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Phylogeny and population genetic structure of the ant genus Acropyga (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) in Papua New Guinea

Authors :
Naomi E. Pierce
Pável Matos-Maraví
Jan Zima
Eric D. Youngerman
Milan Janda
Michaela Borovanska
Source :
Invertebrate Systematics. 30:28
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
CSIRO Publishing, 2016.

Abstract

Spatial isolation and geological history are important factors in the diversification and population differentiation of species. Here we describe distributional patterns of ants in the genus Acropyga across Papua New Guinea (PNG), a highly biodiverse but little-studied region. We estimate phylogenetic relationships among currently recognised species of Acropyga and assess population genetic structure of the widespread species, A. acutiventris, across lowland areas of the island. We find that species of Acropyga present in PNG diversified during the Pliocene, between six and two million years ago. Most species now exhibit a patchy distribution that does not show a strong signal of geological history. However, the population genetic structure of the widespread species A. acutiventris has been influenced by geography, habitat association and, possibly, historical habitat fragmentation. There is a significant effect of isolation-by-distance within continuous lowland forest, and proximity to Australia has had a larger impact in structuring populations of A. acutiventris in PNG than has the Central Papuan Cordillera. This study is the first to describe population genetic patterns of an ant species in Papua New Guinea.

Details

ISSN :
14455226
Volume :
30
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Invertebrate Systematics
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........55ef0cb66eb277b89e32869f29f7d04f
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1071/is14050