A multigene approach for investigating DNA barcode lineages in provisional cryptic species of Lepidoptera in Costa Rica

Date

2012-05-04

Authors

Bertrand, Claudia

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of Guelph

Abstract

DNA barcoding has illuminated genetically distinct lineages within what appears to be one morphological species. For example, a large-scale DNA barcode analysis of Lepidoptera in the Área de Conservación Guanacaste has revealed that 8% of the morphospecies show more than one DNA barcode lineage. To assess the evolutionary significance of five of these lineages I conducted further molecular analyses by sequencing mitochondrial cytochrome b, nuclear Elongation Factor 1α and ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer 2, and compare their gene phylogenies with the provisional species tree hypothesized by DNA barcode genetic distances. Both mitochondrial and nuclear markers support the existence of three cryptic species in one of the five cases. Morphological and ecological correlates are still lacking to understand the origin of this divergence. The lack of corroboration between markers in the four remaining species either suggests that the chosen nuclear markers have not diverged since speciation, or there has been recent hybridization between lineages. In one case, hybridization is strongly suggested.

Description

Keywords

DNA barcoding, Lepidoptera, Cryptic species

Citation