From refugia to contact: Pine processionary moth hybrid zone in a complex biogeographic setting

Abstract

Contact zones occur at the crossroad between specific dispersal routes and are facilitated by biogeographic discontinuities. Here, we focused on two Lepidoptera sister species that come in contact near the Turkish Straits System (TSS). We aimed to infer their phylogeographic histories in the Eastern Mediterranean and finely analyze their co‐occurrence and hybridization patterns in this biogeographic context. We used molecular mitochondrial and nuclear markers to study 224 individuals from 42 localities. We used discordances between markers and complementary assignment methods to identify and map hybrids and parental individuals. We confirmed the parapatric distribution of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) in the west and Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni in the east and identified a narrow contact zone. We identified several glacial refugia of T. wilkinsoni in southern Turkey with a strong east–west differentiation in this species. Unexpectedly, T. pityocampa crossed the TSS and occur in northern Aegean Turkey and some eastern Greek islands. We found robust evidence of introgression between the two species in a restricted zone in northwestern Turkey, but we did not identify any F1 individuals. The identified hybrid zone was mostly bimodal. The distributions and genetic patterns of the studied species were strongly influenced both by the Quaternary climatic oscillations and the complex geological history of the Aegean region. T. pityocampa and T. wilkinsoni survived the last glacial maximum in disjoint refugia and met in western Turkey at the edge of the recolonization routes. Expanding population of T. wilkinsoni constrained T. pityocampa to the western Turkish shore. Additionally, we found evidence of recurrent introgression by T. wilkinsoni males in several T. pityocampa populations. Our results suggest that some prezygotic isolation mechanisms, such as differences in timing of the adult emergences, might be a driver of the isolation between the sister species.

Rediscovery of Clarina syriaca (Lederer, 1855) (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae, Macroglossinae) in Cyprus after 70 years; with notes on its biology and early life history from the Levant

“…These contact zones, i.e. post-glacial zones of secondary contact and hybridisation between once-isolated sister species, have been reported for a variety of taxa in many biomes (Remington 1968;Moritz et al 2009;Hewitt 2011;Portnoy and Gold 2012;Barrowclough et al 2019;İpekdal et al 2020).…”

Real‐time geographic settling of a hybrid zone between the invasive winter moth (Operophtera brumata L.) and the native Bruce spanworm (O. bruceata Hulst)

“…Species of moths and butterflies (Insecta: Lepidoptera) have provided some of the most stunning examples of the diversity of interactions resulting from hybridization (e.g., Ipekdal et al, 2020; Lucek et al,2020; Ryan et al, 2017, 2018; Scriber, 2011). Here, we explore the formation of a hybrid zone in northeastern North America between the introduced European winter moth, Operophtera brumata L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) and the native Bruce spanworm, O .…”

“…Species of moths and butterflies (Insecta: Lepidoptera) have provided some of the most stunning examples of the diversity of interactions resulting from hybridization (e.g., Ipekdal et al, 2020;Lucek et al,2020;Ryan et al, 2017Ryan et al, , 2018Scriber, 2011).…”

Complex drivers of phenology in the pine processionary moth: Lessons from the past

“…The pine processionary moth (PPM) Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis & Schiff.) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is distributed over a large part of the western Mediterranean basin, from North Africa to Libya on the southern rim and from Portugal to western Turkey in the northern part (Ipekdal et al, 2020; Kerdelhué et al, 2009). PPM is typically a univoltine winter‐feeding insect with summer adult emergence.…”