When barcoding fails: development of diagnostic nuclear markers for the sibling caddisfly species Sericostoma personatum (Spence in Kirby & Spence, 1826) and Sericostoma flavicorne Schneider, 1845

• DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.872.34278
• Publication Date: 2019-08-20T09:09:01Z
• Authors: Sonja Darschnik; Florian Leese; Martina Weiss; Hannah Weigand
• Keywords: Caddisfly; DNA Barcoding; Nuclear gene; Introgression

The larval stages of the central European sibling caddisfly species Sericostoma personatum (Spence in Kirby and Spence, 1826) S. flavicorne Schneider, 1845 are morphologically similar can only be distinguished by differences coloration late instars. Identification using mitochondrial barcoding gene, i.e., Cytochrome c Oxidase 1, is impossible, as both share same highly differentiated haplotypes due to introgression. Nuclear gene markers obtained through double digest restriction site associate sequencing (ddRAD seq), however, reliably distinguish species, yet method expensive well time-consuming therefore not practicable for determination. To facilitate accurate identification without genome-wide markers, we developed nine diagnostic nuclear RFLP based on ddRAD seq data. were successfully tested geographically distinct populations two western Germany, known hybrids, another sericostomatid Oecismus monedula (Hagen, 1859) that sometimes shares habitat confounded with Sericostoma. We describe a simple fast protocol reliable independent life cycle stage specimens.