Minimal impact of genetic disturbance found in endangered butterfly Luehdorfia japonica introduced from distant regions in the past
image: Isolated populations of this threatened species of butterfly reside in the mountains of Kanto.
Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University
Genetic disturbance represents a critical threat to species conservation by eroding evolutionary history and compromising population fitness. A geographically isolated population of Luehdorfia japonica (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) resides on Mt. Ishizare within the Kanto Mountains of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Historical documentation of butterfly releases suggested a risk of genetic disturbance within this population.
An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team utilized genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of 67 individuals using 581 SNPs to quantify the extent of genetic disturbance. While the results showed genetic disturbance had occurred, the proportion of exotic genetic clusters was remarkably low, ranging from 1.6% to 2.4%. Thus, the impact of genetic disturbance at Mt. Ishizare, Kanagawa Prefecture, was found to be slight.
These findings indicated that the risk of genetically disturbed individuals migrating to neighboring areas where individuals have become established is also low. Consequently, the conservation value of the Mt. Ishizare population remains substantially intact, warranting continued protection of this unique evolutionary lineage.
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