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Estimating genetic and phenotypic diversity in a northern hoverfly reveals lack of heterozygosity correlated with significant fluctuating asymmetry of wing traits

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Abstract

The genetic structure and phenotypic diversity of a population of Cheilosia naruska Haarto and Kerppola, 2007 (Diptera, Syrphidae) from Lapland, Finland, was examined through allozyme electrophoresis and wing morphometrics. The morphological identification of the species was verified molecularly using partial sequences of mitochondrial COI and the nuclear ribosomal ITS2 genes comparing with corresponding sequences of a paratype of the taxon. Based on protein electrophoresis, out of 12 analyzed allozyme loci, only one locus (Me) was found to be polymorphic. The low genetic variability was further evidenced by the absence of heterozygote genotypes. Fluctuating asymmetry was used as a measure of developmental stability. For this we used different wing traits that were estimated using both wing landmark positions and metric traits. Procrustes ANOVA and Canonical variate analysis revealed asymmetry in wing metric and wing shape and size, and within each sex considered separately. Principal component analysis revealed similar multivariate patterns of landmark covariation between within-individual variability (fluctuating asymmetry) and variation among individuals. Finally, the observed association between lack of heterozygosity and high level of asymmetry is discussed in light of conservation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science of Serbia, Grant Number 143006B and the Provincial Secretariat for Science and Technological Development (Maintenance of biodiversity—“Hot spots” on the Balkan and Iberian Peninsula). J. L. and Lj. F. were supported by PhD fellowships from the Ministry of Science of Serbia.

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  1. Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Vesna Milankov, Ljubinka Francuski, Jasmina Ludoški & Ante Vujić

  2. Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 17, Helsinki, 00014, Finland

    Gunilla Ståhls

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  1. Vesna Milankov
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  2. Ljubinka Francuski
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  3. Jasmina Ludoški
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  5. Ante Vujić
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Correspondence to Vesna Milankov.

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Milankov, V., Francuski, L., Ludoški, J. et al. Estimating genetic and phenotypic diversity in a northern hoverfly reveals lack of heterozygosity correlated with significant fluctuating asymmetry of wing traits. J Insect Conserv 14, 77–88 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-009-9226-1

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