DNA Barcoding Reveals Hidden Genetic Diversity and Environmental Correlates of Lineage Differentiation in Neozavrelia Goetghebuer & Thienemann, 1941 (Diptera: Chironomidae)
TL;DR
Findings highlight that local environmental conditions are strongly associated with lineage genetic differentiation and provide a valuable DNA barcode reference for future taxonomic, ecological, and biodiversity studies of freshwater chironomids.
Abstract
Simple Summary Neozavrelia is a genus of small freshwater non-biting midges whose species are often difficult to distinguish because of their highly conserved morphology. This study employed DNA barcoding to investigate the genetic diversity of Neozavrelia across Asia, Europe, and North America. Molecular analyses identified 26 distinct genetic lineages, revealing previously unrecognized genetic diversity within the genus and suggesting the presence of multiple putative cryptic lineages. We further evaluated the relative effects of environmental and geographic factors on genetic differentiation. Environmental variables, particularly slope, annual cloud cover, cold-season precipitation, and frost frequency, explained more variation in genetic differentiation than geographic distance alone. These findings highlight that local environmental conditions are strongly associated with lineage genetic differentiation and provide a valuable DNA barcode reference for future taxonomic, ecological, and biodiversity studies of freshwater chironomids.