Post-glacial colonization of the Fennoscandian coast by a plant parasitic insect with an unusual life history ...

• Main Author: Kaňuch, Peter
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2023
• Subjects: FOS: Biological sciences; microsatellites genotypes; Contarinia vincetoxici; Insects; Fennoscandian
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.63xsj3v70; https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.63xsj3v70

Species that exhibit very peculiar ecological traits combined with limited dispersal ability pose a challenge to our understanding of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms. This is especially true when they have managed to spread over long distances, overcome physical barriers and colonise large areas. Climate and landscape changes, trophic web relations as well as life history all interact to shape migration routes and present-day species distributions and their population genetic structures. Here we analysed the post-glacial colonization of northern Europe by the gall midge Contarinia vincetoxici, which is a monophagous parasite on the perennial herb White swallowwort (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria). This insect not only has a narrow feeding niche but also limited dispersal ability and an exceptionally long dormancy. Gall midge larvae (n = 329) were collected from 16 sites along its distribution range in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Using microsatellite loci and knowledge of the species and the regions’ ...