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DNA-based Species Delimitation of the Agriculturally Important Genus, Ravinia (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Wong, Evan S.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6577-1899
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439561953

Abstract Details

2015, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences.
Species, and their constituent populations, are the units upon which evolution acts. The ability to accurately identify and delimit species boundaries is crucial for research, but is also important for public policy. Traditionally, species were identified and delimited based on morphological characteristics, yet sometimes species are cryptic, meaning no diagnostic morphological traits can be found. Consequently, DNA sequence data are increasingly being used in the areas of species delimitation and identification. As a model to explore species delimitation and identification I use members of the flesh fly family Sarcophagidae, specifically the genus Ravinia. Using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods, I infer a molecular phylogeny, using mitochondrial DNA. Several paraphyletic relationships were inferred among species of Ravinia that are discordant with current morphological taxonomy. I investigate whether this conflict between genetic lineages and morphological identification within the species Ravinia anxia and Ravinia querula is due to introgressive gene flow, retained ancestral polymorphism, or indicative of the presence of unrecognized species. Using a combination of concatenated phylogenetic analyses, population genetic analyses, migration analyses, and coalescent methodologies I delimit the species Ravinia anxia and Ravinia querula. I find three morphologically cryptic lineages that comprise the current morphologically-identified species R. anxia and R. querula. With the findings of this species delimitation research, I then re-evaluate the phylogenetic relationships of Ravinia using increased sampling of both species and loci.
Ronald W. DeBry, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Gregory A. Dahlem, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Bryan C. Carstens, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Theresa M. Culley, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Kenneth Petren, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
191 p.
Biology
phylogenetics; Chaetoravinia; delineation; cryptic species; species-tree; multilocus coalescent

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wong, E. S. (2015). DNA-based Species Delimitation of the Agriculturally Important Genus, Ravinia (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439561953

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wong, Evan. DNA-based Species Delimitation of the Agriculturally Important Genus, Ravinia (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). 2015. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439561953.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wong, Evan. "DNA-based Species Delimitation of the Agriculturally Important Genus, Ravinia (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439561953

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1439561953
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© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12