Variation of 15 nuclear allozyme genes and a 708 bp fragment of DNA sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were surveyed in a population of a hoverfly species, Merodon desuturinus Vujić, Šimić & Radenković, 1995 (Diptera, Syrphidae), endemic to the Balkan Peninsula. Based on phylogeography and taxonomy, Merodon desuturinus is of special interest from a biogeographical and conservation perspective. Characterization and determination of genetic relationships between M. desuturinus and taxa of the M. aureus, M. avidus, and M. ruficornis groups on the Balkan Peninsula were estimated based on molecular markers (allozymes and COI sequences). We observed that the mean number of alleles per allozyme locus was 1.1, frequency of polymorphic loci 0.067, and heterozygotes were absent. Our results showed an extremely low genetic variability in the M. desuturinus population sampled. We suggest that this taxon calls for a conservation management plan, as it is likely a vulnerable and threatened taxon, an endemic, spatially divided species and represents a unique genetic unit on the Balkan Peninsula.
The genetic structure and phenotypic diversity of two populations of Cheilosia aff. longula (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Lapland, Finland, were examined using DNA sequencing, protein electrophoresis, and geometric morphometrics. The morphological identification of the species were verified using partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI mtDNA), and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed region 2 (ITS2 rDNA), and comparing the corresponding sequences of Cheilosia aff. longula and the closely related C. longula. Two and three haplotypes of the genes COI mtDNA and ITS2 rDNA were identified in the two populations. Analysis of 12 isozyme loci showed an extremely low genetic variability in the populations originating from Utsjoki and Kevo. Discriminant analysis combined with canonical variate analysis revealed inter-population divergence in wing shape. Variation among genetically diverse individuals, both within- and among studied populations was studied, and directional (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) estimated using landmarks in the framework of geometric morphometrics. It is likely that the documented DA and FA asymmetry in both wing shape and size reflects the developmental instability of the individuals studied. By using Procrustes ANOVA the locations of particular landmarks responsible for the variation in shape were determined. The decomposition of the components of variance accorded to each landmark showed that the landmarks differed in the percentage of variation they accounted for (DA, FA and variation among individuals). In the discussion the implications of the reduced genetic diversity and asymmetry in wing traits for conservation is considered.