Phylogenetic relationships in brown argus butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Aricia) from northwestern Europe

Lycaenid butterflies of the Aricia agestisartaxerxes complex pose an unresolved taxonomic and conservation problem in northwestern Europe. Two key issues require resolution: (i) how many species of Aricia occur in northwestern Europe and what are their distributions?; (ii) how is the morphological variation observed in northwestern Europe best explained? We investigated phylogenetic relationships and phylogeographic patterns in this species group using mitochondrial and nuclear markers in comparison with morphological variation. A 325 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochromeb gene was sequenced from 179 individuals representing 18 populations from the UK and Scandinavia. Seventeen enzymecoding loci were analysed from 538 individuals from the same populations. Highly congruent phylogenies between mitochondrial and allozyme markers demonstrate that the sample is composed of two closely related species, A. agestis and A. artaxerxes. Both marker types also suggest that Scottish and northern Scandinavian A. artaxerxes populations are conspecific, and consequently do not support the endemic status of A. artaxerxes in the UK. The subspecies division of British populations of A. artaxerxes is also not supported by phylogenetic analyses. Allozyme and mitochondrial analyses cluster two populations from the Peak District, UK, differently. The former suggests that they are A. artaxerxes whilst the latter suggests they are A. agestis. Further research is required to find the reason for this disagreement, which could be associated with the different dynamics of nuclear and mitochondrial genes across a hybrid zone between the two species. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 75 , 27–37.     

Ecomorphological and genetic divergence between lowland and montane forms of the Pieris napi species complex (Pieridae, Lepidoptera)

The present study aimed to investigate the morphological and genetic differentiation of lowland and montane populations of the Pieris napi species complex in Norway and to make inferences about the subspecific status of Pieris napi adalwinda and Pieris napi napi . We measured 22 morphological characters on 228 individuals from eight populations in Central Norway (20–1100 m a.s.l.). In addition, lowland and mountain animals were reared at a high altitude locality. Half the animals from either locality were reared on mountain plant, and the other half on a lowland plant. Finally, a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was sequenced for individuals from Central and South-eastern Norway and Germany. Principal component analysis of morphological characters showed a zone of abrupt change from lowland to mountain morphological character states between populations at 506 m and 730 m a.s.l., respectively. The transplant experiment showed that the morphological differences have a genetic basis and that food plants have no impact on morphology. Limited, but significant, molecular genetic differentiation was found between lowland and mountain animals, but the phylogenetic analysis, however, showed that the lowland form ( P. n. napi ) is paraphyletic and the montane form ( P. n. adalwinda ) is monophyletic. Further study is required before taxonomic recognition can be applied.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 92 , 727–745.