Genetic variability of two ecomorphological forms of Stenus Latreille, 1797 in Iran, with notes on the infrageneric classification of the genus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Steninae).

Sayeh Serri,Johannes Frisch,Thomas Von Rintelen

doi:10.3897/zookeys.626.8155

Abstract

In this study, the genetic diversity of Iranian populations of two widespread Stenus species representing two ecomorphological forms, the “open living species” Stenus erythrocnemus Eppelsheim, 1884 and the “stratobiont” Stenus callidus Baudi di Selve, 1848, is presented using data from a fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene. We evaluate the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I haplotypes and the intraspecific genetic distance of these two species. Our results reveal a very low diversity of COI sequences in Stenus erythrocnemus in contrast to Stenus callidus. Moreover, the COI based phylogeny of a selection of Iranian Stenus support the monophyly of some species groups of Stenus proposed by Puthz (2008) and contradicts the traditional infrageneric classification.

Highlights

Fast mutation rate and lack of recombination as well as its easy amplification and sequencing make c oxidase subunit I (COI) a useful marker for the study of phylogeny, geographic variation and population genetics as well as species identification (Hebert et al 2003a, b; Qian et al 2014: 11)
Hajibabaei et al (2007: 171) point out that DNA barcoding offers significant implications for the understanding of the genetic diversity of species. We apply this method in the rove beetle genus Stenus Latreille, 1797 to test the infraspecific genetic variation of representatives of two distinct ecomorphological forms and the validity of the traditional subgeneric concept of the genus
Both methods reveal a high degree of genetic homogeny among different populations of Stenus erythrocnemus and more pronounced heterogeny in S. callidus

Summary

Introduction

Fast mutation rate and lack of recombination as well as its easy amplification and sequencing make COI a useful marker for the study of phylogeny, geographic variation and population genetics as well as species identification (Hebert et al 2003a, b; Qian et al 2014: 11). Hajibabaei et al (2007: 171) point out that DNA barcoding offers significant implications for the understanding of the genetic diversity of species We apply this method in the rove beetle genus Stenus Latreille, 1797 to test the infraspecific genetic variation of representatives of two distinct ecomorphological forms and the validity of the traditional subgeneric concept of the genus. With about 2674 species (Puthz, unpublished), Stenus is one of the species-richest genera of animals in the world (Puthz 2012: 286) The members of this rove beetle clade mostly dwell in humid places such as river banks, swamps, bogs and wet grasslands. This character has been used in illuminating several evolutionary trends (Schierling et al 2013: 48, 51) and presumably is a character adaptive to the habitat where the species live (Lang et al 2015: 22)

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Results

Conclusion