Zelandoperla fenestrata
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| Zelandoperla fenestrata Tillyard, 1923
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Zelandoperla fenestrata is a widespread endemic New Zealand stonefly that is often abundant in high-gradient stony streams, from near sea-level up to alpine elevations.[1]
This species is highly polymorphic in terms of wing length, with numerous wing-reduced, flightless populations found at high elevations above the alpine treeline.[2] While wing-reduced forms of Zelandoperla were previously considered to be a distinct species (Z. pennulata), recent genomic research indicates that flightless ecotypes have evolved independently and repeatedly across distinct upland regions.[1][3] Full-winged and vestigial-winged ecotypes within this complex can sometimes be found together in sympatry, and can be either fully interbreeding or reproductively isolated.[4][5]
Zelandoperla fenestrata also exhibits a striking colour polymorphism , with highly melanic specimens closely mimicking the warning colouration of the codistributed but unrelated toxic New Zealand stonefly Austroperla cyrene.[6][7] Melanic Zelandoperla specimens were previously considered to represent a distinct species (Z. tillyardi) but recent genomic analysis indicate that melanic and non-melanic ecotypes are fully interbreeding and thus conspecific.[1][6]
References
- ^ a b c McLellan, Ian (1999). "A revision of Zelandoperla Tillyard (Plecoptera: Gripopterygidae: Zelandoperlinae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 26: 199–219. doi:10.1080/03014223.1999.9518190.
- ^ Foster, Brodie; McCulloch, Graham; Vogel, Marianne; Ingram, Travis; Waters, Jonathan (2021). "Anthropogenic evolution in an insect wing polymorphism following widespread deforestation". Biology Letters. 17 (8): 20210069. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2021.0069.
- ^ McCulloch, Graham; Foster, Brodie; Dutoit, Ludovic; Harrop, Thomas; Guhlin, Joseph; Dearden, Peter; Waters, Jonathan (2021). "Genomics Reveals Widespread Ecological Speciation in Flightless Insects". Systematic Biology. 70 (5): 863–875. doi:10.1093/sysbio/syaa094.
- ^ Veale, Andrew; Foster, Brodie; Dearden, Peter; Waters, Jonathan (2018). "Genomics Reveals Widespread Ecological Speciation in Flightless Insects". Scientific Reports. 8 (1): 16275. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-34123-1.
- ^ McCulloch, Graham; Foster, Brodie; Dutoit, Ludovic; Ingram, Travis; Hay, Eleanor; Veale, Andrew; Dearden, Peter; Waters, Jonathan (2019). "Ecological gradients drive insect wing loss and speciation: The role of the alpine treeline". Molecular Ecology. 28 (13): 3141–3150.
- ^ a b Foster, Brodie; McCulloch, Graham; Foster, Yasmin; Kroos, Gracie; King, Tania; Waters, Jonathan (2023). "ebony underpins Batesian mimicry in melanic stoneflies". Molecular Ecology. 32 (18): 4986–4998. doi:10.1111/mec.17085.
- ^ McLellan, Ian (1997). "Austroperla cyrene Newman (Plecoptera: Austroperlidae)". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 27 (2): 272–278. doi:10.1080/03014223.1997.9517538.