Jc. Meyran et P. Taberlet, MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA POLYMORPHISM AMONG ALPINE POPULATIONS OF GAMMARUS-LACUSTRIS (CRUSTACEA, AMPHIPODA), Freshwater Biology, 39(2), 1998, pp. 259-265
1. Mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis was used to investigate the phy
logeographic structure among populations of the amphipod Gammarus lacu
stris isolated in high altitude lakes from the Northern to the Souther
n Alps, and to investigate the historical and demographic events that
may have accompanied this differentiation. 2. The comparison of a 376-
base segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene in fifty
-four specimens from nine different populations reveals no variation w
ithin populations. However, northern populations appear divergent from
those from the Southern Alps. A particular population, located at the
limit between the Northern and Southern Alps shows an intermediate ha
plotype related to the southern lineage. 3. Consideration of the diffe
rent mitochondrial lineages, together with geographical differences am
ong populations, suggests a scenario for the post-glacial colonization
of G, lacustris in the alpine lakes.