@article {22185, title = {Ghosts of glaciers and the disjunct distribution of a threatened California moth (Euproserpinus euterpe)}, year = {2015}, abstract = {

\"The Kern Primrose Sphinx moth (Euproserpinus euterpe) is a threatened moth twice thought to have gone extinct. It was historically known only from a small basin in the southern Sierra Nevada of California, but a new putative population was recently discovered 115 km to the west. Analysis of both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA suggest discontinuous genetic breaks between the Kern Primrose Sphinx, its closest relative the Phaeton Sphinx (Euproserpinus phaeton), and at least one additional species discovered during the course of this study. Geographic distance is well correlated with genetic distance within species, but not between species. Genetic discontinuities show the influence of past glacial events and suggest recent range expansions, though not always congruent with other phylogeographic studies from the region. Our phylogeographic results demonstrate that past glacial events, the altitudinal suppression of suitable habitat, and isolation may have been more important than population-level ecological factors such as differences in habitat (e.g. sand dunes, oak forest, montane grasslands) in promoting speciation. Effective conservation of the genetic diversity of the widespread Phaeton Sphinx and its two geographically restricted relatives requires genetic data at the population level because relatively few localized populations harbor most of the genetic variation.\"

}, keywords = {BIOGEOGRAPHY, COI, CONSERVATION, DNA, EF-1ALPHA, EUPROSERPINUS, GLACIATION, MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD, PHYLOGEOGRAPHY, POPULATION GENETICS, SPHINGIDAE, STATISTICAL PARSIMONY, USA, WORLDMAP1}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.01.023}, author = {Rubinoff, D. and San Jose, M. and Johnson, P. and Wells, R. and Osborne, K. and Le Roux, J.J.} } @article {21966, title = {Adhemarius eurysthenes (Felder, 1874) (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) in the Atlantic Rain Forest: A phylogeographic perspective}, journal = {Zoologischer Anzeiger}, volume = {277}, year = {2018}, pages = {231-241}, chapter = {231}, abstract = {

\"The Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest biome has been strongly impacted by human action and by various factors related to economic development. The hawkmoth Adhemarius eurysthenes (Sphingidae, Smerinthinae, Ambulycini) is endemic to the southern portion of this biome, with most of its existing populations within Brazil. Using CAD, wingless, and the barcode region of the mitochondrial COI gene, populations of A. eurysthenes were analyzed phylogeographically to obtain information on their genetic structure and variability, and to explain their spatial distribution. We obtained 14 COI haplotypes of 109 individuals from 10 localities. The population in the state of Esp\írito Santo, southeastern Brazil, showed the highest average genetic distance in relation to other populations. A test of molecular variance using the spatial component (SAMOVA) separated the samples into two groups; again, Esp\írito Santo was the divergent site. We found no significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances, but did find a tendency toward genetic isolation near the northern limit of the range of A. eurysthenes. We discuss the implementation of the observed patterns for other taxa, in an attempt to support studies on the conservation of Ambulycini in the Atlantic Rain Forest. Esp\írito Santo proved to be a locality of particular importance for conservation of the endemic Ambulycini in this biome.\"

}, keywords = {ADHEMARIUS, ATLANTIC RAIN FOREST, BRAZIL, CAD, COI, CONSERVATION, DIVERSITY, DNA, ECOLOGY, MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD, MTDNA, POLLINATION, SPHINGIDAE, WINGLESS, WORLDMAP1}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2018.10.005}, author = {Cardoso, L.W. and Silva-Brand{\~a}o, K.L. and Duarte, M.} } @article {21876, title = {Phylogenomics supports incongruence between ecological specialization and taxonomy in a charismatic clade of buck moths}, journal = {Molecular Ecology}, volume = {27}, year = {2018}, month = {11/2018}, pages = {4417-4429}, chapter = {4417}, abstract = {

\"Local adaptation can be a fundamental component of speciation, but its dynamics in relation to gene flow are not necessarily straightforward. Herbivorous taxa with localized host plant or habitat specialization across their geographic range are ideal models for investigating the patterns and constraints of local adaptation and its impact on diversification. The charismatic, day-flying moths of the Hemileuca maia species complex (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) are such taxa, as they are geographically widespread, exhibit considerable ecological and morphological variability and host and habitat specificity, but apparently lack genetic differentiation across their range. Here, we use genomewide single nucleotide polymorphisms to assess relationships and population structure of this group across North America and investigate the scales where genomic divergence correlates with adaptive ecological characteristics. In contrast to previous genetic studies of the group, we find broad-and fine-scale genetic differentiation between lineages, which is at odds with various levels of taxonomic description and recognition of conservation units. Furthermore, ecological specialization only explains some fine-scale genetic differentiation, and across much of the group\’s range, local adaptation is apparently occurring in the face of strong gene flow. These results provide unprecedented insight into drivers of speciation in this group, the relationship between taxonomy and genomics-informed species boundaries and conservation management of internationally protected entities. Broadly, this system provides a model for understanding how local adaptation in an herbivore can arise and be maintained in the face of apparently strong gene flow, and the importance of geographic isolation in generating genomic divergence, despite a lack of ecological divergence.\"

}, keywords = {ADAPTATION, CANADA, CONSERVATION, ddRAD, DNA, FOODPLANT EVOLUTION, FOODPLANT SPECIFICITY, HEMILEUCA, MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD, PHYLOGENOMICS, POPULATION BIOLOGY, SATURNIIDAE, SPECIATION, SPECIES DELIMITATION, USA}, doi = {10.1111/mec.14883}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.14883}, author = {Dupuis, J.R. and Peigler, R.S. and Geib, S.M. and Rubinoff, D.} } @article {21413, title = {Historic DNA for taxonomy and conservation: a case study of a century-old Hawaiian hawkmoth type (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {12}, year = {2017}, month = {03/2017}, pages = {e0173255}, type = {Open access}, chapter = {e0173255}, abstract = {

\"Analysing historic DNA from museum specimens offers the unique opportunity to study the molecular systematics and phylogenetics of rare and possibly extinct taxa. In the Hawaiian fauna, the hawkmoth, Hyles calida calida, occurs on several of the main islands and is quite frequent, whereas Hyles c. hawaiiensis is restricted to the Island of Hawaii where it appears to be very rare. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences shows that Hyles c. hawaiiensis differs from the nominotypical subspecies by an average p-distance of 2.8\%, which is of a similar order of magnitude to that found between other species of Hyles, suggesting that Hyles c. hawaiiensis should perhaps be awarded species status, although more data are required for a formal taxonomic revision. Given the rarity of this taxon, these analyses should be undertaken urgently so that conservation measures can be implemented before it becomes extinct.\"

}, keywords = {COI, COII, CONSERVATION, DNA, HAWAII, HISTORICAL DNA, HYLES, SPHINGIDAE, TRNA(LEU), TYPES, USA}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0173255}, url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10141/622165}, author = {Hundsdoerfer, A.K. and Kitching, I.J.} }