Meiofaunal cryptic species challenge species delimitation: the case of the Monocelis lineata (Platyhelminthes: Proseriata) species complex

Given the pending biodiversity crisis, species delimitation is a critically important task in conservation biology, but its efficacy based on single lines of evidence has been questioned as it may not accurately reflect species limits and relationships. Hence, the use of multiple lines of evidence has been portrayed as a means to overcome identification issues arising from gene/species tree discordance, morphological convergence or recent adaptive radiations. Here, the integrative taxonomic approach has been used to address the study of the Monocelis lineataspecies complex. The taxonomic resolution of the complex is challenging, as the species lacks sclerotised copulatory structures, which as a rule of thumb aid identification in Proseriata. Eighteen populations, which encompass most of the geographic range of the complex, were studied using morphology, karyology, crossbreeding experiments and molecular analysis. These different markers provided evidence of four (karyology) to eight (morphology) discrete entities, whereas crossings showed various degrees of intersterility among the tested populations. Molecular species delimitation revealed a different number of candidate species, spanning from five (ABGD and K/θ) to 11 (GMYC). Such incongruences reflect the multifaceted evolutionary history of M. lineata s.l.and hamper the full taxonomic resolution of the complex. However, two candidate species were consistently validated by all of the markers and are described as new species: Monocelis algicolanov. sp. and M. exquisitanov. sp. The latter species appear to have a restricted distribution, and the possibility that meiofaunal taxa may be of conservation concern is discussed.

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Uncovering hidden specific diversity of Andean glassfrogs of theCentrolene buckleyispecies complex (Anura: Centrolenidae)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5856 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5856 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Luis Amador ◽

Andrés Parada ◽

Guillermo D’Elía ◽

Juan M. Guayasamin

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Behavioral Data ◽

Nuclear Markers ◽

Evolutionary Significant Units ◽

Candidate Species

The glassfrogCentrolene buckleyihas been recognized as a species complex. Herein, using coalescence-based species delimitation methods, we evaluate the specific diversity within this taxon. Four coalescence approaches (generalized mixed Yule coalescents, Bayesian general mixed Yule-coalescent, Poisson tree processes, and Bayesian Poisson tree processes) were consistent with the delimitation results, identifying four lineages within what is currently recognized asC. buckleyi. We propose three new candidate species that should be tested with nuclear markers, morphological, and behavioral data. In the meantime, for conservation purposes, candidate species should be considered evolutionary significant units, in light of observed population crashes in theC. buckleyispecies complex. Finally, our results support the validity ofC. venezuelense, formerly considered as a subspecies ofC. buckleyi.

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Species Delimitation and Lineage Separation History of a Species Complex of Aspens in China

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2017.00375 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Honglei Zheng ◽

Liqiang Fan ◽

Richard I. Milne ◽

Lei Zhang ◽

Yaling Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

History Of

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A Pan-Amazonian species delimitation: high species diversity within the genusAmazophrynella(Anura: Bufonidae)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.4941 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e4941 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Rommel R. Rojas ◽

Antoine Fouquet ◽

Santiago R. Ron ◽

Emil José Hernández-Ruz ◽

Paulo R. Melo-Sampaio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Species Delimitation ◽

Environmental Data ◽

Nominal Species ◽

Vulnerable Group ◽

Biodiversity Crisis ◽

Candidate Species ◽

High Species Diversity ◽

Taxonomic Methods

Amphibians are probably the most vulnerable group to climate change and climate-change associate diseases. This ongoing biodiversity crisis makes it thus imperative to improve the taxonomy of anurans in biodiverse but understudied areas such as Amazonia. In this study, we applied robust integrative taxonomic methods combining genetic (mitochondrial 16S, 12S and COI genes), morphological and environmental data to delimit species of the genusAmazophrynella(Anura: Bufonidae) sampled from throughout their pan-Amazonian distribution. Our study confirms the hypothesis that the species diversity of the genus is grossly underestimated. Our analyses suggest the existence of eighteen linages of which seven are nominal species, three Deep Conspecific Lineages, one Unconfirmed Candidate Species, three Uncategorized Lineages, and four Confirmed Candidate Species and described herein. We also propose a phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus and discuss its implications for historical biogeography of this Amazonian group.

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Species delimitation and hybridisation history of a hazel species complex

Annals of Botany ◽

10.1093/aob/mcab015 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zhiqiang Lu ◽

Yongshuai Sun ◽

Ying Li ◽

Yongzhi Yang ◽

Gaini Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Population Level ◽

Flowering Phenology ◽

The Other ◽

Genetic Composition ◽

Ssr Loci ◽

History Of ◽

Taxonomic Groups ◽

Taxonomic Studies

Abstract Background and Aims Hybridisation increases species adaptation and biodiversity but also obscures species boundaries. In this study, species delimitation and hybridisation history were examined within one Chinese hazel species complex (Corylus chinensis–Corylus fargesii). Two species including four varieties have already been described for this complex, with overlapping distributions. Methods A total of 322 trees from 44 populations of these four varieties across their ranges were sampled for morphological and molecular analyses. Climatic datasets based on 108 geographical locations were used to evaluate their niche differentiations. Flowering phenology was also observed for two co-occurring species or varieties. Key Results Four statistically different phenotypic clusters were revealed, but these clusters were highly inconsistent with the traditional taxonomic groups. All the clusters showed statistically distinct niches, with complete or partial geographic isolation. Only two clusters displayed a distributional overlap, but they had distinct flowering phenologies at the site where they co-occurred. Population-level evidence based on the genotypes of 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci supported four phenotypic clusters. In addition, one cluster was shown to have an admixed genetic composition derived from the other three clusters through repeated historical hybridisations. Conclusions Based on our new evidence, it is better to treat the four clusters identified here as four independent species. One of them was shown to have an admixed genetic composition derived from the other threes through repeated historical hybridisations. This study highlights the importance of applying integrative and statistical methods to infer species delimitations and hybridisation history. Such a protocol should be adopted widely for future taxonomic studies.

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The taxonomy of the Tarentola mauritanica species complex (Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae): Bayesian species delimitation supports six candidate species

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution ◽

10.1016/j.ympev.2015.09.008 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 94 ◽

pp. 271-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Catarina Rato ◽

David James Harris ◽

Salvador Carranza ◽

Luís Machado ◽

Ana Perera

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Candidate Species ◽

Bayesian Species Delimitation

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An integrative multi-approach workflow resolves species limits in the southernmost members of the Liolaemus kingii group (Squamata: Liolaemini)

10.1101/2020.07.02.185025 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kevin I. Sánchez ◽

Luciano J. Avila ◽

Jack W. Sites ◽

Mariana Morando

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Model System ◽

Divergence Times ◽

Species Boundaries ◽

Single Source ◽

Species Limits ◽

Candidate Species ◽

Comprehensive Manner ◽

Source Of Information ◽

Lines Of Evidence

AbstractRecent conceptual and methodological advances have enabled an increasing number of studies to address the problem of species delimitation in a comprehensive manner. This is of particular interest in cases of species whose divergence times are recent, where the conclusions obtained from a single source of evidence can lead to the incorrect delimitation of entities or assignment of individuals to species. The southernmost species of the Liolaemus kingii group (namely L. baguali, L. escarchadosi, L. sarmientoi, L. tari and the candidate species L. sp. A) show widely overlapping distributions as well as recent mitochondrial divergences, thus phylogenetic relationships and species boundaries are ambiguous. Here we use a comprehensive approach to assess species limits and corroborate their status as independent lineages through the use of four sources of molecular and morphological information (mitochondrial cytochrome-b, nuclear sequences collected by ddRADseq, and linear, meristic and landmark-based morphometrics). We found concordance among the different datasets, but signs of admixture were detected between some of the species. Our results indicate that the L. kingii group can serve as a model system in studies of diversification accompanied by hybridization in nature. We emphasize the importance of using multiple lines of evidence in order to solve evolutionary stories, and minimizing potential erroneous results that may arise when relying on a single source of information.

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Species delimitation and invasion history of the balsam woolly adelgid, Adelges ( Dreyfusia ) piceae (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Adelgidae), species complex

Systematic Entomology ◽

10.1111/syen.12456 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nathan P. Havill ◽

Brian P. Griffin ◽

Jeremy C. Andersen ◽

Robert G. Foottit ◽

Mathias J. Justesen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Invasion History ◽

Balsam Woolly Adelgid ◽

History Of

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Speciation history of a species complex of Primulina eburnea (Gesneriaceae) from limestone karsts of southern China, a biodiversity hot spot

Evolutionary Applications ◽

10.1111/eva.12495 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 919-934 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Jing Wang ◽

Bin Ai ◽

Hanghui Kong ◽

Ming Kang

Keyword(s):

Species Complex ◽

Southern China ◽

Hot Spot ◽

History Of

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Pseudallescheria boydii Species Complex Fungal Rhinitis and Sinusitis in a Dog

Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association ◽

10.5326/jaaha-ms-5528 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 47 (5) ◽

pp. 365-369 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kristine Bruskiewicz ◽

Martin Crawford-Jakubiak

Keyword(s):

Species Complex ◽

Human Pathogen ◽

Pseudallescheria Boydii ◽

Mixed Breed ◽

History Of

A 9 yr old male castrated Australian shepherd mixed-breed dog with a 3 mo history of intermittent unilateral epistaxis was diagnosed with Pseudallescheria boydii species complex fungal rhinitis and sinusitis. This fungal organism is a rare cause of disease in dogs and an emerging human pathogen. The dog was successfully treated with topical clotrimazole.

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