title: Misperceived invasion: the Lusitanian slug (Arion lusitanicus auct. non-Mabille or Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon 1855) is native to Central Europe.
abstract: The Lusitanian slug, presumed to be native to south-west Europe, was ranked among the 100 worst invading species in Central Europe. However, from the very beginning of its recognition in the presumed invasion area, there was little evidence that the species was actually anthropogenically introduced. We investigated the invasive status of the species by comparing specific predictions on the population genetic structure in the invasion area with the pattern actually found. In a DNA-taxonomy approach, the species could not be found in its presumed native range. Using statistical phylogeographic techniques on a mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (ZF) marker and species distribution modelling, we could show that the species is with very high probability not an invasor, but native to Central Europe. The study underlines the value of statistical phylogeography in rigorously testing hypotheses on the dynamics of biological invasions.
authors: Biodiversity und Climate Research Centre by Senckenberg Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Pfenninger
authors: Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Weigand
authors: Biodiversity und Climate Research Centre by Senckenberg Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany.
authors: Miklós
authors: M
authors: Bálint
authors: Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany.
authors: Annette
authors: A
authors: Klussmann-Kolb
keywords: Bayesian coalescent analyses; climate niche modelling; genetic diversity; phylogeographic model selection; population genetics