Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia

Termites from the genus Odontotermes are known to contain numerous species complexes that are difficult to tell apart morphologically or with mitochondrial DNA sequences. We developed markers for one such cryptic species complex, that is, Odontotermes srinakarinensis sp. nov. from Maxwell Hill Fores...

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Main Authors: Cheng, Shawn, Lee, Chai Ting, Wan, M. N., Tan, Soon Guan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2013
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/28029/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/28029/1/28029.pdf
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author Cheng, Shawn
Lee, Chai Ting
Wan, M. N.
Tan, Soon Guan
author_facet Cheng, Shawn
Lee, Chai Ting
Wan, M. N.
Tan, Soon Guan
author_sort Cheng, Shawn
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Termites from the genus Odontotermes are known to contain numerous species complexes that are difficult to tell apart morphologically or with mitochondrial DNA sequences. We developed markers for one such cryptic species complex, that is, Odontotermes srinakarinensis sp. nov. from Maxwell Hill Forest Reserve (Perak, Malaysia), and characterised them using a sample of 41 termite workers from three voucher samples from the same area. We then genotyped 150 termite individuals from 23 voucher samples/colonies of this species complex from several sites in Peninsular Malaysia. We analysed their population by constructing dendograms from the proportion of shared-alleles between individuals and genetic distances between colonies; additionally, we examined the Bayesian clustering pattern of their genotype data. All methods of analysis indicated that there were two distinct clusters within our data set. After the morphologies of specimens from each cluster were reexamined, we were able to separate the two species morphologically and found that a single diagnostic character found on the mandibles of its soldiers could be used to separate the two species quite accurately. The additional species in the clade was identified as Odontotermes denticulatus after it was matched to type specimens at the NHM London and Cambridge Museum of Zoology.
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spelling upm-280292016-03-07T07:25:12Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/28029/ Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia Cheng, Shawn Lee, Chai Ting Wan, M. N. Tan, Soon Guan Termites from the genus Odontotermes are known to contain numerous species complexes that are difficult to tell apart morphologically or with mitochondrial DNA sequences. We developed markers for one such cryptic species complex, that is, Odontotermes srinakarinensis sp. nov. from Maxwell Hill Forest Reserve (Perak, Malaysia), and characterised them using a sample of 41 termite workers from three voucher samples from the same area. We then genotyped 150 termite individuals from 23 voucher samples/colonies of this species complex from several sites in Peninsular Malaysia. We analysed their population by constructing dendograms from the proportion of shared-alleles between individuals and genetic distances between colonies; additionally, we examined the Bayesian clustering pattern of their genotype data. All methods of analysis indicated that there were two distinct clusters within our data set. After the morphologies of specimens from each cluster were reexamined, we were able to separate the two species morphologically and found that a single diagnostic character found on the mandibles of its soldiers could be used to separate the two species quite accurately. The additional species in the clade was identified as Odontotermes denticulatus after it was matched to type specimens at the NHM London and Cambridge Museum of Zoology. Elsevier 2013-04-15 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/28029/1/28029.pdf Cheng, Shawn and Lee, Chai Ting and Wan, M. N. and Tan, Soon Guan (2013) Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia. Gene, 518 (2). pp. 412-418. ISSN 0378-1119 10.1016/j.gene.2012.12.084
spellingShingle Cheng, Shawn
Lee, Chai Ting
Wan, M. N.
Tan, Soon Guan
Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia
title Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia
title_full Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia
title_fullStr Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia
title_short Microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of Odontotermes (Termitoidae: Termitidae) from Peninsular Malaysia
title_sort microsatellite markers uncover cryptic species of odontotermes (termitoidae: termitidae) from peninsular malaysia
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/28029/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/28029/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/28029/1/28029.pdf