Genetic structure and phenotypic diversity of two northern populations of Cheilosia aff. longula (Diptera: Syrphidae) has implications for evolution and conservation

Abstract

Abstract. The genetic structure and phenotypic diversity of two populations of Cheilosia aff. longula (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Lapland, Finland, were examined using DNA sequencing, protein electrophoresis, and geometric morphometrics. The morphological identification of the species were verified using partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI mtDNA), and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed region 2 (ITS2 rDNA), and comparing the corresponding sequences of Cheilosia aff. longula and the closely related C. longula. Two and three haplotypes of the genes COI mtDNA and ITS2 rDNA were identified in the two populations. Analysis of 12 isozyme loci showed an extremely low genetic variability in the populations originating from Utsjoki and Kevo. Discriminant analysis combined with canonical variate analysis revealed inter-population divergence in wing shape. Variation among genetically diverse individuals, both within-and among studied populations was studied, and directional (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) estimated using landmarks in the framework of geometric morphometrics. It is likely that the documented DA and FA asymmetry in both wing shape and size reflects the developmental instability of the individuals studied. By using Procrustes ANOVA the locations of particular landmarks responsible for the variation in shape were determined. The decomposition of the components of variance accorded to each landmark showed that the landmarks differed in the percentage of variation they accounted for (DA, FA and variation among individuals). In the discussion the implications of the reduced genetic diversity and asymmetry in wing traits for conservation is considered.

Genetic and phenotypic diversity patterns inMerodon albifrons Meigen, 1822 (Diptera: Syrphidae): evidence of intraspecific spatial and temporal structuring

“…By contrast to wing size, statistically significant sexual dimorphism based on wing shape was found in all studied populations of M. albifrons . Previous studies on several hoverfly taxa also showed statistically significant sexual shape dimorphism (Ludoški et al ., ; Milankov et al ., , 2010a, b; Francuski et al ., 2011b). The presence of significant differences in wing shape between females and males is an indication that the genetic part of the overall phenotypic variance is strongly involved (Monteiro et al ., ; Matta & Bitner‐Mathé, ).…”

Landscape genetics and wing morphometrics show a lack of structuring across island and coastal populations of the drone fly in theMediterranean

“…However, although geometric morphometric analysis using wing venation landmarks has been shown to be useful for distinguishing geographic conspecific populations in hoverflies, this method has been mainly applied to the study of genera with patchy distribution and species with non‐migratory behaviour, such as Cheilosia spp. (Ludoški et al ., ; Milankov et al ., ).…”

The effects of larval diet on adult life-history traits of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

“…Morphometric analysis of wing landmarks has been used to determine the variability in size of laboratory strains of flies and differences between natural populations (e.g. Milankov et al, 2010;Prudhomme et al, 2012). Measurements of differences in wing size (based on centroid size analysis) provide information that can be evaluated statistically and critically (Rohlf, 1993).…”