Loss of genetic variability in social spiders: genetic and phylogenetic consequences of population subdivision and inbreeding.

ABSTRACT: The consequences of population subdivision and inbreeding have been studied in many organisms, particularly in plants. However, most studies focus on the short-term consequences, such as inbreeding depression. To investigate the consequences of both population fragmentation and inbreeding for genetic variability in the longer term, we here make use of a natural inbreeding experiment in spiders, where sociality and accompanying population subdivision and inbreeding have evolved repeatedly. We use mitochondrial and nuclear data to infer phylogenetic relationships among 170 individuals of Anelosimus spiders representing 23 species. We then compare relative mitochondrial and nuclear genetic variability of the inbred social species and their outbred relatives. We focus on four independently der

SUBMITTER: Agnarsson I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3588177 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature