Predicting the distribution of cryptic species: the case of the spur-thighed tortoise in Andalusia (southern Iberian Peninsula)

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
José C. Báez ◽  
Alba Estrada ◽  
Davinia Torreblanca ◽  
Raimundo Real
2013 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina S. Mateus ◽  
M. Judite Alves ◽  
Bernardo R. Quintella ◽  
Pedro R. Almeida

The Iberian Peninsula is a repository for biodiversity, presenting high levels of endemism in both plants and animals. In this peninsular region, brook lampreys confined to small, isolated river basins evolved in allopatry giving rise to evolutionary lineages, as revealed by mitochondrial DNA markers. For a better understanding of the taxonomic status and relationships of Iberian populations of the genus Lampetra, we combined previous data from genetics and morphological analysis (assessed here), and describe three new species of the lamprey genus Lampetra Bonnaterre, 1788 in Portugal. In this region L. planeri actually represent a complex of cryptic species, each having smaller geographic ranges than L. planeri, and consequently, greater vulnerability to extinction. The description of Lampetra alavariensis sp. nov. is based on 36 specimens collected on Ribeira de Mangas, a tributary of river Esmoriz, in Northern Portugal. Lampetra auremensis sp. nov. is described on the basis of 31 specimens collected on Ribeira do Olival, a small tributary of river Nabão (Tagus basin). Finally, Lampetra lusitanica sp. nov. is described based on 38 specimens from Ribeira da Marateca, Sado river basin, the southernmost distribution of the genus Lampetra. The recognition of these new species will contribute to the conservation of these already imperilled taxa and will help prevent the extinction of three important evolutionary lineages.


2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (8) ◽  
pp. 623
Author(s):  
Sergio A. Castro ◽  
Roberto Ovalle

Cryptic species are morphologically similar species that tend to be recognised as a single taxon. The genus Capsella contains two cryptic species, C. bursa-pastoris and C. rubella, which are sympatrically distributed on the Iberian Peninsula, but only one of them (C. bursa-pastoris) has been recognised as an introduced species in South America. In continental Chile, two specimens of C. rubella were collected from two distant sites, but it is unclear whether this indicates only local presence or a wider distribution. After extensive sampling throughout continental Chile, we analysed the diversity of collected Capsella specimens using molecular markers. Our aim was to establish the presence of C. bursa-pastoris and/or C. rubella in continental Chile. To this end, we used an amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) to detect the trnD–trnY fragment of cpDNA, which allowed the differential amplification of polymorphic sites for both species. A subsample of these amplification products (n = 8 fragments) was sequenced and compared with previously documented sequences for C. bursa-pastoris and C. rubella. Of 188 plants, 96.8% were identified as C. bursa-pastoris and 3.2% as C. rubella. C. bursa-pastoris was collected at all localities (28°34ʹS–53°09ʹS), whereas C. rubella was collected only in central-south Chile (34°59ʹS–41°28ʹS). This confirms that both C. bursa-pastoris and C. rubella are present in continental Chile, although they apparently exhibit different abundances and ranges. Our results suggest efforts to elucidate distribution of both Capsella species in South America.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4674 (3) ◽  
pp. 386-392
Author(s):  
ROLAND GERSTMEIER ◽  
JÉRÔME MORINIÈRE ◽  
LARS HENDRICH

The aim of this study is to assess the species status of the Middle-European Thanasimus Latreille, 1806 species using mitochondrial CO1 sequence data. Molecular biological results clearly support the synonymy of T. pectoralis (Fuss, 1863) and T. rufipes (Brahm, 1797) with T. femoralis (Zetterstedt, 1828) as already proposed by Kolibáč (1992). Results of the present study indicate high genetic variation within T. formicarius (Linné, 1758) and emphasize the study of population dynamics of T. formicarius within Europe. Furthermore, preliminary screening of all available T. formicarius sequences on BOLD and Genbank (shorter than 500bp) indicates the presence of a “Continental” and a more “Atlantic” clade in T. formicarius. To support our hypothesis of a probably cryptic species among T. formicarius, more studies, with more specimens from different populations, especially from southern England, northern France and the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula, will be necessary.  


Author(s):  
David James Harris ◽  
Joaquim Filipe Faria ◽  
Miguel A Carretero

Three related and morphologically similar small Psammodromus species (P. hispanicus complex) occur in the Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean France, Psammodromus hispanicus, Psammo-dromus occidentalis, and Psammodromus edwarsianus. Despite recent works, overall ranges of the species remain partially uncertain, in particular for Westernmost part of Iberia and South-western France. Here we include data from 15 additional specimens that were sequenced for part of the mitochon-drial gene Cytochrome b to allow comparison with published data. We provide genetic confirma-tion that P. edwarsianus is the species of the complex occurring in France, and that P. occidentalis occurs on coastal and inland Portugal. Within P. occidentalis notable diversity occurs for this marker, which warrants further investigation. Some areas, particularly southern Portugal, still need assessment to clarify the distribution of these mostly cryptic species across the region. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4996 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-524
Author(s):  
ANTONIO RUIZ-GARCÍA ◽  
ANDRÉS GARZÓN ◽  
CARMEN ZAMORA-MUÑOZ

The larva of Stenophylax fissus (McLachlan 1875) is redescribed, illustrated, and compared with morphologically similar Limnephilidae larvae from the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, the sequence of the mtCOI gene in the barcode region of one individual is reported. Likewise, the barcode and the conspecificity between two larvae and one female of the non-sequenced species S. crossotus are given. In addition, the high genetic diversity among S. sequax populations is highlighted, suggesting a complex of cryptic species. Finally, a diagnostic matrix of the known larvae of Stenophylax species from the Iberian Peninsula is provided.  


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4446 (3) ◽  
pp. 361 ◽  
Author(s):  
EDUARD PETITPIERRE ◽  
ALEXANDER ANICHTCHENKO

Contrary to the subtle differences of habitus found between many species of Timarcha their internal sacs of male genitalia have shown a remarkable variation. Thirty-two Palaearctic taxa, mostly from the Iberian Peninsula, have been analyzed for this trait, which can be used for species diagnosis and also for establishing species groups of close relatedness in agreement mainly with genetic analyses. According with this trait, new synonymies and taxonomical changes are proposed: T. intermedia carmelenae Petitpierre, 2013 stat. nov., T. intermedia kiesenwetteri Kraatz, 1879 stat. nov., T. intermedia lugens Rosenhauer, 1856 stat. nov.; T. sinuatocollis monserratensis Bechyné, 1962 comb. nov.; T. piochardi Fairmaire, 1874 stat. nov.; T. tortosensis Bechyné, 1948 stat. nov.; T. perezii Fairmaire, 1884 syn. nov. and T. asturiensis Kraatz, 1879 syn. nov. = T. geniculata Germar, 1824. Furthermore, the endophalli of T. hummeli, T. carmelenae, T. kiesenwetteri, T. lugens, T. tenebricosa, T. parvicollis, T. insparsa, T. marginicollis, T. balearica, T. strangulata spp., T. calceata, T. scabripennis, T. espanoli, T. monticola, T. cyanescens, T. interstitialis, T. aurichalcea, T. oblongula, T. hispanica and T. granadensis are illustrated. One new species, T. aitanae sp. nov. is described. 


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