Insight into the molecular diversity of Perreyia flavipes, a comparison across its geographic distribution limits in South America

Perreyia flavipes Konow, 1899 is one of the fairly known species of the Pergidae family. The larval stage of the species presents a high incidence of intoxication outbreaks in South America with an important economic impact on cattle, sheep, and pig production. Examined specimens were collected from the southern and northern extremes of the species distribution. Southern-limit specimens from Uruguay and Brazil were used to amplify and sequence COI, 16S, and 28S genes, and the same gene sequences were obtained from the Genbank database for the northern limit in Colombia, together with three other species of the Pergidae group. High similarity between Brazilian and Uruguayan samples was found. Colombian haplotypes were highly differentiated from those of the Uruguay-Brazil group. Paired differences between Perreyia species were similar to those found between southern and northern comparisons of P. flavipes, suggesting the need to deeply understand and describe the incipient differentiation of the species across its wide geographic distribution.