Phylogenetic relationships among holarctic populations of Chironomus entis and Chironomus plumosus in view of possible horizontal transfer of mitochondrial genes

Abstract

In eight Holarctic populations of two typical chironomid sibling species of the plumosus group, Chrionomus entis and Chironomus plumosus, nucleotides sequences of mitochondrial (cytb) and nuclear (gb2b) gene regions were examined. The phylogenetic trees reflecting the evolutionary histories of the nuclear and mitochondrial markers exhibited significant differences. On the tree based on the nuclear gene sequences the populations clustered according to their species affiliation, whereas on the tree based on the mitochondrial gene sequences the populations were grouped according to their geographic position. This discrepancy is probably explained by mitochondrial gene flow between sympatric species with incomplete reproductive isolation (sibling species). Based on our results together with the earlier data on nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences of some other species from the phylogenetic group plumosus, a scheme of phylogenetic relationships within this group is proposed. This scheme is in many ways different from the traditional view on the evolutionary relationships among species of the plumosus group.