The role of Anatolia between Asia and Europe: A case study of oak gall wasp species, Cynips quercus (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae)

In this study, we used DNA sequence data of a western Palearctic oak gall wasp species, Cynips quercus, showing distribution from Europe to Iran answer the following questions: i) Do eastern C. quercus populations have higher genetic diversity than European populations?, ii) Are source for iii) What is possible date divergence between Asian and populations? For these purposes, analysed 88 cytochrome b sequences representing Iran, Türkiye, Hungary, Spain. Our analyses revealed that highest was in Türkiye followed by Spain, respectively. Iranian samples were most divergent Spain Hungary sequences. Pairwise comparisons showed gene flow Phylogenetic analysis grouped Turkish haplotypes with sequences, Hungary. Network separated all clustered meanwhile lineage provided then Times estimated split around 4,67 million years ago, Hungarian Spanish lineages diverged each other about 3 ago. Correspondingly, our suggested Anatolia played key role as bridge quercus.