Molecular Insights Into the Biogeography and Species Status of New Zealand's Endemic Latrodectus Spider Species; L. Katipo and L. Atritus (Araneae, Theridiidae)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. New Zealand's endemic sand dune Latrodectus widow spider species, L. katipo and L. atritus, possess behavioral and physiological attributes likely to promote dispersal over large distances. Morphological, physiological and behavioral similarities between L. katipo and L. hasselti, an Australian endemic, suggest gene flow may occur across the Tasman Sea. In this study we examine intraspecific and interspecific genetic relationships within the ND1 gene region between L. katipo, L. atritus, L. hasselti and L. hesperus to assess whether the genetic evidence supports current taxonomic species designations. We found low interspecific pairwise distances among L. katipo and L. atritus populations, suggesting either introgression, incomplete lineage sorting, or that the current taxonomic distinction between the two species may be invalid. Parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses were inconclusive as to the relationships between the New Zealand Latrodectus species and the Australian L. hasselti. Low pairwise distances between L. hasselti and the New Zealand widow fauna indicated that L. katipo and L. atritus were not present in New Zealand before the fragmentation of Gondwana.

Genetic relationships of Amaurobioides (Anyphaenidae) spiders from the southeastern coast of New Zealand

“…pletus complex attests to the distinctness of these species. This distance is similar to or greater than that observed among New Zealand onychophorans and insects (Trewick 2000;Trewick & Wallis 2001), about twice that observed for the oldest clades of Hawaiian tetragnathid spiders (Gillispie 1999), and almost ten times the greatest distance that separates populations of New Zealand's two widow spider species (Griffiths et al 2005). A rate of 2% (e.g., Brown et al 1979;DeSalle et al 1987;Juan, et al 1995;Gillespie 1999;Trewick & Morgan-Richards 2005) This date suggests an early to middle Pliocene origin for these species through geographical isolation on the NI and SI, respectively.…”

“…As demonstrated by studies cited above, molecular data are well suited to these tasks. In this study we use two mitochondrial genes, 16S and NADH dehydrogenase subunit ND1, both of which have been employed successfully to reconstruct the phylogenies of spider populations and species (Hedin 1997a, b;Gillespie 1999;Hedin & Maddison 2001;Bond et al 2001;Masta & Maddison 2002;Maddison & Hedin 2003;Vink & Paterson 2003;Griffiths et al 2005;Garb & Gillespie 2006).…”

Evolution of New Zealand's terrestrial fauna: a review of molecular evidence

“…Griffith et al (2005) found that genetic divergence between katipo and redbacks was equivalent to that of two very closely related species and that katipo are relatively recent arrivals into New Zealand. Likewise, the diverse Lycosid wolf spiders of New Zealand share a close relationship to Australian relatives and show a New Zealand species radiation (approx.…”

The Waipounamu Erosion Surface: questioning the antiquity of the New Zealand land surface and terrestrial fauna and flora

“…Most molecular studies have suggested that groups found in New Zealand, rather than being remnants from Gondwanan times, are actually much more recent in origin and have colonized across the significant water gaps around New Zealand. Examples include southern beeches (Swenson et al 2001;Knapp et al 2005), spiders (Griffiths, Paterson & Vink, 2005), moths (Brown, Emberson & Paterson, 1999), kiwis (Cooper et al 1992) and various flightless insects (Trewick, 2000). Only a few species have levels of molecular variation that are compatible with a Gondwanan origin, such as tuatara (Rest et al 2003), leiopelmatid frogs (Roelants & Bossuyt, 2005), kauri (Stöckler, Daniel & Lockhart, 2002) and terrestrial gastropods (McDowall, 2004).…”