Population genetic structure of the melon fly, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bactrocera cucurbitae</Emphasis> (Diptera: Tephritidae), from China and Southeast Asia

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett, is a species of fruit flies of significant agricultural interest. Of supposed Indian origin, the melon fly is now widely distributed throughout South East Asia up to China, while it has been recently eradicated from Japan. The population structure of seven geographic populations from coastal China, as well as samples from other regions of South East Asia and Japan, including lab colonies, have been studied using a 782 bp fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequence. The observed genetic diversity was exceedingly low, considering the geographic scale of the sampling, and one single haplotype was found to be predominant from Sri Lanka to China. We confirm that Bactrocera cucurbitae exists in South East Asia as a single phyletic lineage, that Chinese populations are genetically uniform, and that no apparent genetic differentiation exists between these and three available Japanese melon fly sequences.     

Intraspecific sterility barrier confirms that introduction of Sphaerotrichia divaricata (Phaeophyceae,Chordariales) into the Mediterranean was from Japan

Crossing studies revealed an intraspecific sterility barrier on the level of zygote formation between Japanese Sphaerotrichia divaricata and isolates of the same species from the Northeast Pacific and the North Atlantic. Because no consistent morphological differences exist between sporophytes from Japan and other areas, we propose not to distinguish the intersterile populations as different species. Japanese Sphaerotrichia and isolates from a recently detected population in the Étang de Thau, French Mediterranean coast, are interfertile. The crossing studies support the assumption that this Mediterranean population is a recent introduction from Japan.     

Intraspecific Genetic Diversity of Undaria pinnatifida in Japan, based on the Mitochondrial cox3 Gene and the ITS1 of nrDNA

The intraspecific genetic diversity of the kelp Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) was investigated using DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 3 (cox3) gene and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA in plants collected from 21 localities along the Japanese coast between 2001 and 2003. Morphological variation was also examined and compared with the genetic diversity. Cox3 analyses of 106 plants revealed 9 haplotypes (I–IX) that differed from each other by 1–7 bp (all synonymous substitutions). Haplotype I was distributed in Hokkaido and the northern Pacific coast of Honshu, while haplotype III was found along the Sea of Japan coast of Honshu. Other types were found along the central and southern coast of Honshu. ITS1 analyses of 42 plants revealed 0–1.7% nucleotide differences, but plants from the Sea of Japan coast and northern Japan had similar sequences. The lower genetic differentiation along the Sea of Japan and northern coasts might be due to the recent establishment (after the middle of the last glacial period) of the Sea of Japan flora. The cox3 haplotype of cultivated plants was found in natural populations occurring close to cultivation sites (Naruto, Tokushima Pref., and Hokutan, Hyogo Pref.). This suggests that cultivated plants possibly escaped and spread or crossed with plants of natural populations. Morphological analyses of variation in 10 characters were conducted using 66 plants. The results showed no significant local variation owing to the wide variation in each population and did not support any forma previously described. No correlations between the morphological characters and cox3 haplotypes were detected.     

Low genetic differentiation among widely separated populations of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata as revealed by AFLP

Genetic variation within and among five populations of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata, from China (Daya Bay, Sanya Bay and Beibu Bay), Japan (Mie Prefecture) and Australia (Port Stephens) was studied using AFLP. Three primer pairs generated 184 loci among which 91.8-97.3% is polymorphic. An overall genetic diversity of 0.38 among populations and an average of 0.37 within populations (ranging from 0.35 in Japanese population to 0.39 in Beibu Bay population) were observed. Genetic differentiation among the five populations is low but significant as indicated by pairwise G_ST (0.0079-0.0404). AMOVA further shows that differentiation is significant among the five populations but is not significant at a broader geographical scale, among the three groups of Chinese, Japanese and Australian populations or among the two groups of Australian and north Pacific populations. The low level of genetic differentiation indicated that P. fucata populations in the west Pacific are genetically linked. Among the five populations, the Australian one is more differentiated from the others, based on both pairwise AMOVA and G_ST analyses, and is genetically isolated by distance as indicated by Mantel test. However, genetic differences among the three Chinese populations are not correlated with the geographic distances, suggesting that Hainan Island and Leizhou Peninsula may act as barriers blocking gene flow.     

Comparison of genetic population structure between two cyprinids, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hemigrammocypris rasborella</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudorasbora pumila</Emphasis> subsp., in the Ise Bay basin,central Honshu,Japan

Two small cyprinid fishes, Hemigrammocypris rasborella and Pseudorasbora pumila subsp. (sensu Nakamura 1963), inhabit similar habitats and often occur sympatrically in the Ise Bay basin, central Honshu Island, Japan. Their genetic population structures were revealed, using sequence data from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, and then compared. Hemigrammocypris rasborella populations in the Ise Bay area formed a monophyletic group that has been isolated from eastern (Tenryu River) and western (Lake Biwa–Yodo River) populations at least for several hundred thousand years. Pseudorasbora pumila subsp., endemic to the Ise Bay area, was estimated to have become isolated from its sister subspecies, P. p. pumila, about 5 million years ago. Both H. rasborella and P. pumila subsp. had centers of genetic diversity around the Okazaki Plain in the eastern part of the basin and showed trans-bay distribution of haplotypes or haplotype groups. Their common population structure was explained by geological features in the Ise Bay area, in which a large paleo-river system developed in regression periods, suggesting gene flow among populations of each species in the mid to lower reaches of the paleo-river. Based on the estimated expansion or divergence time, however, not all populations experienced gene flow during the Last Glacial. In contrast to the maintenance of high genetic diversity in H. rasborella, almost all populations of P. pumila subsp. have lost mitochondrial DNA genetic diversity. This implies that effective population size of P. pumila subsp. tended to be smaller, probably because of differences in reproductive ecology, even though the two species have been exposed to similar environmental changes. For conservation of the two species, genetic and adaptive differentiation among local populations should be considered, and attention should be paid to inbreeding depression, especially in P. pumila subsp. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Microsatellite variation and differentiation among local populations of Castanopsis species in Japan

Microsatellite variations in Castanopsis species in Japan were examined to clarify the genetic relationships among 25 local populations according to the difference in the number of layers of adaxial epidermis in the leaves. Six microsatellite loci were assayed for 629 seedlings from the populations, and these seedlings were classified into five types according to the state of the leaf epidermis. Remarkable differences in the allele frequency of the six microsatellite loci were observed among these local populations. The coefficients of genetic differentiation, R_ST, of each locus ranged from 0.209 to 0.388. An unweighted pair-group method (UPGMA) phenogram constructed on the population pairwise R_ST over the loci revealed three clusters (A–C), and six sub-clusters. These clusters reflected the differences in the occurrence frequency of seedlings in each epidermis type within a population. Our findings suggest that clusters A and C are the local populations dominated by Castanopsis sieboldii and Castanopsis cuspidata, respectively, while local populations of cluster B are composed of the two Castanopsis species and/or include many individuals derived by hybridization. The six sub-clusters were found to reflect the geographic relationship among the populations, suggesting a different process for geographic population dynamics during the postglacial period.     

Genetic diversity and mating system of the threatened plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kirengeshoma palmata</Emphasis> (Saxifragaceae) in Korea

The endangered herb Kirengeshoma palmata, from eastern Asia, has had its population severely reduced in number through habitat loss and fragmentation. All of the individuals within five subgroups at Mt. Baek-un-san, in the southern part of Korea, were genetically surveyed by allozyme analysis. Genetic diversity levels within subgroups were relatively high, and a consistently high outcrossing rate as well as a negligible biparental mating rate were confirmed by this study. Several groups of visibly connected ramets were observed in a clustered distribution which suggested cloning. Absence of mating partner rather than pollinators decreased seed production in small mating groups. The present genetic structure of the five subgroups was probably the result of local extinction of intervening populations. Because K. palmata may be a self-incompatible species, populations with few genets face lowered seed set due to mate scarcity. Thus, this type of population may be at an increased risk of extinction as a result of inbreeding depression, loss of genetic variability, and reduced sexual reproduction. The small, genetically depauperate subgroups may need an input of seeds or plants from other populations in China or Japan in order to regenerate, but the possibility of outcrossing depression leads us to recommend outbreeding among the local subgroups of Mt. Baek-un-san to restore genetic variability.     

Using dense locality sampling resolves the subtle genetic population structure of the dispersive fish species Plecoglossus altivelis

In dispersive species with continuous distributions, genetic differentiation between local populations is often absent or subtle and thus difficult to detect. To incorporate such subtle differentiation into management plans, it may be essential to analyse many samples from many localities using adequate numbers of high‐resolution genetic markers. Here, we evaluated the usefulness of dense locality sampling in resolving genetic population structure in the ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis), a dispersive fish important in Japanese inland fisheries. Genetic variability in, and differentiation between, ayu populations around the Japan–Ryukyu Archipelago were investigated in 4746 individuals collected from 120 localities by genotyping 12 microsatellite markers. These individuals represented the two subspecies of ayu, namely the Ryukyuan subspecies (Plecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis) and both amphidromous and landlocked forms of the nominotypical subspecies (P. a. altivelis) along the archipelago. We successfully detected an absence of genetic differentiation within the landlocked form and subtle but significant differentiation and clear geographic patterns of genetic variation among populations of the amphidromous form, which had been considered genetically homogeneous. This suggests that dense locality sampling effectively resolves subtle differences in genetic population structure, reducing stochastic deviation in the detection of genetic differentiation and geographic patterns in local populations of this dispersive species. Resampling analyses based on empirical data sets clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of increasing the number of locality samples for stable and reliable estimations of genetic fixation indices. The genetic population structure observed within the amphidromous form provides useful information for identifying management or conservation units in ayu.     

Population structure of the sailfin sandfish, Arctoscopus japonicus (Trichodontidae), in the Sea of Japan

We analyzed patterns of genetic diversity in the sailfin sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus), focusing on population subdivisions within the Sea of Japan. We observed 270 specimens from nine sampling sites in 1999–2000, i.e., seven sites in the Sea of Japan and two sites from the Pacific coast of Hokkaido. An additional site (30 specimens) was sampled from eastern Korea in the spawning season of 2004 for comparison. Forty haplotypes, compiled into three haplogroups (A–C), were detected based on the comparison of a 400-bp sequence of the anterior part of the mitochondrial control region. In accordance with previous hypotheses from morphological and molecular analyses, genetic discontinuity between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific coast of Hokkaido was conspicuous. Within the Sea of Japan, eight sampling sites were not genetically uniform, and most of the variations among sites were detected between eastern Korea [the “eastern Korea” (EK) population: distributed from the Korean Peninsula to Mishima, Yamaguchi Prefecture] and the other sites along the coast of Japan [the “western Japan” (WJ) population: from Oki Islands to western Hokkaido] (Φ _CT  = 0.096, P = 0.0183). The WJ population, having lower genetic variability, showed significant departure from neutrality, indicating influences through a recent population expansion. The period of the expansion can be estimated to have begun on the order of 10⁴ years ago. We consider that the present Japan Sea populations have been formed through the invasion of a small ancestral stock to the Sea of Japan and its population expansion during the last glacial period or later. On the other hand, we failed to detect distinct evidence of a population expansion in the EK population. Haplogroup C, detected in a high frequency in this population, was estimated to have mixed with haplogroup A after rapid differentiations of the latter. Therefore, the EK population, strongly influenced by such a mixture, might possess haplogroup C in a higher frequency and a different haplotype composition from the WJ population.     

Comparative population structure of Chinese sumac aphid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schlechtendalia chinensis</Emphasis> and its primary host-plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhus chinensis</Emphasis>

Most of our current understanding of comparative population structure has been come from studies of parasite–host systems, whereas the genetic comparison of gallnut-aphids and their host-plants remain poorly documented. Here, we examined the population genetic structure of the Chinese sumac aphid Schlechtendalia chinensis and its unique primary host-plant Rhus chinensis in a mountainous province in western China using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Despite being sampled from a mountainous geographic range, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that the majority of genetic variation occurred among individuals within populations of both the aphid and its host. The aphid populations were found to be structured similarly to their primary host populations (F _ST values were 0.239 for the aphid and 0.209 for its host), suggesting that there are similar patterns of gene flow between the populations of the aphid and between populations of its host-plant. The genetic distances (F _ST/1 − F _ST) between the aphid populations and between its host-plant populations were uncorrelated, indicating that sites with genetically similar host-plant populations may not always have genetically similar aphid populations. The lack of relationships between genetic and geographical distance matrices suggested that isolation by distance (IBD) played a negligible role at this level. This may be mainly attributed to the founder effect, genetic drift and the relative small spatial scale between populations. Zhumei Ren and Bin Zhu contributed equally to this work.     

Molecular and morphological differences between two geographic populations of Salanx ariakensis (Salangidae) from Korea and Japan

Geographic variations of a salangid, Salanx ariakensis, from Korea and Japan, based on partial mtDNA cyt b gene sequences and morphometric data, are presented and compared with Salanx cuvieri from China. Analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) suggested that the two populations of S. ariakensis differed significantly from each other in pairwise fixation index (F _ST = 0.43), although their reciprocal monophyly was not constructed in the phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic analysis, however, supported the reciprocal monophyly of S. ariakensis (Korean population + Japanese population) and S. cuvieri. Differences in genetic structure between the two populations of S. ariakensis were suggested by diversity indices, mismatch distribution shape, and minimum spanning network. In particular, diversity indices indicated that the Korean population was historically larger and more stable than the Japanese population. In addition, both the principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) for morphometric characters, and the Kruskal–Wallis test for some meristic characters, showed that the two populations of S. ariakensis differed from each other, although morphological differences between the two populations of S. ariakensis were smaller than those between S. ariakensis and S. cuvieri. Such morphological differences were consistent with the differences in mtDNA.     

Microsatellite DNA polymorphism of Japanese sea bass (Laterolabrax japonicus) inhabiting Chinese and Japanese coasts

Twenty‐two microsatellite DNA markers were developed for Japanese sea bass (Laterolabrax japonicus), of which 19 were independent from each other and at Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium across the three populations of Japanese sea bass inhabiting Chinese coasts (defined as China group) and the five populations inhabiting Japanese coasts (defined as Japan group). These 19 markers were used to determine the number of alleles and the expected heterozygosity across the eight populations. The majority of individuals (93.8–98.8%) of the three populations of the pre‐defined China group were assigned to an inferred cluster, and 90.9–94.6% of the individuals of the five populations of the pre‐defined Japan group were assigned to the other. The average number of alleles across the 19 loci was significantly lower in the China group than in the Japan group (10.3 vs 15.4), however, the average expected heterozygosity across the 19 loci of the China group was similar to that of the Japan group (0.743 vs 0.750). An effective population size reduction (i.e. bottleneck effect) was detected in the China group (P = 0.00357), which may have resulted from either over‐catching or glaciations or both. The pairwise F_ST among populations of the China group (0.019–0.029) and among populations of the Japan group (0.003–0.021) were lower than those between the populations of the China group and the populations of the Japan group (0.076–0.101). The average pair‐wise F_ST between the populations of the China group and those of the Japan group reached 0.075, and the variation between the China group and the Japan group accounted for 7.16% of the total. Nei’s original measures of genetic distances among the populations of the China group and the Japan group ranged from 0.123 to 0.145 and from 0.055 to 0.123, respectively, while that between the populations of the China group and the populations of the Japan group ranged from 0.326 to 0.450. Japanese sea bass is able to disperse over a long distance; however, our observations demonstrated that it cannot migrate across a possible barrier existing between Chinese and Japanese coasts. Most individuals of the Zhoushan population of the China group were assigned to two inferred clusters, and most individuals of Ariake Sea, Tokyo Bay and Ishikawa populations of the Japan group were assigned to three inferred clusters, indicating that these locations were the gathering grounds of Japanese sea bass.     

Significance of habitat type for the genetic population structure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Panonychus citri</Emphasis> (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Restricted migration and habitat fragmentation promote genetic differentiation between populations: Because most of the hosts of Panonychus citri are woody plants, mainly citrus trees that are usually planted at intervals of several metres, this mite likely faces more risks (e.g., starvation) by dispersing between host plants, compared to other spider mite species that infest both herbaceous and woody plants, such as Tetranychus urticae. Such a limited gene flow between patches (host plants) can lead to differentiation of populations even within a small area. Therefore, we hypothesize that P. citri populations are genetically differentiated not only between distant populations but also within small areas, such as within a grove. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the divergence of P. citri populations in Japanese citrus groves according to a hierarchical arrangement of geographical distance, ranging from distant populations (10 groves distributed throughout different areas in two major Japanese islands; this level of analysis is referred to as ‘geographic’) to local populations (different trees in a specific grove; ‘local’). Three molecular markers were used an esterase locus, one microsatellite and a point mutation in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I. At a local level acaricide susceptibility tests were also performed using two acaricides: fenpyroximate (25 ppm) and etoxazole (3.33 ppm). At a broad geographic level the gene diversity decreased with decreasing area size and distance between populations. By contrast, at the local level, populations maintained a significant level of variation between trees within groves, and the divergence within groves was higher than between groves. Whereas no statistical difference of the mortalities was detected among groves for the two acaricides tested, the difference was statistically significant among trees within groves in fenpyroximate (ANOVA, p < 0.025) and marginal in etoxazole (0.1 < p < 0.05). We concluded that P. citri populations maintain a higher level of variation between trees (or patches of trees) within groves than between groves at the local level, though the gene diversity tended to be smaller with decreasing distance between populations at the geographical level. Results are discussed in relation to the dispersal behaviour of spider mites.     

Phylogenetic relationships of the Japanese minnows,Pseudorasbora (Cyprinidae), as inferred from mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences

The phylogenetic relationships among threePseudorasbora fishes (Cyprinidae, Sarcocheiichthyinae) occurring in Japan (P. parva, P. pumila pumila andP. pumila subsp. sensu Nakamura [1963]) were inferred from nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. The sequences. of 1240 bp, were determined and compared for 22 specimens from 2–8 populations for each taxon, with a singlePungtungia herzi specimen as an outgroup. A total of 171 sites (13.8%) were variable among the specimens, but only 0–2 sites within each population. The phylogenetic relationships estimated by neighbor-joining, maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood methods confirmed a sister relationship between the twoP. pumila subspecies, with a high level of confidence. However, their genetic distinction from each other (4.1±0.4SD % sequence difference on average) was at a level similar to that between them andP. parva (5.9±0.5%). The geographic distribution of the twoP. pumila subspecies, which are separated by the Fossa Magna region, suggests that the genetic divergence of the two subspecies originated from a vicariant process separating the freshwater ichthyofaunas of eastern and western Honshu.Pseudorasbora parva populations were divided into two genetic groups (1.8±0.2% sequence difference), one group comprising continental and part of the Japanese populations, and the other the remaining Japanese populations. This suggests that at least two genetically divergent lineages had been originally distributed in Japan, but a strong possibility remains that the present situation has resulted from artificial transplantation.     

Taxonomic review of East Asian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pleuronichthys</Emphasis> (Pleuronectiformes: Pleuronectidae), with description of a new species

A review of East Asian frog flounders, genus Pleuronichthys (family Pleuronectidae), recognized Pleuronichthys japonicus sp. nov. and P. cornutus (Temminck and Schlegel 1846). Pleuronichthys japonicus sp. nov. is characterized by small, dark, rounded spots or marbled markings on the ocular side of the body, rounded cycloid scales somewhat irregularly arranged, usually 12 abdominal vertebrae, 67–80 (modally 75) dorsal-fin rays, 48–59 (modally 55) anal-fin rays, and a short branch of the supratemporal lateral line usually present on both sides. Pleuronichthys cornutus is characterized by densely distributed small, dark, irregular spots on the ocular side of the body, elongate cycloid scales somewhat regularly arranged, usually 13 abdominal vertebrae, 72–88 (modally 77) dorsal-fin rays, 52–65 (modally 58) anal-fin rays, and a branch of the supratemporal lateral line usually absent on both sides. Whereas P. cornutus is distributed from Miyagi Prefecture (Tohoku District) southward along the Pacific coast of Japan to the Bungo Channel, from Akita Prefecture (Tohoku District) southward along the Sea of Japan coast through the Tsushima Strait to the East China Sea, Yellow and Bohai Seas, the Taiwan Strait, and northern Chinese coast of the South China Sea, P. japonicus is distributed from southern Hokkaido southward along the Sea of Japan and Pacific coasts of Japan to the southern East China Sea. Geographic variations were found in caudal vertebrae and anal-fin ray counts, and caudal-peduncle depth in P. cornutus, and in ocular side body coloration, body depth, and head length in P. japonicus. Pleuronichthys lighti Wu 1929 was regarded as a junior synonym of P. cornutus.     

Genetic variation and structure of the endangered freshwater benthic alga Marimo, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aegagropila linnaei</Emphasis> (Ulvophyceae) in Japanese lakes

Aegagropila linnaei is a freshwater green alga of the order Cladophorales, which is well known as ‘Marimo’ in Japan for its beautiful spherical form as lake balls in Lake Akan. Lake Akan is the only lake in which spherical ‘Marimo’ is found in Japan, but the species also grows as floating or epilithic filaments which appear in several other Japanese lakes. The spherical growth form usually reproduces vegetatively, and it is not known if the species also reproduces sexually or whether transformation between different growth forms happens in natural populations. In this study, the genetic diversity of A. linnaei in Japan was investigated using isozyme analysis. Apart from one colony in Lake Ogawara, each colony was genetically homogeneous, which suggests that asexual reproduction is dominant. All the non-epilithic (spherical aggregations, floating filaments, and floating tufts) colonies in Lake Akan were genetically similar, regardless of the location of sites within the lake, while epilithic colonies have different genetic structures. Therefore, transformation or gene flow between epilithic and non-epilithic forms is not evident in natural populations. Because the genetic diversity largely depends on epilithic algae in Lake Akan, it is important to conserve epilithic- as well as spherical-colonies.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Wolbachia</Emphasis>-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility in Japanese populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetranychus urticae</Emphasis> (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Intracellular bacteria of the genus Wolbachia (alpha Proteobacteria) induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in many arthropod species, including spider mites, but not all Wolbachia cause CI. In spider mites CI becomes apparent by a reduced egg hatchability and a lower daughter:son ratio: CI in haplodiploid organisms in general was expected to produce all-male offspring or a male-biased sex ratio without any death of eggs. In a previous study of Japanese populations of Tetranychus urticae, two out of three green-form populations tested were infected with non-CI Wolbachia strains, whereas none of six red-form populations harbored Wolbachia. As the survey of Wolbachia infection in T. urticae is still fragmentary in Japan, we checked Wolbachia infection in thirty green-form populations and 29 red-form populations collected from a wide range of Japanese islands. For Wolbachia-infected populations, we tested the effects of Wolbachia on the reproductive traits and determined the phylogenetic relationships of the different strains of Wolbachia. All but one green-form populations were infected with Wolbachia and all strains belonged to the subgroup Ori when the wsp gene was used to determine the phylogenetic relationships of different strains of Wolbachia. Six out of 29 red-form populations harbored Wolbachia and the infected strains belonged to the subgroups Ori and Bugs. Twenty-four of 29 infected green-form populations and five of six infected red-form populations induced CI among the hosts. Thus, CI-Wolbachia strains are widespread in Japan, and no geographical trend was observed in the CI-Wolbachia. Although three red-form populations harbored other intracellular bacteria Cardinium, they did not affect host reproduction.     

Mitochondrial DNA sequence variability in red-legged partridge, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alectoris rufa</Emphasis>, Spanish populations and the origins of genetic contamination from <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. chukar</Emphasis>

The analysis of 135 mitochondrial D-loop sequences of the Iberian autochthonous red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) from wild population hunting bags from various locations and fowl runs in Spain yielded 37 different haplotypes. Among these, three haplotypes correspond to chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar), indicating genetic introgression from birds illegally introduced for restocking: three individuals carrying such haplotypes where found in natural populations, one appeared among those sampled on a mass reproduction farm and the remaining 10 in another fowl-run. The geographical origin of the contaminating chukar haplotypes could be assigned to the most easterly area of the chukar partridge geographical distribution in China. Molecular diversity parameters in the A. rufa samples indicate a considerable amount of genetic variation. Φ_ST showed significant differences among populations that are not explained by geographical distance alone. Particularly, one northern population (Palencia) shows a certain degree of genetic differentiation that could reflect a previously suggested subspecies division. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Variation of ITS sequences in a natural Japanese population of Pleurocybella porrigens

Genetic relationships in a natural Japanese population of Pleurocybella porrigens were determined based on ITS sequence data. In a UPGMA similarity tree, all sequences of 23 specimens from 13 different geographic origins were grouped into two distinct clusters (groups A and B). Sequence variation of the ITS region between groups A and B consisted of 33–40 nucleotides, corresponding to 5%–6% of their total length, and specific nucleotide variations characterizing groups A and B were found. Although these results did not show correlation with differences of substrates for fruiting and geographic origins of the specimens, it was suggested that P. porrigens distributed in Japan include at least two genetically different populations. Contribution no. 376 of the Tottori Mycological Institute     

First record of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pluteus chrysophaeus</Emphasis> and reexamination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pluteus leoninus</Emphasis> from Japan

Pluteus chrysophaeus is described as a new record for Japanese mycobiota. Pluteus leoninus, reported for the first time from Japan by Imai (1938), probably represents P. chrysophaeus. The new Japanese specimens of P. leoninus is redescribed and illustrated.