A phylogeographical survey of a highly dispersive spider reveals eastern Asia as a major glacial refugium for Palaearctic fauna

Abstract

Aim The phylogeographical history of wide-ranging Palaearctic species is not well understood. Here, we present a range-wide phylogeographical study of the wasp spider, Argiope bruennichi (Scopoli, 1772), a highly dispersive and widely distributed Palaearctic species. We aim to identify glacial refugia and patterns of interglacial gene flow across the Palaearctic. Location Palaearctic region, including the Azores, Madeira, Europe, North Africa and Asia. Methods We conduct a range-wide phylogeographical survey. Our study is based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers, as well as morphological characters. We use species distribution models to predict the species’ current range as well as its historical distribution during and shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Results All analysed genetic markers and morphological characters support the divergence of a lineage in eastern Asia from the remainder of the Palaearctic. Within the Western Palaearctic, a less pronounced divergence into an Azorean and a European clade is found. Species distribution models predict a pronounced loss of suitable habitat for Western Palaearctic lineages during the LGM, whereas the range of East Asian populations remained largely unaffected. Main conclusions Our results highlight the existence of non-European glacial refugia for Palaearctic species, particularly in East Asia. The current genetic structure is best explained by the recent recolonization of the Western Palaearctic from eastern Asia, or repeated interglacial contact of populations

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Rapid genetic and ecological differentiation during the northern range expansion of the venomous yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium punctorium in Europe

“…; Krehenwinkel et al. ). The range wide homogeneity of 28S rDNA and overall low microsatellite differentiation within the native range also suggests connectivity of populations by gene flow.…”

“…First isolated occurrences of the yellow sac spider were in fact reported from northeastern Germany in the mid-20th century (Muster et al 2008). Like many other spiders, C. punctorium probably possesses high dispersal ability, due to passive, wind-mediated ballooning of young spiderlings (Bell et al 2005;Krehenwinkel et al 2016). The range wide homogeneity of 28S rDNA and overall low microsatellite differentiation within the native range also suggests connectivity of populations by gene flow.…”

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“…The inclusion of additional loci besides COI considerably improves the resolution of molecular systematic analyses (Ortiz & Francke, ). In particular, nuclear information is important, as mitochondrial divergence can be inflated by male‐biased gene flow (Krehenwinkel et al., ) or infections with reproductive parasites (Hurst & Jiggins, ). Relationships between the different spider families generally matched known relationships based on phylogenomic analyses (Fernández, Hormiga, & Giribet, ), separating the “RTA clade”, Araneoidea and Uloboridae.…”