The influence of geological movements on the population differentiation of Biston panterinaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Abstract

AbstractAimEast Asia is known for its exceptionally high levels of biodiversity, which is connected to its high level of species differentiation. Geological movements are the most important factor promoting the species differentiation in East Asia. In this paper, we choose Biston panterinaria, a moth species widely distributed in East Asia, to study the relative contributions of geographical isolation and glaciation cycles to its current genetic constitution.LocationEast Asia.MethodsPhylogenetic analyses were based on three data sets. beast was used to estimate the divergence time and reconstruct the maximum clade credibility tree. Mismatch distribution and Bayesian skyline plots (BSP) were used to infer historical population fluctuations. maxent was used to predict the potential species distributions during two periods: the present day and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM).ResultsThe phylogenetic tree and the median joining network strongly supported four reciprocally monophyletic lineages: northern, Yunnan‐Tibet, southern and Yunnan‐SE. The estimates of divergence time suggested that three differentiation processes occurred at approximately 1.17, 0.76 and 0.67 Ma. Within the northern and southern lineages, lineage divergence occurred at approximately 0.17 and 0.16 Ma. Mismatch distribution and BSP suggested that the northern and southern lineages experienced one expansion after the LGM, and this result was consistent with the result of the ecological niche model.Main conclusionsOur results suggested that B. panterinaria experienced three fragmentations of wide‐ranging ancestral populations, and that mountain barrier isolation induced by geological movements is the main driver of lineage differentiation. Climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene affected the population differentiation within both the northern and southern lineages. The distribution of the four lineages of B. panterinaria is generally consistent with the zoogeographical regionalization of China. This study provides direct evidence for the importance of mountain barriers in promoting population differentiation.