title: Glacial history of a modern invader: phylogeography and species distribution modelling of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is one of the 100 most invasive species in the world and a vector of human diseases. In the last 30 years, it has spread from its native range in East Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Although this modern invasion has been the focus of many studies, the history of the species' native populations remains poorly understood. Here, we aimed to assess the role of Pleistocene climatic changes in shaping the current distribution of the species in its native range.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We investigated the phylogeography, historical demography, and species distribution of Ae. albopictus native populations at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Individuals from 16 localities from East Asia were analyzed for sequence variation at two mitochondrial genes. No phylogeographic structure was observed across the study area. Demographic analyses showed a signature of population expansion that started roughly 70,000 years BP. The occurrence of a continuous and climatically suitable area comprising Southeast China, Indochinese Peninsula, and Sundaland during LGM was indicated by species distribution modelling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest an evolutionary scenario in which, during the last glacial phase, Ae. albopictus did not experience a fragmentation phase but rather persisted in interconnected populations and experienced demographic growth. The wide ecological flexibility of the species probably played a crucial role in its response to glacial-induced environmental changes. Currently, there is little information on the impact of Pleistocene climatic changes on animal species in East Asia. Most of the studies focused on forest-associated species and suggested cycles of glacial fragmentation and post-glacial expansion. The case of Ae. albopictus, which exhibits a pattern not previously observed in the study area, adds an important piece to our understanding of the Pleistocene history of East Asian biota.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy. daniele.porretta@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porretta
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mastrantonio
authors.forename: Romeo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: Pradya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Somboon
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urbanelli
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D057231:Climate Change; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D005843:Geography; D007053:Ice; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D007053:Ice