•  
  •  
 

Abstract

We report a series of investigations carried out on a Dolichopoda population recently discovered in the Poscola cave and in some small caves nearby (Lessini Mountains, Vicenza). This population is located north of Po river, outside the present known geographic range of this genus in Italy. Morphology of the epiphallus corroborated by chromosome and allozyme analysis indicated that this population belongs to D. laetitiae. Study of the genetic structure of population in the Poscola area revealed high gene flow levels between Poscola and the other minor caves, suggesting the occurrence of a single expanding population. This finding as well as mark-recapture data on population size, migrations, age structure and habitat type strongly suggest that the Poscola population is the result of a recent colonization due to anthropocore dispersal.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.25.1.2

Share

COinS