Conservation genetics in hypersaline inland waters: mitochondrial diversity and phylogeography of an endangered Iberian beetle (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae) |
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Authors: | P Abellán J Gómez-Zurita A Millán D Sánchez-Fernández J Velasco J Galián I Ribera |
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Institution: | (1) Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain;(2) Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain;(3) Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain |
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Abstract: | Saline inland waters are globally threatened habitats harbouring many specialised endemic species, which often have restricted
geographic ranges, and occur as highly isolated populations. We studied the genetic variation and phylogeography of Ochthebius glaber Montes and Soler, a rare and endangered water beetle endemic to hypersaline streams in the South and Southeast of the Iberian
Peninsula. We used a 633 bp fragment of cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene to determine the genetic diversity and phylogeographic
structure within this species, and interpret this in the light of the speciesȁ9 conservation requirements. Thirteen populations
were sampled across the speciesȁ9 geographic range, and genetic diversity found to be very high, with 37 haplotypes across
the 71 specimens examined (p-distance 0.2–7.3%, average 3.1±0.4). Phylogeographic analyses revealed a surprisingly high degree of geographical structure,
detectable among populations separated by relatively short geographical distances, with three main groups of haplotypes which
have apparently been isolated for significant periods of time. Past fragmentation and contiguous range expansion events were
inferred as the main causes of the detected geographical associations of haplotypes. The establishment of independent evolutionary
lineages as conservation units is particularly important for species inhabiting saline habitats such as O. glaber, which is endangered by habitat loss across most of its distribution. However, given the natural instability of hypersaline
environments, the conservation of a network of populations and potential habitats would be necessary to enable the preservation
of the process generating and maintaining the diversity of the species. |
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Keywords: | Iberian Peninsula Hypersaline streams Coleoptera Habitat fragmentation ESU |
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