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Genetic structure of cave-dwelling beetles populations: significant deficiencies of heterozygotes
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  • Original Article
  • Published: 01 June 1988

Genetic structure of cave-dwelling beetles populations: significant deficiencies of heterozygotes

  • Brigitte Crouau-Roy1 

Heredity volume 60, pages 321–327 (1988)Cite this article

  • 647 Accesses

  • 22 Citations

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Abstract

An analysis of departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium is presented for a set of three troglobitic beetles each with one larval stage (Speonomus hydrophilus, zophosinus and colluvii) from the central Pyrenees. These populations show an important deficiency of heterozygotes (positive Fi and FIS values: 0·4) for all polymorphic loci. Several hypotheses are put forward and examined in relation with the species' biology. The local populations are highly subdivided into demes receiving limited numbers of immigrants from neighboring demes. The spatial structure of the underground environment, associated with the trapping methods used, could lead to the pooling of individuals from a number of separate demes; within these demes the close cohabitation of individuals of several generations, the lack of a larval dispersal stage, the female fertility and the rhythm of matings may give rise to an important inbreeding effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Souterrain du CNRS, Moulis, 09200, Saint-Girons, France

    Brigitte Crouau-Roy

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  1. Brigitte Crouau-Roy
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Crouau-Roy, B. Genetic structure of cave-dwelling beetles populations: significant deficiencies of heterozygotes. Heredity 60, 321–327 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1988.49

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  • Received: 01 July 1987

  • Issue date: 01 June 1988

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1988.49

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