Studies investigating host-parasite systems rarely deal with multispecies interactions, and mostly explore impacts on hosts as individuals. Much less is known about the effects at colony level, when parasitism involves host organisms that form societies. We surveyed the effect of an ectoparasitic fungus, Rickia wasmannii, on kin-discrimination abilities of its host ant, Myrmica scabrinodis, identifying potential consequences at social level and subsequent changes in colony infiltration success of other organisms. Analyses of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), known to be involved in insects’ discrimination processes, revealed variations in chemical profiles correlated with the infection status of the ants, that could not be explained by genetic variation tested by microsatellites. In behavioural assays, fungus-infected workers were less aggressive towards both non-nestmates and unrelated queens, enhancing the probability of polygyny. Likewise, parasitic larvae of Maculinea butterflies had a higher chance of adoption by infected colonies. Our study indicates that pathogens can modify host recognition abilities, making the society more prone to accept both conspecific and allospecific organisms.

The Mediterranean Basin is typified by a high degree of species rarity and endemicity that reflects its position, geomorphology, and history. Although the composition and cryptic variation of the bat faunas from the Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas are relatively well studied, data from the Apennine Peninsula are still incomplete. This is a significant shortfall, given the presumed refugial role of this region in the context of Europe's Pleistocene phylogeography. It was thus our aim to supplement the phylogeographical information from the region, generating mitochondrial sequences and reviewing published data, with a focus on the dispersal and diversification patterns characterizing taxa with different life strategies. Site‐specific lineages were ascertained, especially in the genera Myotis and Plecotus and amongst the pipistrelloid bats, representing speciose radiations. It was possible to observe disjunct ranges with patches isolated south of the Alps in several species, corresponding with evolution of elevated genetic distance. The genetic subdivision within the continuous Italian range into northern and southern lineages in several taxa indicated the possible past substructure of the refugium. Several shared lineages between the Apennine and Ibero‐Maghrebian regions were observed, indicating connectivity between the Adriatic and Atlantic−Mediterranean refuges, and raising questions as to which region these clades originated from and what was the direction of faunal exchange between them. In contrast to Europe's other two main refugia, the Apennine Peninsula is a smaller region with simpler phylogeographical patterns. Nevertheless, our results support the idea that the region generated novel lineages. Whereas diversification in sedentary bats may have been driven through the generation of in situ adaptations, specialization, and niche differentiation, the emergence of species with a tramp strategy could have entailed the utilization of faunal drift and the taxon cycle. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London

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The discovery that the most widespread bat in Europe comprises cryptic species, Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774) (common pipistrelle) and Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Leach, 1825) (soprano pipistrelle), provides a great opportunity to look at the mechanism of species coexistence. Based on eight nuclear microsatellite loci (n = 353), we observed similarities between the species in Poland with respect to heterozygosity, allelic richness, mean relatedness, and inbreeding coefficients. However, pronounced differences in migratory patterns (shown by assignment tests) suggest that P. pygmaeus is the more migratory species. The proportion of bats migrating between colonies differed significantly, with 17.1% and 41.8% individuals of P. pygmaeus and P. pipistrellus, respectively, confidently assigned to colonies of origin. Both species demonstrated a more migratory character in central Europe compared with the populations from the British Isles. Given the cryptic nature of the examined taxa, we also assessed whether they hybridize. Hybridization was confirmed by three methods-one based on genetic distance and two based on Bayesian approaches. The overall hybridization rate, depending on assumed threshold values, ranged from 1.7% to 13.3% for both species. We conclude that the population structuring in these pipistrelles is not homogenous across their range. Moreover, hybridization between them in continental Europe does occur and is not rare.Résumé : La réalisation que la chauve-souris la plus répandue en Europe comprend des espèces cryptiques, Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774) (la pipistrelle commune) et Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Leach, 1825) (la pipistrelle soprane), offre une excellente occasion d'examiner le mécanisme de la coexistence d'espèces. À la lumière de huit sites microsatellites nucléai-res (n = 353), nous avons observé des similitudes entre ces espèces en Pologne en ce qui concerne les coefficients d'hétéro-zygotie, de richesse allélique, d'apparentement moyen et de consanguinité. Des différences marquées sur le plan des patrons de migration (mises au jour par des tests d'affectation) suggèrent toutefois que P. pygmaeus est l'espèce la plus migratoire des deux. Les proportions de chauves-souris migrant entre colonies étaient significativement différentes, 17,1 % et 41,8 % des individus de P. pygmaeus et P. pipistrellus, respectivement, pouvant être affectés avec confiance à leurs colonies d'origine. Les deux espèces présentaient un caractère plus migratoire en Europe centrale que les populations des îles britanniques. Étant donné la nature cryptique des taxons examinés, nous avons également évalué la possibilité qu'ils s'hybrident. Leur hybridation a été confirmée par trois méthodes, dont une reposant sur la distance génétique et deux, sur des approches bayésiennes. Le taux d'hybridation global, selon les valeurs seuils utilisées, oscillait entre 1,7 % et 13,3 % pour les deux espèces. Nous en concluons que la structuration des populations chez ces pipistrelles n'est pas homogène à l'échelle de leu...

The present study considers the genetic structure and phylogeography of the smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) in Central Europe, as analyzed on the basis of 14 microsatellite markers and a 284-bp fragment of cytochrome b. We found deep divergence between western and south-eastern Poland, suggesting at least two different colonization routes for Central Europe, originating in at least two different refugia. The west/south-east divide was reflected in the haplotype distribution and topology of phylogenetic trees as defined by mitochondrial DNA, and in population structuring seen in the admixture analysis of microsatellite data. The well supported western European clade suggests that another refugium might have existed. We also note the isolation-by-distance and moderate-topronounced structuring in the examined geographical demes. Our data fit the assumption of the recently suggested sex-biased dispersal, in that we found a strong divide in the maternal line, as well as evidence for a small but existent gene flow based on biparentally inherited microsatellite markers. All studied populations were very similar in respect of allelic richness, observed and expected heterozygosities, and inbreeding coefficients. However, some genetic characteristics were different from those expected compared to a similar fine-scale study of C. austriaca from Great Britain. In the present study, we observed heterozygosity deficit, high inbreeding, and low GarzaWilliamson indices, suggesting a reduction in population size.

Hedgehogs, as medium-sized plantigrade insectivores with low basal metabolic rates and related defensive anti-predator strategies, are quite sensitive to temperature and ecosystem productivity. Their ranges therefore changed dramatically due to Pleistocene climate oscillations, resulting in allopatric speciation and the subsequent formation of secondary contact zones. Such interactions between closely related species are known to generate strong evolutionary forces responsible for niche differentiation. In this connection, here, we detail the results of research on the phenotypic evolution in the two species of hedgehog present in central Europe, as based on genetics and geometric morphometrics in samples along a longitudinal transect that includes the contact zone between the species. While in allopatry, Erinaceus europaeus is found to have a larger skull than E. roumanicus and distinct cranial and mandibular shapes; the members of the two species in sympatry are smaller and more similar to each other, with a convergent shape of the mandible. The relevant data fail to reveal any major role for either hybridisation or clinal variation. We, therefore, hypothesise that competitive pressure exerted on the studied species does not generate divergent selection sufficient for divergent character displacement to evolve, instead giving rise to convergent selection in the face of resource limitation in the direction of smaller skull size. Considering the multi-factorial constraints present in the relevant adaptive landscape, reduction in size could also be facilitated by predator pressure in ecosystems characterised by mesopredator release and other anthropogenic factors. As the function of the animals’ lower jaw is mainly connected with feeding (in contrast to the cranium whose functions are obviously more complex), we interpret the similarity in shape as reflecting local adaptations to overlapping dietary resources in the two species and hence as convergent character displacement.

The Great evening bat Ia io Thomas, 1902, previously considered as an endemic to the Indochinese subregion, is reported from the Sundaic subregion for the first time based on specimens collected from three localities in Surat Thani Province and Phang Nga Province, peninsular Thailand. It is described herein as a new subspecies based on its substantially larger body and skull size. The mitochondrial COI and cytochrome b genes reveal that the new subspecies has a genetic distance of 1.89% and 1.65%, respectively, from the nominate subspecies. Echolocation calls comprise four harmonics, with the maximum energy in the first harmonic (fmaxe) of 23.6-27.4 kHz. Notes on the population size as well as roosting and foraging behaviour are also provided.

International audienceInvasive species usually go through a period of reduced genetic variability due to a bottleneck. The genetic constitution of an invading population should therefore reflect the time since invasion and the number of introduction events. We studied genetic population structure of three rat species occurring sympatrically on the island of Futuna (46km(2)), where they were introduced recently (Rattus rattus), 80-170 years ago (R.norvegicus) and about 3000 years ago (R.exulans). From 2007 to 2012, we trapped 3900 rats during a rodent regulation programme over 20000 trap nights and took 565 rat tissue samples for genetic analyses. By examining genetic variation and spatial distribution of genetic resemblance, we evaluated the consequences of the time after introduction for genetic population structure. Observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity, number of alleles and allelic richness generally increased with increasing length of time a species was introduced to the island. The species with longer invasion history had also higher spatial admixture. However, in R.norvegicus, the observed heterozygosity was lower and inbreeding higher than expected by the invasion history. We relate this with the assumption that this species was introduced once or a few times and in low numbers, while R.exulans was intentionally introduced many times by Polynesian navigators and R.rattus had a high chance of being introduced on multiple occasions in recent times