Abstract
The genus Dolichopoda (Orthoptera; Rhaphidopohoridae) is present in Italy with 9 species distributed from northwestern Italy (Piedmont and Liguria) to the southernmost Apennines (Calabria), occurring also in the Tyrrhenian coastal areas and in Sardinia. Three morphologically very close taxa have been described in Piedmont and Liguria, i.e., D. ligustica ligustica, D. ligustica septentrionalis and D. azami azami.To investigate the delimitation of the northwestern species of Dolichopoda, we performed both morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analysis was carried out by considering diagnostic characters generally used to distinguish different taxa, as the shape of epiphallus in males and the subgenital fig in females. Molecular analysis was performed by sequencing three mitochondrial genes, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, partially sequenced and the entire gene of COI.Results from both morphological and molecular analyses highlighted a very homogeneous group of populations, although genetically structured. Three haplogroups geographically distributed could be distinguished and based on these results we suggest a new taxonomic arrangement. All populations, due to the priority of description, should be assigned to D. azami azami Saulcy, 1893 and to preserve the names ligustica and septentrionalis, corresponding to different genetic haplogroups, we assign them to D. azami ligustica stat. n. Baccetti & Capra, 1959 and to D. azami septentrionalis stat. n. Baccetti & Capra, 1959.
Highlights
Dolichopoda is a Mediterranean genus, consisting of more than fifty species distributed throughout the North Mediterranean regions from the Pyrenees to Transcaucasia and north Iran (Di Russo and Rampini 2014)
A total of 2450 mitochondrial base pairs corresponding to the entire COI gene, to 450 bp of 12S and 550 bp of 16S were successfully sequenced and aligned in 104 specimens of Dolichopoda populations from northwestern Italy. 28S rRNA, consisting of 500 bp was sequenced in all considered samples
The Northwestern Italian Dolichopoda species group comprises a uniform assemblage of populations, both genetically and morphologically
Summary
Dolichopoda is a Mediterranean genus, consisting of more than fifty species distributed throughout the North Mediterranean regions from the Pyrenees to Transcaucasia and north Iran (Di Russo and Rampini 2014). The highest species diversity is present in insular and peninsular Greece where most of the species have been described (Di Russo et al 2007). Nine species of Dolichopoda occur in Italy, where they range from the Maritime Alps to the southern tip of the Italian peninsula, excluding the oriental Alps, the Liguria Apennines, the Apuane Alps and the southern Apulia. Most species of this genus are strictly dependent upon caves. Population sizes can be small and constant over long periods, at least in natural caves (Carchini et al 1983; Sbordoni et al 1987)
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