Data from: Genetic differentiation in the boreal dragonfly Leucorrhinia dubia in the Palearctic region

The last glacial period had a strong influence on the population genetic structure of boreal species in southern and central Europe. In addition, recent and current human impact on the boreal environment has led to habitat loss, which also has a large influence on population genetic structure of species. Here we present the spatial genetic structure of the boreal dragonfly Leucorrhinia dubia using ddRAD sequencing. We sampled individuals from nine locations in Europe, three in Asia (Russia and Japan) and one location of L. intermedia in Japan. Results showed three distinct genetic clusters in Europe. One genetic cluster consisted of individuals sampled from the locations in the Swiss Alps, a second consisted of individuals sampled in the United Kingdom, and a third cluster consisted of individuals from the rest of the seven sampled locations in Europe covering a latitudinal gradient from the French Pyrenees to the north of Finland. There was also a week support that the French Pyrenees and Austrian Alps samples differentiated from the cluster of the five samples from central and north Europe. We suggest that these clusters reflect historical recolonization patterns since the last glaciation. The L. dubia individuals sampled from locations in Asia formed one cluster referring to L. dubia orientalis separated from the individuals sampled in European and from the L. intermedia locality sampled. Our result suggests that aquatic insects in the fragmented boreal landscape in south central Europe and United Kingdom need conservation consideration