Genetic variability and differentiation in isozymes in Mnais damselflies of Fukuoka in Japan (Zygoptera : Calopterygidae)

To analyze the generic differences, M. pruinosa and M. nawai were collected in 2 localities of Fukuoka Pref. Kyushu, Japan. In the Hisayama area, 2 fo rms of M. pruinosa male male occur, viz. orange winged f, esakii and clear winged f. strigata, and one female form with clear wings f. sieboldi. In th e Kami-ishigama area, M. pruinosa and M. nawai both occur and the forms of M. pruinosa are also f esakii, f. strigata and f. sieboldi. 2 forms of M. r in,mri male male are also found, the orange winged f. nawai and the pale-or ange winged f. sahoi, and one female form with pale-orange wings f. female- nawai ai. The genetic differences among the samples collected in the areas were assessed by electrophoretic analysis. 21 protein loci of 10 proteins w ere analyzed by 5 % polyacryl-amide gel electrophoresis; 2 of the 21 loci w ere monomorphic. The most variable strain (f. strigata of M. pruinosa from Hisayama) was highly polymorphic at 18 of the loci (P=0.857), with an avera ge heterozygosity ((H) over bar) of 0.417. In all strains examined, the ran ges of P and (H) over bar values were 0.667-0.857 and 0.307-0.419, respecti vely. Nei's genetic distance (D) was used to distinguish the male male into 2 conspecific groups, the forms of M. nawai as group I, and the forms of M . pruiosa as group TI. The female female together formed a third group. The genetic distance between groups I and II was close to, but above, the leve l of intraspecific variation. These results suggest that the female female f. nawai and f. sahoi of M. nawai should be categorized as a single sp., an d that f, esakii and f. strigata of M. pruinosa should also be regarded as a single sp., bur separate from M nawai. All the female female P showed a g enetic relatedness indicating that they are within a single species (D rang ing from 0.0595-0.0856), though they include the 2 different spp. of M. naw ai (f. female-nawai) and M. pruinosa (f sieboldi). They were the closest to f. strigata of M, pruinosa in the Kami-ishigama area, but the D value to g roup IT was calculated as 0.1804, indicating a level of interspecific varia tion.