Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Frida Feijen, Natalia Zajac, Christoph Vorburger, Isabel Blasco-Costa, Jukka Jokela
Summary: The phylogeographic patterns of many taxa on New Zealand's South Island show disjunct distributions, which may be attributed to Pleistocene climatic cycles and the formation of the Southern Alps. Through studying the parasitic trematode of the aquatic snail, it was found that there is evidence of a barrier to gene-flow in sympatry, and these species may have diverged during the Pleistocene. In the central part of the South Island, a boundary between these disjunct distributions was found, and it is reinforced by low cross-alpine migration. Nuclear and mitochondrial population differentiation patterns are concordant, except for populations in a potential secondary contact zone.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
James P. Barry, Steven Y. Litvin, Andrew Devogelaere, David W. Caress, Chris F. Lovera, Amanda S. Kahn, Erica J. Burton, Chad King, Jennifer B. Paduan, C. Geoffrey Wheat, Fanny Girard, Sebastian Sudek, Anne M. Hartwell, Alana D. Sherman, Paul R. Mcgill, Aaron Schnittger, Janet R. Voight, Eric J. Martin
Summary: Do hydrothermal springs contribute to the biology and ecology of deep-sea creatures? In central California, octopuses migrate to hydrothermal springs near an extinct volcano to mate and die, forming the largest known aggregation on Earth. The warmth from the springs raises metabolic rates and speeds up embryonic development, leading to faster reproduction compared to other deep-sea octopods. This study provides insight into the importance of these unique and undiscovered habitats for warm-tolerant species.
Article
Zoology
Julie Innabi, Carla C. Stout, Angel Valdes
Summary: A study of well-preserved discodorid nudibranchs collected in Koumac, New Caledonia, discovered seven new species belonging to the genera Atagema, Jorunna, Rostanga, and Sclerodoris. However, the generic assignments are tentative due to an unresolved phylogeny of Discodoridi-dae. The paper emphasizes the significance of comprehensive collecting efforts in identifying and documenting well-camouflaged taxa.
Article
Ecology
Antonio J. Perez-Delgado, Paula Arribas, Carles Hernando, Heriberto Lopez, Yurena Arjona, Daniel Suarez-Ramos, Brent C. Emerson, Carmelo Andujar
Summary: The study reveals the diversification process within a beetle species adapted to the soil environment. Through molecular phylogenetics, population genomics, and morphometric analysis, it was found that the species consists of at least seven lineages, suggesting the presence of a cryptic species complex.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jimmy A. Mcguire, Xiaoting Huang, Sean B. Reilly, Djoko T. Iskandar, Cynthia Y. Wang-Claypool, Sarah Werning, Rebecca A. Chong, Shobi Z. S. Lawalata, Alexander L. Stubbs, Jeffrey H. Frederick, Rafe M. Brown, Ben J. Evans, Umilaela Arifin, Awal Riyanto, Amir Hamidy, Evy Arida, Michelle S. Koo, Jatna Supriatna, Noviar Andayani, Robert Hall
Summary: The biota of Sulawesi is known for its unique species and diversification. In this study, the diversification history of Sulawesi flying lizards, an endemic group to Sulawesi, was explored using a geological framework. The analysis revealed that there are more Draco species in Sulawesi than previously thought, with cryptic and arrested speciation events and ancient hybridization affecting the phylogenetic analyses. The colonization of Sulawesi by the common ancestor of the Draco lineatus Group occurred around 11 million years ago, followed by radiations and dynamic species interactions.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
George Sangster, Jolanda A. Luksenburg, Martin Packert, Cees S. Roselaar, Martin Irestedt, Per G. P. Ericson
Summary: The European Robin Erithacus rubecula is currently considered as a single species with eight subspecies. However, new evidence from molecular, morphometric and bioacoustic data supports the recognition of three separate species within this complex: E. rubecula, E. superbus, and E. marionae. The differences in territorial songs, calls, and wing length between the taxa on Tenerife and Gran Canaria and E. rubecula further support their classification as distinct species. The recognition of the Gran Canaria and Tenerife Robins as separate species adds two single-island endemics to the avifauna of the Canary Islands.
Article
Parasitology
Tim Maes, Zoe De Corte, Carl Vangestel, Massimiliano Virgilio, Nathalie Smitz, Felicite F. Djuikwo-Teukeng, Maria Ioanna Papadaki, Tine Huyse
Summary: This study used high-throughput sequencing to investigate the population genetic structure of the hermaphroditic snail Bulinus truncatus. The results showed low genetic diversity and significant genetic differentiation between populations at both regional and inter-regional scales. The study also demonstrated the potential of high-throughput sequencing techniques in studying the role of snail species in parasite transmission.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Karina Moreno, Diane M. Rico, Michael Middlebrooks, Sabrina Medrano, Angel A. Valdes, Patrick J. Krug
Summary: This study presents an integrative assessment of diversity in Caribbean Cyerce, revealing seven species and a radiation phenomenon in this genus. Six of the species formed a monophyletic lineage in phylogenetic analyses and could be differentiated using ecological, reproductive, and/or morphological traits. The study also redescribes one species and describes five new species. Evolutionary shifts in algal host use, penial armature, and larval life history may have contributed to the rapid divergence and increased global diversity in this radiation of endemic species.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sebastian Hofman, Robert A. D. Cameron, Malgorzata Prockow, Ioan Sirbu, Artur Osikowski, Aleksandra Jaszczynska, Magdalena Sokol, Andrzej Falniowski
Summary: This study investigated the phylogeny and phylogeography of Fruticicola fruticum using mitochondrial and nuclear markers, revealing three distinct species that likely diverged in southern European refugia during the ice age. Significant genetic diversity differences were found between these species, but no association between geographic distance and genetic variation within each species.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthew J. Lott, Belinda R. Wright, Linda E. Neaves, Greta J. Frankham, Siobhan Dennison, Mark D. B. Eldridge, Sally Potter, David E. Alquezar-Planas, Carolyn J. Hogg, Katherine Belov, Rebecca N. Johnson
Summary: This study used genetic analysis to investigate the population structure and adaptive variation in koala. The results showed that there are five major genetic clusters of koala on a continental scale, and their divergence was associated with a major climatic reorganization. The study also suggested that geographically isolated refugia played a significant role in the survival of koala during the Pleistocene glaciation. Therefore, the conservation of genetic variation and protection of core habitat are crucial for the resilience of vulnerable koala populations.
Article
Fisheries
Cindy Gonzalez, Bautisse Postaire, Rodrigo R. Domingues, Kevin A. Feldheim, Susana Caballero, Demian Chapman
Summary: Genetic analysis based on mitochondrial markers revealed at least two lineages of bonnethead sharks in the Northwestern Atlantic and the Caribbean, with one lineage extending to southeastern Brazil. This suggests significant genetic differentiation between bonnethead shark populations in different regions, with taxonomic revision and further sampling needed to reassess their species identity.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alan Stenhouse, Tahlia Perry, Frank Grutzner, Megan Lewis, Lian Pin Koh
Summary: Short-beaked echidnas are iconic monotremes found throughout Australia, with a need for better population data. A mobile app, EchidnaCSI, has been developed to allow citizen scientists to easily record echidna sightings, improving the quantity and quality of data collected for monitoring this species.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Agustina A. Ojeda, Pablo Teta, J. Pablo Jayat, Cecilia Lanzone, Paula Cornejo, Agustina Novillo, Ricardo A. Ojeda
Summary: The leaf-eared mouse is a widely distributed sigmodontine rodent in South America, which may represent a species complex. Molecular genetic/phylogenetic analysis revealed multiple well-supported clades and proposed a new framework for species identification within the leaf-eared mice complex.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cinnamon S. Mittan-Moreau, Crystal Kelehear, Luis Felipe Toledo, Jamie Bacon, Juan M. Guayasamin, Andrew Snyder, Kelly R. Zamudio
Summary: This study investigated the establishment success of cane toads across their introduced range by examining the roles of introduction history and genetic diversity. The researchers found that Florida populations were more closely related to native Central American lineages, and there were high levels of diversity and population structure in the native range, supporting the idea that cane toads are a species complex. The study also revealed that introduced populations have slightly lower genetic diversity compared to native populations.
Article
Biology
Erik E. Sotka, Tina Bell, Sarah Berke
Summary: Molecular tools reveal cryptic biodiversity in common and ecologically important species, such as the decorator worm Diopatra cuprea. Genetic analyses have led to the identification of new species within the Diopatra genus, including the D. cuprea complex along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico shorelines.