A systematic and biogeographical study of epi- and hypogean populations ofthe Proasellus species group from Sardinia, central Italy and Jordan: allozyme insights
V. Ketmaier et al., A systematic and biogeographical study of epi- and hypogean populations ofthe Proasellus species group from Sardinia, central Italy and Jordan: allozyme insights, J ZOOL SYST, 39(1-2), 2001, pp. 53-61
Citations number
51
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences
Journal title
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH
Genetic variation at 18 enzymatic loci was investigated in 10 epigean and t
hree hypogean populations belonging to the Proasellus (Asellidae, Crustacea
) species group, from Sardinia, central Italy, and Jordan, in order to clar
ify their systematics and evolutionary relationships. We found unexpectedly
high levels of genetic divergence, which allowed us to recognize a number
of genetically distinct species presently hidden under the name Proasellus
coxalis. The group of Sardinian populations is the most genetically differe
ntiated. Among the central Italian populations, the northernmost population
is the earliest branch in the proposed phyletic scheme, whereas the remain
ing populations are genetically homogeneous and clustered as the sister tax
on of the Sardinian populations. The Jordanian population is genetically di
fferentiated versus both the central Italian and Sardinian groups. The evol
utionary relationships seem to indicate that several waves of colonization
by this genus occurred in Europe. The evolutionary times inferred from gene
tic distance data place the main splitting events at the end of the Miocene
, in agreement with the paleogeography of the study areas.