Continental phylogeography of Tetragonisca angustula and Xylocopa frontalis (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Abstract

Population genetics and phyologeographic studies enable to unveil population dynamics, species evolutionary history, detection of cryptic species and also these information may be very useful to subsidize conservation actions. This project aim at performing a phylogeographic survey for two species: Tetragonisca angustula and Xylocopa frontalis. Both species have a wide geographic range in Brazil and are sympatric. However, each has phylogenetic origin, and behavior and morphological features distinct which lead them to be excellent models for a comparative phylogeographic study. The historical events (geological and paleoclimatics) allied to their intrinsic features will shed light on the population and genetic scenario observed currently. We hypothesized that each species constitute in fact a complex of species, though the genetic composition is no homogenous through their broad distribution. Also the geological and paleoclimatic events may have affected each species distinctly in terms of dispersion and population structure. To reach our objectives we will perform molecular analysis by sequencing two mitochondrial regions (COI and CytB) and screening microsatellite loci.