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New DNA Studies Support Nabokov's Taxonomic Views (fwd)
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From: Donald Barton Johnson <chtodel@humanitas.ucsb.edu>
Newly Published DNA Studies Support Nabokov's View of the Blue Genus
Lycaeides
Kurt Johnson (of NABOKOV BLUES fame) recently informed me that a new
study, just published in the
Journal of Evolutionary Biology (vol. 12, pp. 936-950) is the first
"molecular" (that is DNA-sequencing) test of Nabokov's view of his favorite
study genus Lycaeides. In the work, Nabokov is extensively referred to
and, once again, Nabokov's discoveries from genitalia-- separating
Lycaiedes idas (a northern, Canadian species) from L. melissa and Nabokov's
L. m. samuelis (in the United States)-- the hallmark of Nabokov's
contribution to North American lepidoptery, are fully supported by the DNA
data. The new paper is by Drs. C. C. Nice, University of Wisconsin, and
Arthur M. Shapiro, University of California at Davis (and a major character
in Johnson and Coates' recent book Nabokov's Blues). Shapiro noted on the
copy of the paper sent to Johnson this week "Do you think Vladimir's Shade
is pleased? I do." [for comment on this see below].
Kurt will be working up a laymen's explanation of this research for further
posting on NABOKV-L and elsewhere. In a nutshell, Nice and Shapiro used
the most modern DNA techniques to distinguish populations within Lycaeides
from throughout Canada and the United States and also test their
inter-relationships and positions in respective evolutionary lineages
(family trees). The DNA studies bear out Nabokov's pioneering decision in
1949 that idas and melissa are separate species, a decision Nabokov based on
his genitalic and wing pattern studies. This view, of idas and melissa as
distinct species, also led Nabokov to distinguish his now famous "Karner
Blue" [the blue in Pnin], melissa samuelis, as a distinctive and endangered
entity, not simply a population of idas. However, not only do the DNA
studies support this basic conclusion, they also suggest the same geographic
locations Nabokov himself cited for interbreeding between the two species,
idas and melissa. Interbreeding can take place between two distinct
species IF if it is demonstrated to be a secondary phenomenon, happening at
chance places where ranges have re-overlapped after comparatively recent
speciation. Nice and Shapiro discuss such details at length, quoting from
various of Nabokov's statements about Lycaeides populations, their wing
patterns and genitalia, and suggest various explanations for the phenomenon
of idas and melissa-species unable to interbreed throughout most of their
range, but able to interbreed at some. It is probably this "kaleidoscope"
of population structure within idas and melissa that prompted Shapiro's
cover comment to Kurt about John Shade.
There is little difference between this newest view of idas and melissa
based on DNA data (today's cutting edge in science) and Nabokov's
controversial view of the late 1940's. There is a tremendous amount of
Nabokovian lore to be gleaned from the implications of this new publication
and Nabokov's early Lycaeides studies. With the current interest in Nabokov
's "Blues" it is likely some more media treatment of these recent studies
and their implications re "Nabokovia" will be forthcoming. But, for now,
it is simply "hot off the press".
Newly Published DNA Studies Support Nabokov's View of the Blue Genus
Lycaeides
Kurt Johnson (of NABOKOV BLUES fame) recently informed me that a new
study, just published in the
Journal of Evolutionary Biology (vol. 12, pp. 936-950) is the first
"molecular" (that is DNA-sequencing) test of Nabokov's view of his favorite
study genus Lycaeides. In the work, Nabokov is extensively referred to
and, once again, Nabokov's discoveries from genitalia-- separating
Lycaiedes idas (a northern, Canadian species) from L. melissa and Nabokov's
L. m. samuelis (in the United States)-- the hallmark of Nabokov's
contribution to North American lepidoptery, are fully supported by the DNA
data. The new paper is by Drs. C. C. Nice, University of Wisconsin, and
Arthur M. Shapiro, University of California at Davis (and a major character
in Johnson and Coates' recent book Nabokov's Blues). Shapiro noted on the
copy of the paper sent to Johnson this week "Do you think Vladimir's Shade
is pleased? I do." [for comment on this see below].
Kurt will be working up a laymen's explanation of this research for further
posting on NABOKV-L and elsewhere. In a nutshell, Nice and Shapiro used
the most modern DNA techniques to distinguish populations within Lycaeides
from throughout Canada and the United States and also test their
inter-relationships and positions in respective evolutionary lineages
(family trees). The DNA studies bear out Nabokov's pioneering decision in
1949 that idas and melissa are separate species, a decision Nabokov based on
his genitalic and wing pattern studies. This view, of idas and melissa as
distinct species, also led Nabokov to distinguish his now famous "Karner
Blue" [the blue in Pnin], melissa samuelis, as a distinctive and endangered
entity, not simply a population of idas. However, not only do the DNA
studies support this basic conclusion, they also suggest the same geographic
locations Nabokov himself cited for interbreeding between the two species,
idas and melissa. Interbreeding can take place between two distinct
species IF if it is demonstrated to be a secondary phenomenon, happening at
chance places where ranges have re-overlapped after comparatively recent
speciation. Nice and Shapiro discuss such details at length, quoting from
various of Nabokov's statements about Lycaeides populations, their wing
patterns and genitalia, and suggest various explanations for the phenomenon
of idas and melissa-species unable to interbreed throughout most of their
range, but able to interbreed at some. It is probably this "kaleidoscope"
of population structure within idas and melissa that prompted Shapiro's
cover comment to Kurt about John Shade.
There is little difference between this newest view of idas and melissa
based on DNA data (today's cutting edge in science) and Nabokov's
controversial view of the late 1940's. There is a tremendous amount of
Nabokovian lore to be gleaned from the implications of this new publication
and Nabokov's early Lycaeides studies. With the current interest in Nabokov
's "Blues" it is likely some more media treatment of these recent studies
and their implications re "Nabokovia" will be forthcoming. But, for now,
it is simply "hot off the press".