title: Cuticular compounds bring new insight in the post-glacial recolonization of a Pyrenean area: Deutonura deficiens Deharveng, 1979 complex, a case study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In most Arthropod groups, the study of systematics and evolution rely mostly on neutral characters, in this context cuticular compounds, as non-neutral characters, represent an underexplored but potentially informative type of characters at the infraspecific level as they have been routinely proven to be involved in sexual attraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The collembolan species complex Deutonura deficiens was chosen as a model in order to test the utility of these characters for delineating four infraspecific entities of this group. Specimens were collected for three subspecies (D. d. deficiens, D. d. meridionalis, D. d. sylvatica) and two morphotypes (D. d. sylvatica morphoype A and B) of the complex; an additional species D. monticola was added. Cuticular compounds were extracted and separated by gas chromatography for each individual. Our results demonstrate that cuticular compounds succeeded in separating the different elements of this complex. Those data allowed also the reconstruction of the phylogenetic relationships among them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The discriminating power of cuticular compounds is directly related to their involvement in sexual attraction and mate recognition. These findings allowed a discussion on the potential involvement of intrinsic and paleoclimatic factors in the origin and the diversification of this complex in the Pyrenean zone. This character type brings the first advance from pattern to process concerning the origin of this species complex.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Dynamique de la Biodiversité, UMR 5172, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France. dporco@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porco
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bedos
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deharveng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D002980:Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D005060:Europe; D046448:Ice Cover; D010802:Phylogeny; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal