New insights into the genetic diversity of the stone crayfish: taxonomic and conservation implications

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Martina Jaklič¹  Martina Podnar²  Valentina Slavevska-Stamenković³  Jelena Hinić³  Mišel Jelić⁴  Göran Klobučar⁵  Leona Lovrenčić⁵  Ljudevit Luka Boštjančić⁵  Lena Bonassin⁵  Ivana Maguire⁵ 

[1] Center for Clinical Research, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia;Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia;Department of Invertebrates and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University “St. Cyril and Methodius”, Arhimedova 3, 1000, Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia;Department of Natural Sciences, Varaždin City Museum, Franjevački trg 10, 42000, Varaždin, Croatia;Division of Zoology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia;

关键词: Austropotamobius torrentium;    Species delimitation;    Species validation;    MOTU;    ESU;    Phylogeographic patterns;    nuDNA;    mtDNA;    Evolutionary history;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12862-020-01709-1

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAustropotamobius torrentium is a freshwater crayfish species native to central and south-eastern Europe, with an intricate evolutionary history and the highest genetic diversity recorded in the northern-central Dinarides (NCD). Its populations are facing declines, both in number and size across its entire range. By extanding current knowledge on the genetic diversity of this species, we aim to assist conservation programmes. Multigene phylogenetic analyses were performed using different divergence time estimates based on mitochondrial and, for the first time, nuclear DNA markers on the largest data set analysed so far. In order to reassess taxonomic relationships within this species we applied several species delimitation methods and studied the meristic characters with the intention of finding features that would clearly separate stone crayfish belonging to different phylogroups.ResultsOur results confirmed the existence of high genetic diversity within A. torrentium, maintained in divergent phylogroups which have their own evolutionary dynamics. A new phylogroup in the Kordun region belonging to NCD has also been discovered. Due to the incongruence between implemented species delimitation approaches and the lack of any morphological characters conserved within lineages, we are of the opinion that phylogroups recovered on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA are cryptic subspecies and distinct evolutionary significant units.ConclusionsGeographically and genetically isolated phylogroups represent the evolutionary legacy of A. torrentium and are highly relevant for conservation due to their evolutionary distinctiveness and restricted distribution.

【 授权许可】

CC BY