Morphological variation on isolated populations of Praocis (Praocis) spinolai.
In this study, the morphological variations of four geographically isolated populations of Praocis (Praocis) spinolai Gay & Solier (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in the transitional coastal desert, Chile, were studied. The study was conducted in the coastal area of Punta de Choros and Los Choros-Archipelago, which includes three islands: Choros, Damas, and Gaviota. 113 specimens of the species P. (P.) spinolai belonging to the four locations sampled were collected analyzed with geometric morphometrics techniques to explore the pattern of shape variation on the different isolated environments. The principal component analysis revealed a well-defined pattern of variation between the populations analyzed. Moreover, differences between populations emerged also from the canonical variation analysis and were confirmed by the Procrustes ANOVA. All analyses performed confirmed the existence of a pattern of variation, due to the isolation of the populations and to environmental effects. The islands are subject to more arid pressures than the continent, where there is a more stable environment and the presence of coastal wetlands and the coastal range of mountains act together and enable fog condensation. This study indicates the existence of a clear pattern of variation, which indicates an evolutionary trend among the population examined.
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Casilla 7-D Arica, Chile hugo.benitez@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk.
Hugo A
HA
Benítez
Laboratorio de Entomología Ecológica, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 599, La Serena, Chile japizarro@userena.cl.
Jaime
J
Pizarro-Araya
Environmental Biology Department, University Roma Tre, V. le G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy raffaella.bravi@uniroma3.it.
Raffaella
R
Bravi
Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Casilla: 160-C, Chile mariajosanzana@udec.cl.
María-José
MJ
Sanzana
Laboratorio de Entomología Ecológica, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 599, La Serena, Chile Laboratorio de Genética y Evolución, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile fermin.alfaro@ug.uchile.cl.
Fermín M
FM
Alfaro
D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002677:Chile; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D003889:Desert Climate; D005843:Geography; D062312:Islands; D025341:Principal Component Analysis
Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve; coastal desert; epigean tenenebrionids; geometric morphometrics