Sympatric occurrence of three leaf beetle species of Macroplea Samouelle, 1819 (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Donaciinae) in Finland with a key to species in Northern Europe |
| |
| Authors: | Varpu Vahtera Rami Laaksonen Suvi Kiviluoto Kari M Kaunisto Olof Biström |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Biodiversity Unit, Zoological Museum, University of Turku, Turku, Finland;2. Center for Economic Development, Transportation and the Environment, Environment and Natural Resources, Turku, Finland;3. Finnish Environment Institute, Marine Research Centre, Helsinki, Finland;4. Entomology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland |
| |
| Abstract: | Macroplea Samouelle, 1819 is the only known fully aquatic leaf beetle genus with three European species that have earlier been classified by their assumed water salinity preferences. We studied the inter- and intraspecific variation of the specimens living in Northern Europe using both molecular (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) and morphological evidence. The variation in the COI sequences between M. mutica (Fabricius, 1792) and M. pubipennis (Reuter, 1875) was 8.4%–9%, M. mutica and M. appendiculata (Panzer, 1794) – 3.9%–4.9%, and M. appendiculata and M. pubipennis – 8.8%–9.2%. All three species were sampled together in the Bothnian Sea on the same water plants, showing that neither salinity nor plant species bear a decisive importance in their occurrence in the region. Phylogenetic results suggest the existence of two currently unknown Macroplea species that are evolutionarily close to M. appendiculata. A key to the Nordic species is provided. |
| |
| Keywords: | Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Donacinae Macroplea COI phylogeny key to species Northern Europe |
|
|
