Genetic Diversity and Demographic History of Globe Skimmers (Odonata: Libellulidae) in China Based on Microsatellite and Mitochondrial DNA Markers

Ling-Zhen Cao,Kong-Ming Wu

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-45123-0

Abstract

To analyze genetic characters of migratory dragonflies, we used 10 microsatellite markers and a partial sequence of the mitochondrial gene Cytb to investigate genetic diversity and demographic history among 19 populations of P. flavescens in eastern the monsoon region of China. In a Bayesian clustering analysis of the microsatellite data, three distinct clades were present, and each population consisted of a mixture of individuals from the three clusters. An AMOVA of the data from both the microsatellite loci and Cytb revealed that genetic variation was mainly within each population. For the 543 individuals from the 19 regions, 77 unique haplotypes were obtained by DnaSP 4.0, and a median-joining network showed no obvious geographical pattern and displayed high gene flow and minimal population genetic structure among the 19 populations. According to a Mantel test, there was no significant association between genetic distance and geographic distribution and no isolation by distance. Mismatch distribution and neutrality tests showed no demographic expansion for the 19 populations. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA data suggested there was high gene flow and low differentiation among the populations. These results will help provide valuable information to study the migratory route of insects, especially important agricultural pests.

Highlights

Such migratory behavior of odonate insects could homogenize genetic differentiation among populations by the exchange of individuals and genes among populations that are separated by large distances and impact the population structure of that species
Our observation showed no significant correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance of these populations based on the two types of markers, which may be reflective of a lack of phylogenetic divergence among the individuals across the study areas
Our results showed high rates of gene flow occurred among 19 geographic populations

Summary

Introduction

Such migratory behavior of odonate insects could homogenize genetic differentiation among populations by the exchange of individuals and genes among populations that are separated by large distances and impact the population structure of that species. A portion of mitochondrial CO1 gene sequence analysis of the tiny dragonfly Nannophya pygmaea showed overall low genetic diversity among 68 N. pygmaea individuals collected over six habitats in Korea[16] These geographic populations of N. pygmaea in Korea clustered into two groups, genetic isolation by distance was not detected[16]. We used partial sequences of Cytb and microsatellite markers to analyze the population structure, genetic divergence and demographic history among individuals of P. flavescens collected during an intensive sampling in the eastern monsoon region of China. Such investigations can improve our knowledge of the migratory behavior of P. flavescens in China and may contribute to investigations of the evolution of migration. The sampling and analytical methods used here may provide a potential model to study the migration of other insects

Methods

Results

Conclusion