Data from: Genetic differentiation in the boreal dragonfly Leucorrhinia dubia in the Palearctic region

The last glacial period had a strong influence on the population genetic
structure of boreal species in southern and central Europe. In addition,
recent and current human impact on the boreal environment has led to
habitat loss, which also has a large influence on population genetic
structure of species. Here we present the spatial genetic structure of the
boreal dragonfly Leucorrhinia dubia using ddRAD sequencing. We sampled
individuals from nine locations in Europe, three in Asia (Russia and
Japan) and one location of L. intermedia in Japan. Results showed three
distinct genetic clusters in Europe. One genetic cluster consisted of
individuals sampled from the locations in the Swiss Alps, a second
consisted of individuals sampled in the United Kingdom, and a third
cluster consisted of individuals from the rest of the seven sampled
locations in Europe covering a latitudinal gradient from the French
Pyrenees to the north of Finland. There was also a week support that the
French Pyrenees and Austrian Alps samples differentiated from the cluster
of the five samples from central and north Europe. We suggest that these
clusters reflect historical recolonization patterns since the last
glaciation. The L. dubia individuals sampled from locations in Asia formed
one cluster referring to L. dubia orientalis separated from the
individuals sampled in European and from the L. intermedia locality
sampled. Our result suggests that aquatic insects in the fragmented boreal
landscape in south central Europe and United Kingdom need conservation
consideration.