Glacial History of a Modern Invader: Phylogeography and Species Distribution Modelling of the Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus

Abstract

BackgroundThe tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is one of the 100 most invasive species in the world and a vector of human diseases. In the last 30 years, it has spread from its native range in East Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Although this modern invasion has been the focus of many studies, the history of the species’ native populations remains poorly understood. Here, we aimed to assess the role of Pleistocene climatic changes in shaping the current distribution of the species in its native range.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe investigated the phylogeography, historical demography, and species distribution of Ae. albopictus native populations at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Individuals from 16 localities from East Asia were analyzed for sequence variation at two mitochondrial genes. No phylogeographic structure was observed across the study area. Demographic analyses showed a signature of population expansion that started roughly 70,000 years BP. The occurrence of a continuous and climatically suitable area comprising Southeast China, Indochinese Peninsula, and Sundaland during LGM was indicated by species distribution modelling.Conclusions/SignificanceOur results suggest an evolutionary scenario in which, during the last glacial phase, Ae. albopictus did not experience a fragmentation phase but rather persisted in interconnected populations and experienced demographic growth. The wide ecological flexibility of the species probably played a crucial role in its response to glacial-induced environmental changes. Currently, there is little information on the impact of Pleistocene climatic changes on animal species in East Asia. Most of the studies focused on forest-associated species and suggested cycles of glacial fragmentation and post-glacial expansion. The case of Ae. albopictus, which exhibits a pattern not previously observed in the study area, adds an important piece to our understanding of the Pleistocene history of East Asian biota.

Population genetic structure of Aedes albopictus in Penang, Malaysia

“…Other studies of A. albopictus mitochondrial diversity also showed that native populations of this species harbor very low or no mitochondrial genetic diversity (Poretta et al, 2012). The pattern observed of genetic variation in populations of A. albopictus may be attributed to severe, repeated, or long periods of population bottlenecks that resulted in genetic variation losses because of random genetic drift (Nei et al, 1975;Birungi and Munstermann, 2002).…”

Photoperiodic Diapause and the Establishment ofAedes albopictus(Diptera: Culicidae) in North America

“…In addition to ND5, analysis of mtDNA gene sequences including Cytb and COI has also been used to examine the phylogeography of Ae. albopictus (Mousson et al 2005, UsmaniBrown et al 2009, Kamgang et al 2011, Porretta et al 2012, Beebe et al 2013). Additionally, a recent study analyzing COI mtDNA variation strongly supports an Asian origin of Ae.…”

Climatic suitability of Aedes albopictus in Europe referring to climate change projections: comparison of mechanistic and correlative niche modelling approaches

“…A combination of phylogenetic analyses with distribution models was used to reconstruct the spatial occurrence of A. albopictus during the Pleistocene [63]. Such combined approaches seem to be a promising effort to support future projections.…”