Population Genetic Structure Reveals Two Lineages of Amynthas triastriatus (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) in China, with Notes on a New Subspecies of Amynthas triastriatus

Yan Dong, Jibao Jiang, Zhu Yuan, Qi Zhao and Jiangping Qiu
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Yan Dong: School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Jibao Jiang: School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Zhu Yuan: School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Qi Zhao: School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Jiangping Qiu: School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-25

Abstract: Amynthas triastriatus (Oligochaete: Megascolecidae) is a widely distributed endemic species in Southern China. To shed light on the population genetic diversity and to elucidate the population differentiation and dispersal of A. triastriatus , a population genetic structure study was undertaken based on samples from 35 locations collected from 2010 to 2016. Two exclusive lineages within A. triastriatus —lineage A and lineage B—were revealed. Lineage A was mainly distributed at high altitudes while lineage B was mainly distributed at low altitudes in Southeast China. The genetic diversity indices indicated that the populations of A. triastriatus had a strong genetic structure and distinct dispersal histories underlying the haplogroups observed in this study. Combined with morphological differences, these results indicated a new cryptic subspecies of A. triastriatus . Lineage A was almost degenerated to parthenogenesis and lineage B had a trend to parthenogenesis, which suggested that parthenogenesis could be an internal factor that influenced the differentiation and dispersal of A. triastriatus . The divergence time estimates showed that A. triastriatus originated around Guangxi and Guangdong provinces and generated into two main lineages 2.97 Ma (95%: 2.17–3.15 Ma) at the time of Quaternary glaciation (2.58 Ma), which suggested that the Quaternary glaciation may have been one of main factors that promoted the colonization of A. triastriatus .

Keywords: earthworms; megascolecidae; Amynthas triastriatus; phylogenetic; population genetic structure; molecular genetic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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