Genetic differentiation among the Maculinea species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in eastern Central Europe

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyse the level of genetic variation in the eastern Central European (Slovenia, Hungary, and Romania/Transylvania) populations of the Large Blues (Maculinea) to analyse the pattern of differentiation both between and within the species. One objective was to compare the level of differentiation between the two disputed species (Maculinea alcon and Maculinea rebeli) with that among the other species. Imagos were collected from 23 localities in eastern Central Europe in 2002. Enzyme polymorphism was analysed using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Fourteen enzyme loci were studied in all samples. In the analysis of the data, F‐statistics and Nei’s genetic distances were calculated and a dendrogram (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) was constructed on the basis of the distance matrix. A multivariate analysis of variance was performed to study the pattern of genetic differentiation among the samples. Principal component analysis analysis was also carried out using the allele frequency data of the samples. Our results indicated that the large blues are generally less polymorphic than other European lycaenid butterflies studied. At the same time, the level of genetic differentiation was high, even among local populations within the species. A low level of genetic variation within the populations coupled with strong differentiation among them implies the effect of genetic drift. Strong genetic differentiation of four Maculinea species (M. alcon, Maculinea teleius, Maculinea nausithous, and Maculinea arion) was confirmed. Significant differentiation was not found between M. alcon and M. rebeli. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 91, 11–21.

Contrasting levels of polymorphism in cross-amplified microsatellites in two endangered xerothermophilous, obligatorily myrmecophilous, butterflies of the genus Phengaris (Maculinea) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

“…The level of population differentiation in P. arion indicated by the present study (overall FST = 0.110) is almost identical to that reported for populations of the species from southern parts of Central Europe (overall FST = 0.097), based on an analysis of allozyme loci (Pecsenye et al, 2007). These results suggest a significant reduction in gene flow, which is not surprising as Polish populations of P. arion inhabit rather isolated localities usually separated from each other by vast areas of unsuitable habitat.…”

“…) and P. rebeli (Hirschke) (Thomas, 1995;Thomas & Elmes, 1998). However, the taxonomic status of these two species is disputed as recent genetic studies did not differentiate between them (Als et al, 2004;Pecsenye et al, 2007). Nevertheless, because of ecological differences and some developmental features it is suggested that they should be treated at least as distinct conservation units (Sielezniew & Stankiewicz, 2007) and they are still considered as separate species in many studies.…”

“…There is no doubt that the molecular techniques, which allow researchers to measure and characterize the pattern of distribution of genetic variability at the molecular level, have significantly increased our knowledge about members of the genus Phengaris (Maculinea). For example, allozyme data were used to analyse genetic differentiation among populations of four Phengaris species inhabiting eastern parts of Central Europe (Pecsenye et al, 2007), investigate the genetic structure of sympatric populations of P. nausithous and P. teleius (Figurny-Puchalska et al, 2000) and local populations of P. alcon on the Jutland peninsula (Gadeberg & Boomsma, 1997), as well as resolve taxonomic uncertainties between P. alcon and P. 'rebeli' (Bereczki et al, 2005). In addition, mitochondrial gene sequences have served as a source of information for reconstructing the phylogeny of Phengaris/Maculinea taxa (Als et al, 2004).…”

What keeps ‘living dead’ alive: demography of a small and isolated population of Maculinea (= Phengaris) alcon

“…To complete their life cycle they require two crucial resources, which comprise specific foodplants, on which Maculinea larvae feed in their initial stages, and specific host ants of the genus Myrmica, in the colonies of which the larvae finish their development, acting as social parasites (Thomas 1995;Witek et al 2010). There is a controversy surrounding the taxonomic status of M. alcon, with its two distinct forms associated with wet meadows and xerothermic grasslands, regarded as separate species or, more frequently, merely as different ecotypes (Als et al 2004;Pecsenye et al 2007;Sielezniew et al 2012;Bereczki et al 2018). Consequently, the conservation status of the species is uncertain, and it is classified as least concern (LC) in Europe (van Swaay et al 2010), even though many authors regard both forms to be clearly under threat (WallisDeVries 2004;Tartally et al 2008;Czekes et al 2014).…”

Adult longevity and its relationship with conservation status in European butterflies

“…The core data set excluded species for which data quality was problematic for various reasons. These included cases of (a) species for which data on adult life span and light period length came from distant populations, representing diferent biogeographic regions; (b) species for which only the data for the second generation was available; and (c) Maculinea alcon, the conservation status of which is questionable, apparently due to its uncertain systematic status, with two distinct forms existing, namely M. alcon 'alcon' and M. alcon 'rebeli' (Als et al 2004;Steiner et al 2005;Pecsenye et al 2007;Sielezniew et al 2012). It is classiied as LC by van Swaay et al (2010), however many authors regard both forms to be under threat in Europe (WallisDeVries 2004; Tartally et al 2008;Czekes et al 2014).…”