Genetic isolation through time: allochronic differentiation of a phenologically atypical population of the pine processionary moth.

ABSTRACT: Allochronic speciation refers to a mode of sympatric speciation in which the differentiation of populations is primarily due to a phenological shift without habitat or host change. However, it has been so far rarely documented. The present paper reports on a plausible case of allochronic differentiation between sympatric populations of the pine processionary moth (PPM), Thaumetopoea pityocampa. The PPM is a Mediterranean insect with winter larval development. A phenologically atypical population with early adult activity and summer larval development was detected 10 years ago in Portugal. Mitochondrial and nuclear sequences strongly suggest that the 'summer' individuals are closely related to the sympatric winter population, while microsatellite data show a reduction in allelic richness, a

SUBMITTER: Santos H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2141679 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature