The status of the taxa Elymus dahuricus Turcz. ex Griseb., E. excelsus Turcz. ex Griseb., E. woroschilowii Probat. and E. tangutorum (Nevski) Hand.-Mazz., all of which are sometimes treated as members of E. dahuricus s.l. or as constituting the E. dahuricus complex, has been investigated using morphological, biochemical (SDS-PAGE of endosperm proteins) and molecular (DNA-AFLP) variation characteristics. Populations include accessions from Siberia, Far East (Russia), Tien-Shan (Kirghizstan), and Tibet and Sichuan Provinces (China). Variation in the morphological characteristics and endosperm proteins patterns have been found in all populations of the complex. DNA variation was very low within populations but was different among populations; this was attributed to genetic drift. Seed fertility of artificial hybrids and F2-F3 progenies in 38 combinations was analyzed. All biotypes studied form a common recombination genepool (RGP). The reproductive compatibility of hybrid combinations decreases with increased geographical separation of the parents. Differences in protein patterns and in genetic variation drawn from DNA-AFLPs and phenotypical segregation in F2 on series of diagnostic characters does not support existing taxonomic treatments of the E. dahuricus complex in Southern Russia, and Central-Asian area. The E. dahuricus complex seems to be a polymorphic species having a wide geographical range and wide genetic variation. The different species need probably be relegated to infraspecific rank. We have refrained from making the necessary combinations pending examination of additional specimens, including specimens of taxa not included in this study and the type specimens of all taxa involved.
Material and methods In October 2017, two males and a female of N. mogera were caught by pitfall-traps in the territory of the Perm State University during inspection of the greenhouse of the Botanical Garden. When the population of this species was reexamined in March 2018, a large number of mature and immature specimens was found, which allowed the authors to study a spatial distribution of this species and to assess some of its ecological requirements. The greenhouse of the botanical garden of the Perm State University was built in 2010. Its plant collection is divided into five climatic/thematic compartments: "Wet Tropics", "Dry Tropics", "Subtropics", "Epiphytes", "Cacti and succulents" [Botanical Garden…, 2018]. The specimens of N. mogera were found in the first three compartments only. The material studied here has been deposited in the Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University
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