Population structure, gene flow and evolutionary relationships in four species of the genera Tomocerus and Pogonognathellus (Collembola, Tomoceridae)

Genetic diversity and gene flow at 10 allozyme loci were investigated in 13 natural populations of four species of the collembolan genera Tomocerus and Pogonognathellus. Levels of observed heterozygosity were found to vary from 0.033 in P. longicornis to 0.120 in T. vulgaris. Average Nei's genetic distances (D) ranged from D=0.222 between populations of P. flavescens to D=0.647 between populations of T. vulgaris. Genetic distances between species were always >1.000 and the highest value (D=4.321) was between P. longicornis and one population of T. vulgaris. Values of FSTwere very high in all species (from 0.567 to 0.696) and levels of gene flow (Nm) derived from FSTand the private allele method were low (Nm