIA
- Publication
Journal of Insect Conservation, 2013, Vol 17, Issue 6, p1237
- ISSN
1366-638X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10841-013-9605-5