A Phylogeographic study of Ronderosia bergi (ORTHOPTERA: ACRIDIDAE) morphotypes

JOSEFINA ALBERGHINA; MARIA MARTA CIGLIANO; ELIO CASTILLO; DARDO MARTI; CARLOS LANGE; VIVIANA CONFALONIERI

Antalya, Turquia

Congreso; 10th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ORTHOPTEROLOGY; 2009

Ronderosia bergi is one of the most widely distributed species of the tribe Dichroplini. It isfound in Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, showing high variability in many phenotypiccharacters such as colour pattern, body size, and length of wings. The colour patterns hadreceived different specific names (Dichroplus distinguendus, D. brasiliensis, D. bicolor).These were later considered as morphotypes of Ronderosia bergi by Cigliano (1997) becauseno differences in male genitalia and no morphological discontinuities were found amongthem to warrant separate specific status. However, the fact that viable hybrids were producedfrom laboratory crosses between individuals of different phenotypes and one mating type butnot for the reciprocal cross raised questions about possible incipient reproductive isolationbarriers. The aim of this study is to determine, through a phylogeographic study of amitochondrial gene (cytochrome oxidase I), whether individuals of R. bergii belonging to thesame morphotype are grouped within reciprocally monophyletic clades. Specimens withdifferent morphotypes collected from several localities in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguaywere included in the analysis. Atrachelacris grammineus, Ronderosia malloii and R.forcipatus were used as outgroups. Phylogenetic analysis using Maximum Parsimony criteriashowed R. malloi as the most basal group within the genus and R. forcipatus as the sisterspecies of the R. bergi complex. Within this latter species, individuals were not groupedeither by morphology or by geographical proximity, thus indicating that morphologicaldiscontinuities do not affect the biological species status.