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Counting the spots: a molecular and morphological phylogeny of the spotted darner Boyeria ( O donata: A nisoptera: A eshnidae) with an emphasis on E uropean taxa
Author(s) -
KOHLI MANPREET KAUR,
SCHNEIDER THOMAS,
MÜLLER OLE,
WARE JESSICA L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
systematic entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1365-3113
pISSN - 0307-6970
DOI - 10.1111/syen.12049
Subject(s) - anisoptera , biology , odonata , zoology , phylogenetic tree , taxon , clade , phylogenetics , evolutionary biology , dragonfly , ecology , genetics , gene
Boyeria irene and Boyeria cretensis are species of spotted dragonflies belonging to the ‘darner’ family, A eshnidae. In 1991, P eters classified Boyeria from C rete as B. cretensis, based on adult morphological characters. In this study, we used molecular evidence to determine if indeed B. irene and B. cretensis are different species. DNA was sequenced from samples of B. irene (from F rance, S witzerland, T unisia, S pain and I taly) and B. cretensis (from C rete). These species were recovered as two different clades with strong support. We conclude that B. irene and B. cretensis are different species, with evidence based on molecular and morphological differences. In addition, we present the first phylogenetic hypothesis for Boyeria for which we have sequenced all but three species. Lastly, we discuss different scenarios that may have led to the present‐day distribution and speciation patterns of M editerranean Boyeria .