Patterns of Genetic Variation within and among Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), Populations

Abstract

Based on analysis of allozyme variation at 20 loci, gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L., populations in the United States exhibit extremely low levels of genetic variability compared with European populations. The loss of variability is suggested to be a consequence of the population bottleneck that accompanied the introduction of the moth into North America. A single collection of gypsy moths from Japan not only exhibits high levels of variability but also is genetically distinct from European and North American populations.