Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Erebia aethiops group (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)

Abstract

Erebia niphonica on the Japanese islands belongs to the aethiops group (sensu Warren, 1936). We conducted molecular phylogenetical analyses of the major subspecies and also of the geographical variations, which are supposed to belong to this group. The result implied that each of E. niphonica from Honshu, and E. "niphonica" scoparia from Sakhalin and Hokkaido has evolved to a species level comparable with E. aethiops, E. alcmena, and E. neriene. We also inferred the phylogeography of the aethiops group. Southern Sakhalin is considered to have been connected to northern Hokkaido during the last glacial period, and many animals and plants were considered to have come over to the Japanese islands through this landbridge. In fact, we detected the identical haplotypes from "niphonica" populations in southern Sakhalin and northern Hokkaido. This supported the hypothesis that genetic exchanges took place. Erebia vidleri in Nearctic region with an external appearance similar to those of the aethiops group, showed a little phylogenetic relationship.