Genetic variability and differentiation in isozymes in Mnais damselflies of Fukuoka in Japan (Zygoptera: Calopterygidae)

To analyze the genetic differences, M. pruinosa and M. nawai were collected in 2 localities of Fukuoka Pref. Kyushu, Japan. In the Hisayama area, 2 forms of M. pruinosa 6 <J occur, viz. orange winged f. esakii and clear winged f. strigata, and one 5 form with clear wings f. sieboldi. In the Kami-ishigama area, M. pruinosa and M. nawai both occur and the forms of M. pruinosa are also f. esakii, f. strigata and f. sieboldi. 2 forms of M. nawai 6 i are also found, the orange winged f. nawai and the pale-orange winged f. sahoi, and one 9 form with pale-orange wings f. 9 -nawai. The genetic differences among the samples collected in the areas were assessed by electrophoretic analysis. 21 protein loci of 10 proteins were analyzed by 5 % polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; 2 of the 21 loci were monomorphic. The most variable strain (f. strigata of M. pruinosa from Hisayama) was highly polymorphic at 18 of the loci (P=0.857), with an average heterozygosity (H) of 0.417. In all strains examined, the ranges of P and H values were 0.667-0.857 and 0.307-0.419, respectively. Nei’s genetic distance (D) was used to distinguish the 6 6 into 2 conspecific groups, the forms of M. nawai as group I, and the forms of M. pruinosa as group II. The $ $ together formed a third group. The genetic distance between groups I and II was close to, but above, the level of intraspecific variation. These results suggest that the <J 6 f. nawai and f. sahoi of M. nawai should be categorized as a single sp., and that f. esakii and f. strigata of M. pruinosa should also be regarded as a single sp., but separate from M. nawai. All the $ 5 showed a genetic relatedness indicating that they are within a single species (D ranging from 0.0595-0.0856), though they include the 2 different spp. of M. nawai (f. 9 -nawai) and M. pruinosa (f. sieboldi). They were the closest to f. strigata of M. pruinosa in the Kami-ishigama area, but the D value to group II was calculated as 0.1804, indicating a level of interspecific variation.