Mitochondrial DNA Markers Reveal High Genetic Diversity but Low Genetic Differentiation in the Black Fly Simulium tani Takaoka & Davies along an Elevational Gradient in Malaysia

Abstract

The population genetic structure of Simulium tani was inferred from mitochondria-encoded sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunits I (COI) and II (COII) along an elevational gradient in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. A statistical parsimony network of 71 individuals revealed 71 haplotypes in the COI gene and 43 haplotypes in the COII gene; the concatenated sequences of the COI and COII genes revealed 71 haplotypes. High levels of genetic diversity but low levels of genetic differentiation were observed among populations of S. tani at five elevations. The degree of genetic diversity, however, was not in accordance with an altitudinal gradient, and a Mantel test indicated that elevation did not have a limiting effect on gene flow. No ancestral haplotype of S. tani was found among the populations. Pupae with unique structural characters at the highest elevation showed a tendency to form their own haplotype cluster, as revealed by the COII gene. Tajima’s D, Fu’s Fs, and mismatch distribution tests revealed population expansion of S. tani in Cameron Highlands. A strong correlation was found between nucleotide diversity and the levels of dissolved oxygen in the streams where S. tani was collected.

A multi‐locus approach resolves the phylogenetic relationships of the Simulium asakoae and Simulium ceylonicum species groups in Malaysia: evidence for distinct evolutionary lineages

“…Of the five genetic markers in our study, the COI gene is more variable and informative in resolving interspecific relationships among the members of the S. ceylonicum and S. asakoae species groups. The COI gene has been the genetic marker of choice for blackflies in studies of DNA barcoding (Rivera & Currie, ; Pramual et al ., ; Pramual & Adler, ), phylogenetics (Conflitti et al ., ; Phayuhasena et al ., ; Pramual et al ., ), and phylogeography (Pramual et al ., ; Finn & Adler, ; Low et al ., ). The value of this marker in revealing the cryptic biodiversity of blackflies has been documented (Pramual et al ., ; Pramual & Nanork, ).…”

“…() for 16S rRNA, and Low et al . () for 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA. Primers used for amplification of these five genes are summarized in Table .…”

Intraspecific Genetic Diversity of Two Black Fly Species (Diptera: Simuliidae) from South India using DNA Barcode Based RFLP Analysis

“…The greater genetic diversity of S. (S.) gravelyi was observed at high elevational site (1590 m) using RAPD (Anbalagan et al, 2012). Further, dissolved oxygen in stream had a strong relationship with nucleotide diversity of S. (S.) tani in Malaysia (Low et al, 2014). The distributions of black flies, from cytotypes and molecular forms to full species, typically are related with stream profiles of pH, stream size and water temperature (Grunewald, 1981;Maraun et al, 2013).…”

“…Genetic diversity studies in black flies have been conducted on Simulium gravelyi by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) (Anbalagan et al, 2012), Psilopelmia by internal transcribed spacer 1 of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (Tang et al, 1998), Cnephia by DNA barcode gene (Conflitti et al, 2013) and Simulium tani by DNA barcoding genes (COI and COII) (Low et al, 2014). Less attention has received on DNA barcode based RFLP analysis in black fly.…”

Comprehensive analysis of population genetics of Phoxinus phoxinus ujmonensis in the Irtysh River: Abiotic and biotic factors

“…The aquatic dissolved oxygen was reported as a selective force limiting gene flow among populations and therefore played a key role in determining the genetic structure of populations (Robert, Merritt, Chapman, David, & Martinez, ). Genetic study in Simulium tani also showed that nucleotide diversity was strongly correlated to the levels of dissolved oxygen in the streams (Low, Adler, & Takaoka, ). The cold water fish Cottus poecilopus was also reported to be abundant in streams with high oxygen saturation and high abundance of macroinvertebrates (Baran et al, ).…”