Population genetics and phylogenetics of the endangered American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus (Coleoptera : Silphidae)

The burying beetle Nicrophorus americanus Olivier is an endangered species known to occur in disjunct populations in 6 states. Parsimony and maximum l ikelihood analysis of the nuclear ribosomal DNA first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) sequences from 10 Nicrophorinae species revealed N. americanu s to form a distinct clade with N. orbicollis Say. Genetic variation within and among 5 N. americanus populations, collected from South Dakota, Nebras ka, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Rhode Island, was studied. Ribosomal DNA ITS1 s equences from 14 beetles revealed 48 polymorphic and 20 informative nucleot ide sites. N. americanus genetic divergence was between 0.16 and 4.76%. We found little evidence that these 5 populations have maintained unique genet ic variation. No nucleotide sites were found that were diagnostic for any o f the 5 populations examined, indicating that these populations may not be necessarily treated as separate, independent objects of conservation. Howev er, further genetic investigation is warranted before translocations are at tempted among the remaining populations of the American burying beetle.