Conservation and evolutionary genetics of the butterfly Erebia palarica Chapman, 1905

Abstract

The present thesis addresses the population, conservation and evolutionary genetics of Erebia palarica Chapman, 1905, a narrow endemic butterfly restricted to the mountains of northwest Iberia.The dissertation undertakes (1) the phylogeography of the species by integrating genetics, morphometrics and ecological niche modelling. The result is a reconstruction of the evolutionary history of E. palarica in the context of Pleistocene glaciations. Next, the dissertation presents (2) an insight into the conservation status of E.palarica, as obtained from the combination of genetic and capturerelease-recapture data gathered in 2021 in a relatively isolated locality in Serra do Courel (NW Spain) as well as the application of IUCN criteria at whole distribution scale. Finally, the project addresses (3) a comparative study regarding the speciation of E. palarica and its sister taxa E. meolans (Prunner 1789). The differentiation and putative reproductive barriers between both species are discussed, as stemmed from the phylogeny, Wolbachia infection, karyotypes, wing size and genitalia morphologies. Altogether, the case of E. palarica exemplifies the genetic dynamics and conservation needs of both endemic andmontane taxa, while highlighting the threats faced by wild insect populations and the importance of implementing a multidisciplinary approach in conservation biology.