Population genetics of Wolbachia-infected, parthenogenetic and uninfected, sexual populations of Tetrastichus coeruleus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria known to manipulate the reproduction of their hosts. These manipulations are expected to have consequences on the population genetics of the host, such as heterozygosity levels, genetic diversity and gene flow. The parasitoid wasp Tetrastichus coeruleus has populations that are infected with parthenogenesis-inducing Wolbachia and populations that are not infected. We studied the population genetics of T. coeruleus between and within Wolbachia-infected and uninfected populations, using nuclear microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA. We expected reduced genetic diversity in both DNA types in infected populations. However, migration and gene flow could introduce new DNA variants into populations. We therefore paid special attention to individuals with unexpected (genetic) characteristics. Based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, two genetic clusters were evident: a thelytokous cluster containing all Wolbachia-infected, parthenogenetic populations and an a...