Gone with Water or Mountain: The Population Genetic Diversity of Rhopalopsole sinensis Yang and Yang, 1993 in China

<i>Rhopalopsole sinensis</i> Yang and Yang, 1993 is one of the most widely distributed stoneflies in southern China. In this study, the genetic structure of nine different geographical populations of <i>R. sinensis</i> was studied based on three datasets of the <i>18S</i>, <i>COI</i> and <i>ITS2</i> genes. The phylogenetic trees showed that there had been a great degree of genetic differentiation among its nine geographical populations, but the hypothesis of random mating did not support the formation of reproductive isolation among different geographical populations, indicating that <i>R. sinensis</i> did not form cryptic species. The establishment of the <i>18S</i> gene and <i>ITS2</i> gene supports the population of (Guangdong + Shaanxi + Sichuan + Guizhou + Fujian) as independent branches, while the population of (Anhui + Zhejiang + Hunan) is another branch. The establishment of <i>COI</i> gene tree supports (Shaanxi + Sichuan + Guizhou + Fujian) as one branch, while the other independent branch is composed of (Anhui + Zhejiang + Guangxi + Hunan + Guangdong) groups. The possible reasons for this situation based on geography and biology are discussed. Our results provide the first reference for the genetic differentiation in Chinese <i>Rhopalopsole</i> stoneflies.