Microsatellite markers reveal spatial genetic structure of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) populations along a latitudinal gradient in Europe.
The genetic structure of populations of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae was investigated along a south-north European transect spanning from southern France to The Netherlands. Mites were collected on Urtica dioica in 6 sampling zones. Microsatellite variation at 5 loci revealed considerable genetic variation with an average heterozygozity of 0.49. Significant heterozygote deficiency was found in 7 populations out of the 18 samples analyzed and one of them was completely monomorphic. Tetranychus urticae populations show some level of genetic structuring. First, genetic differentiation between localities (F (ST) estimates) was significant for all comparisons. Second, the analysis of molecular variance, AMOVA, indicates that there is an effect, albeit low (9%), of the locality in accounting for allele frequency variance. Geographic distance emerges as a factor responsible for this genetic structure. The results are discussed in relation to the biological features of the species and the known patterns of migration. Related agronomical issues are addressed.
Carbonnelle
Sabine
S
Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité, Unité d'Ecologie et de Biogéographie, UCL Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 5, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Hance
Thierry
T
Migeon
Alain
A
Baret
Philippe
P
Cros-Arteil
Sandrine
S
Navajas
Maria
M
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D040102:Tetranychidae / Q000235:genetics*; D026982:Urtica dioica / Q000469:parasitology
D004247:DNA