PHYLOGEOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF AUSTROPOTAMOBIUS-PALLIPES POPULATIONS INSWITZERLAND

Due to the wide-spread occurrence of Austropotamobius pallipes in diff erent drainage systems of Europe, a phylogeographic structuring reflec ting these subdivisions can be hypothesized. Five major drainage syste ms take their origin in the alpine region, i.e. Rhine, Phone, Po, Adig e and Danube. We have analysed population samples of A. pallipes from Switzerland, France and Italy that represent four of these drainages. The methods employed were enzyme electrophoresis and morphological ana lysis. Our findings are discussed in the tight of the present knowledg e on intraspecific taxonomy of A. pallipes, and we point out the impli cations for the conservation of genetic diversity of this species.