Damselflies of Patagonia, a phylogeographic study utilizing EPIC DNA and mitochondrial sequence markers

Abstract

We conducted the first phylogeographic study of Patagonian insects, for which we selected the two most widely distributed species of Odonata in the region: Rhionaeshna variegata (Aeshnidae) and Cyanallagma interruptum (Coenagrionidae). First, we performed a preliminary analysis of nine populations of both species from most of their distribution range, and we sampled the nuclear genesH3 and 28S, and the mitochondrial genes 16S, COXI and COXII. While R. variegata showed no genetic structure, C. interruptum showed genetic structure for COXI/II and 16S. These results are consistent with a greater dispersal ability among aeshinds as compared with coenagrionids. Thus, we pursued further analyses for C. interrumptum, for which we included eleven additional populations (20 populations and 54 specimens total) that cover most of its distributional range in Argentina...