Abstract
Understanding the phylogeographic history of an invasive species may facilitate reconstructing the history and routes of its invasion. The longhorn crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis, is a ubiquitous agricultural and household pest throughout much of the tropics and subtropics, but little is known about the history of its spread. Here, we examine worldwide genetic variation in P. longicornis and its associated Wolbachia bacterial symbionts. Analyses of mtDNA sequences of 248 P. longicornis workers (one per colony) from 13 geographic regions reveal two highly diverged mtDNA clades that co-occur in most of the geographic regions. These two mtDNA clades are associated with different Wolbachia infection patterns, but are not congruent with patterns of nDNA (microsatellite) variation. Multilocus sequence typing reveals two distinct Wolbachia strains in P. longicornis, namely, wLonA and wLonF. The evolutionary histories of these two strains differ; wLonA appears to be primarily transmitted maternally, and patterns of mtDNA and nDNA variation and wLonA infection status are consistent with a relatively recent Wolbachia-induced selective sweep. In contrast, the observed patterns of mtDNA variation and wLonF infections suggest frequent horizontal transfer and losses of wLonF infections. The lack of nDNA structure among sampled geographic regions coupled with the finding that numerous mtDNA haplotypes are shared among regions implies that inadvertent long-distance movement through human commerce is common in P. longicornis and has shaped the genetic structure of this invasive ant worldwide.
Highlights
Globalized human commerce has facilitated and intensified the spread of alien species, and the number of invasive species threatening native biodiversity, natural resources, and the economy continues to increase (Pimentel et al, 2000; Leppc et al, 2002; Occhipinti-Ambrogi and Savini, 2003; Meyerson and Mooney, 2007)
Bayesian phylogenetic analyses indicated the presence of two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) clades (Clade I and II), one of which (Clade II) was divided into three subclades (Clade II-1, -2 and -3) (Figure 2)
Our results showed that global patterns of mtDNA and nDNA variation among populations of P. longicornis were discordant, characterized by two highly divergent mtDNA clades with no parallel pattern of nuclear genetic divergence between workers from the two mtDNA
Summary
Globalized human commerce has facilitated and intensified the spread of alien species, and the number of invasive species threatening native biodiversity, natural resources, and the economy continues to increase (Pimentel et al, 2000; Leppc et al, 2002; Occhipinti-Ambrogi and Savini, 2003; Meyerson and Mooney, 2007). Population genetic analyses on invasive species may provide insights into the introduction pathways and help us understand the mechanisms underlying mtDNA Variations and Wolbachia Infections the invasion success. Such analyses may help define management objectives and assist policy makers in developing management, prevention, and restoration strategies (Abdelkrim et al, 2005; Le Roux and Wieczorek, 2009; Chadès et al, 2011; Cristescu, 2015). A previous study demonstrated the occurrence of an extraordinary, double-clonal reproduction system in a population of P. longicornis from Thailand In this population, queens are produced clonally from their mother, males are produced clonally from their fathers, and workers are produced sexually and characterized by an excess of heterozygosity (Pearcy et al, 2011). A comprehensive phylogeographic study of P. longicornis is needed to help identify more precisely where the species originated as well as its subsequent dispersal routes around the globe
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