Conservation genetics of endangered prairie Lepidoptera

The Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek) and Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae) are two butterfly species currently under consideration for federal listing.  Both species inhabit remnant patches of tall grass prairies and have greatly diminished in population number and abundance across their historical ranges.  Multiple conservation management programs are currently underway to preserve and manage these species across Midwestern states and Canada.  At present, little is known about the remaining genetic diversity in these populations.  This information is critical to the success of captive breeding programs that have been planned for species recovery.  Understanding of current genetic diversity will prevent inbreeding in captive colonies and assist in the retention of genetic diversity in extant populations.  Measures of gene flow will allow for quantification of the degree of isolation present in extant populations.  In this project, we use next-generation sequencing methodologies to develop microsatellite markers suitable for addressing these questions and discuss forthcoming results.