genetic differentiation, structure, and a transition zone among populations of the pitcher plant moth exyra semicrocea implications for conservation遗传分化、结构和猪笼草蛾的种群之间的过渡区exyra semicrocea对保护的影响.pdfVIP

Genetic Differentiation, Structure, and a Transition Zone among Populations of the Pitcher Plant Moth Exyra semicrocea: Implications for Conservation 1,2 ¤ 1,2,3 1 Jessica D. Stephens * , Scott R. Santos , Debbie R. Folkerts 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America, 2 Molette Biology Laboratory for Environmental and Climate Change Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America, 3 Cell and Molecular Biosciences Peak Program, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America Abstract Pitcher plant bogs, or carnivorous plant wetlands, have experienced extensive habitat loss and fragmentation throughout the southeastern United States Coastal Plain, resulting in an estimated reduction to ,3% of their former range. This situation has lead to increased management attention of these habitats and their carnivorous plant species. However, conservation priorities focus primarily on the plants since little information currently exists on other community members, such as their endemic arthropod biota. Here, we investigated the population structure of one of these, the obligate pitcher plant moth Exyra semicrocea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences. Examination of 221 individuals from 11 populations across eight southeastern US states identified 51 unique haplotypes. These haplotypes belonged to one of two divergent (,1.9–3.0%) lineages separated by the Mississippi alluvial plain. Populations of the West Gulf Coastal Plain exhibited significant genetic structure, contrasting with similarly distanced populations east of the Mississippi alluvial plain. In the eastern po