title: Three in One--Multiple Faunal Elements within an Endangered European Butterfly Species.
abstract: Ice ages within Europe forced many species to retreat to refugia, of which three major biogeographic basic types can be distinguished: "Mediterranean", "Continental" and "Alpine / Arctic" species. However, this classification often fails to explain the complex phylogeography of European species with a wide range of latitudinal and altitudinal distribution. Hence, we tested for the possibility that all three mentioned faunal elements are represented within one species. Our data was obtained by scoring 1,307 Euphydryas aurinia individuals (46 European locations) for 17 allozyme loci, and sequencing a subset of 492 individuals (21 sites) for a 626 base pairs COI fragment. Genetic diversity indices, F statistics, hierarchical analyses of molecular variance, individual-based clustering, and networks were used to explore the phylogeographic patterns. The COI fragment represented 18 haplotypes showing a strong geographic structure. All but one allozyme loci analysed were polymorphic with a mean FST of 0.20, supporting a pronounced among population structure. Interpretation of both genetic marker systems, using several analytical tools, calls for the recognition of twelve genetic groups. These analyses consistently distinguished different groups in Iberia (2), Italy, Provence, Alps (3), Slovenia, Carpathian Basin, the lowlands of West and Central Europe as well as Estonia, often with considerable additional substructures. The genetic data strongly support the hypothesis that E. aurinia survived the last glaciation in Mediterranean, extra-Mediterranean and perialpine refugia. It is thus a rare example of a model organism that combines attributes of faunal elements from all three of these sources. The observed differences between allozymes and mtDNA most likely result from recent introgression of mtDNA into nuclear allozyme groups. Our results indicate discrepancies with the morphologically-based subspecies models, underlining the need to revise the current taxonomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany.
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Junker
authors.affiliation: Université de Tours, CNRS, UMR 6035 -IRBI, Avenue Monge, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Centre of Marine Sciences, CCMAR/CIMAR Associate Laboratory, University of Algarve, Gambelas, Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Haus der Natur, Museum für Natur und Technik, Museumsplatz 5, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gros
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konvička
authors.affiliation: Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Case 36, 3 place Victor Hugo, Marseille Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nève
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, University Babes-Bolyai, Str. Clinicilor 5-7, Cluj, Romania.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rákosy
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Toomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tammaru
authors.affiliation: Centre of Marine Sciences, CCMAR/CIMAR Associate Laboratory, University of Algarve, Gambelas, Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castilho
authors.affiliation: Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany.|Senckenberg German Entomological Institute, Eberswalder Straße 90, Müncheberg, Germany.|Zoology, Institute of Biology, Faculty Natural Science I, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002080:Butterflies / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D005060:Europe; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial