title: Testing DNA barcode performance in 1000 species of European lepidoptera: large geographic distances have small genetic impacts.
abstract: This study examines the performance of DNA barcodes (mt cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene) in the identification of 1004 species of Lepidoptera shared by two localities (Finland, Austria) that are 1600 km apart. Maximum intraspecific distances for the pooled data were less than 2% for 880 species (87.6%), while deeper divergence was detected in 124 species. Despite such variation, the overall DNA barcode library possessed diagnostic COI sequences for 98.8% of the taxa. Because a reference library based on Finnish specimens was highly effective in identifying specimens from Austria, we conclude that barcode libraries based on regional sampling can often be effective for a much larger area. Moreover, dispersal ability (poor, good) and distribution patterns (disjunct, fragmented, continuous, migratory) had little impact on levels of intraspecific geographic divergence. Furthermore, the present study revealed that, despite the intensity of past taxonomic work on European Lepidoptera, nearly 20% of the species shared by Austria and Finland require further work to clarify their status. Particularly discordant BIN (Barcode Index Number) cases should be checked to ascertain possible explanatory factors such as incorrect taxonomy, hybridization, introgression, and Wolbachia infections.
authors.affiliation: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.m.b.H., Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huemer
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mutanen
authors.affiliation: University of Graz, Institute of Zoology, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Kristina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sefc
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul D N
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Hebert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / Q000379:methods*; D005843:Geography; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000145:classification*