Multi-gene phylogeny of the Hemileuca maia complex (Saturniidae) across North America suggests complex phylogeography and rapid ecological diversification

作者：Rubinoff Daniel^*; San Jose Michael; Peigler Richard S

来源：Systematic Entomology, 2017, 42(4): 621-634.

DOI：10.1111/syen.12235

The Hemileuca maia species complex occurs across the North American continent and consists of six named taxa, and several others that were recently synonymized. Taxa exhibit a wide span of adult flight periods, dramatic shifts in host-plant use and occur in a range of habitats, all of which would suggest unrecognized diversity. We used one mitochondrial and three nuclear genes to generate 3900 bp per individual, including samples from every ecotype in the species group across the United States from New England to central Florida to California. We assessed phylogenetic relationships using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic methods. Results suggest very low levels of divergence across most of the continent and low levels of genetic structure - even between some recognized species that maintain clear ecological difference in sympatry. Our results suggest that meaningful and localized ecological divergence may occur in the absence of easily recognizable genetic divergence, due to either ongoing gene flow or the recent diversification in the group.

• 出版日期2017-10