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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
Published on: July 11, 2025
Gene flow and species delimitation
Rémy J Petit1, Laurent Excoffier
1INRA, UMR 1202 BIOGECO, 33610 Cestas, France. petit@pierroton.inra.fr
Species integrity can be threatened by gene flow between species. Markers linked to the sex with higher gene flow are best for species delimitation, improving accuracy in distinguishing species.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genetics
- Conservation biology
Background:
- Species are defined by connected populations, but interspecific gene flow (introgression) can threaten species integrity.
- Understanding the factors influencing introgression is crucial for accurate species delimitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between intra- and interspecific gene flow.
- To determine the effectiveness of different genetic markers for species delimitation.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing studies on introgression in species with sex-biased dispersal.
- Analysis of simulation studies predicting correlations between gene flow levels.
Main Results:
- A negative correlation between intra- and interspecific gene flow was predicted.
- Markers associated with the most dispersing sex were predicted to better delimit species.
- A review of empirical studies largely confirmed this prediction.
Conclusions:
- Species delimitation is more effective using genetic markers that experience high levels of gene flow.
- Focusing on markers linked to sex-biased dispersal can improve species identification and conservation efforts.
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