title: Co1 DNA supports conspecificity of Geomyphiluspierai and G.barrerai (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae) and is a good marker for their phylogeographic investigation in Mexican mountains.
abstract: Members of Geomyphilus are associated with rodent burrows, such as pocket gophers and prairie dogs. In Mexico, they are found in the mountains of the Mexican Volcanic Belt and in Sierra Madre Oriental. Our study aims to initiate the exploration of the dispersal modes of Geomyphiluspierai and Geomyphilusbarrerai from burrows of pocket gophers. In order to estimate the dispersal scale of the beetles, the utility of mitochondrial and nuclear molecular markers for studying the phylogeographic structure of this complex of species (Geomyphiluspierai and Geomyphilusbarrerai) was tested from 49 beetle individuals. High intraspecific and intra-mountain nucleotidic diversity was captured from this sample using Co1 mitochondrial sequences, whilst the ITS2 nuclear ribosomal sequence did not allow observing informative variation. Mitochondrial phylogenetic analysis revealed that the specific delineation between the two species under study was doubtful. In this preliminary study, Co1 was shown to be a good marker for elucidating dispersal routes of the burrowing rodent-associated beetles.
authors.affiliation: UMR 5175 CEFE, CNRS - Univ Montpellier - Université P. Valéry - EPHE, Route de Mende 34199 Cedex5. France ; Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alfonsina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arriaga-Jiménez
authors.affiliation: UMR 5175 CEFE, CNRS - Univ Montpellier - Université P. Valéry - EPHE, Route de Mende 34199 Cedex5. France.
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roy
keywords: Co1; Dung beetles; ITS; Mexico; phylogeography; pocket gophers