DNA barcoding of Austrian snow scorpionflies (Mecoptera, Boreidae) reveals potential cryptic diversity in Boreus westwoodi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Snow scorpionflies (genus Boreus) belong to a family of Mecoptera, Boreidae, that has been vastly neglected by entomological researchers due to their shift in seasonality to the winter months. Their activity during this time is regarded as a strategy for predator avoidance and regular sightings on snow fields suggest that this also facilitates dispersal. However, many aspects about snow scorpionflies, especially systematics, taxonomy, distribution of species, phylogenetics and phylogeography have remained fairly unexplored until today. In this study, we fill some of these gaps by generating a reference DNA barcode database for Austrian snow scorpionflies in the frame of the Austrian Barcode of Life initiative and by characterising morphological diversity in the st

SUBMITTER: Zangl L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8127955 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature