Floristic Diversity Along Environmental Gradients In District Tor Ghar

Abstract

Present study to describe the Phylogenetic relationship of Odonata species found in Hazara region of Pakistan. The investigation was based on morphological and molecular characters. Extensive field survey to collect Odonatate fauna was carried out during 2012 – 2014 in different ecological regions of study area. A total of 2430 specimen were collected and identified, yielding in to 2 sub orders, 11 families, 33 genera and 57 species. Sub order Anisoptera included 04 families, family Aeshnidae having 02 species belonging to single genus Anax while, family Corduliidae composed of single genus under 01 species. Family Gomphidae included 09 species under 06 genera and Libellulidae showed 30 species and 14 genera. Sub order Zygoptera included 08 families, family Calopterygidae with single genus and 01 species, family Coenagrionidae consisted of 03 genera and 05 species, family Protoneuridae comes up with only single genus and 01 species, family Platecnemididae included 02 species under 02 genera, family Chlorolestidae contained only single genus under 01 species, family Chlorocyphidae consisted of single genus with 02 species, family Euphidae included single genus and 01 species. While family Lestidae showed single genus and 02 species. One species Anormogomphus heteropterus was recorded first time from Pakistan. Fifteen species are new records for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 25 species are reported first time from Hazara region of Pakistan while remaining 16 species already reported from this region. Details for the collected material i.e. valid names, their synonyms, measurement of body parts (abdomen, forewing and hindwing length), habitat description, date of collection, distribution range in xvi Pakistan as well as international distribution, coloured images, geographical distribution of all fifty-seven species were presented in here. Moreover, taxonomic keys for families, genera and species were also constructed. The second part of this study focuses on molecular characterizations and phylogenetics. Molecular phylogenetic relationships among members of the Odonata were examined using 735 bp of mitochondrial COI gene and 416 bp of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences. Phylogenies of the analyzed taxa were elaborated with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian analysis. The COI gene and 16S rRNA gene separate and combined CO1+16S data sets revealed evolutionary relationship within Odonata at the species, genera, subfamily and family level. A total of 835 nucleotide sequences and 36770 genetic characters/position were used for the CO1, 16S and combined CO1+16S data set. Mean Pairwise Distances (MPD) of each species were ranged from 0.00 to 84.60%. Evolutionary rate differences among two categories Gamma distribution and Invariant (+G+I) were recorded as 0.07 and 1.20 substitutions per site. DNA based identification using CO1, 16S and combined CO1+16S data set, for all Odonata species shared genetic similarities having bootstrap values MLB=70-100%, MPB= 52-100% and BPP=0.75-1%. The analysis of the combined COI+16S data set yielded trees with overall stronger bootstrap support than analyses of either gene alone. Likelihood, Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the combined COI+16S data set produce well-resolved phylogenetic hypotheses and several previously suggested monophyletic groups were supported by each analysis. These findings had shown that the taxonomic position of Odonata species based on morphological charaters xvii could be verified, further improved and confirmed by the use of modern molecular biological tools which involve the nucleotide sequences of genes used in phylogenetic investigations. The present study provides the first report for the phylogenetic elaboration and cataloguings of Odonata species found in Hazara region of Pakistan. On the basis of present study findings, the existing knowledge and baseline for future research of Odonata from Hazara region of Pakistan have been upgraded.