Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-8-2024 11:00 AM
End Date
5-8-2024 1:00 PM
Subjects
Pseudoscorpions -- Pacific Northwest
Advisor
Dr. Susan Masta
Student Level
Undergraduate
Abstract
Pseudoscorpions are an ancient and diverse group of understudied arachnids, and there is much to be learned about their relationships to each other. Pseudoscorpions are one of many leaf-litter dwelling and low dispersing invertebrates that inhabit the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Previous phylogeographic studies of Pacific Northwest taxa have shed light on some of the climatic and geologic events that have shaped the area's flora and fauna. One purpose of this study is to determine if there is similar genetic structuring within the pseudoscorpion populations present in the study area, or if there is even more structure likely influenced by their small size and poor dispersal capabilities. In this study, I examine the genetic structuring of the pseudoscorpion Pseudotyrannochthonius incognitus from across its known geographic range. I first examined the pseudoscorpion specimens in our lab’s collections and identified them to those in the genus Pseudotyrannochthonius. ArcGIS was used to create a distribution map of these specimens. I extracted DNA and amplified one mitochondrial gene and two different nuclear loci before sequencing these regions. I used these sequences to create a gene tree showing the phylogenetic relationships of these pseudoscorpions. There is more genetic structuring present within these populations than is typically present within a single species, indicating that this species likely consists of multiple cryptic species. These results can be used to further the understanding of the complex events that have shaped the populations of similar animals found in the Pacific Northwest.
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Included in
Dragon Pseudoscorpions Shed Light on Ancient Climate History in the Pacific Northwest
Pseudoscorpions are an ancient and diverse group of understudied arachnids, and there is much to be learned about their relationships to each other. Pseudoscorpions are one of many leaf-litter dwelling and low dispersing invertebrates that inhabit the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Previous phylogeographic studies of Pacific Northwest taxa have shed light on some of the climatic and geologic events that have shaped the area's flora and fauna. One purpose of this study is to determine if there is similar genetic structuring within the pseudoscorpion populations present in the study area, or if there is even more structure likely influenced by their small size and poor dispersal capabilities. In this study, I examine the genetic structuring of the pseudoscorpion Pseudotyrannochthonius incognitus from across its known geographic range. I first examined the pseudoscorpion specimens in our lab’s collections and identified them to those in the genus Pseudotyrannochthonius. ArcGIS was used to create a distribution map of these specimens. I extracted DNA and amplified one mitochondrial gene and two different nuclear loci before sequencing these regions. I used these sequences to create a gene tree showing the phylogenetic relationships of these pseudoscorpions. There is more genetic structuring present within these populations than is typically present within a single species, indicating that this species likely consists of multiple cryptic species. These results can be used to further the understanding of the complex events that have shaped the populations of similar animals found in the Pacific Northwest.