Extensive gene rearrangements in the mitogenomes of congeneric annelid species and insights on the evolutionary history of the genus Ophryotrocha

Background Annelids are one the most speciose and ecologically diverse groups of metazoans. Although a significant effort has been recently invested in sequencing genomes of a wide array of metazoans, many orders and families within the phylum Annelida are still represented by a single specimen of a single species. The genus of interstitial annelids Ophryotrocha (Dorvilleidae, Errantia, Annelida) is among these neglected groups, despite its extensive use as model organism in numerous studies on the evolution of life history, physiological and ecological traits. To compensate for the paucity of genomic information in this genus, we here obtained novel complete mitochondrial genomes of six Ophryotrocha species using next generation sequencing. In addition, we investigated the evolution of the reproductive mode in the Ophryotrocha genus using a phylogeny based on two mitochondrial markers (COXI and 16S rDNA) and one nuclear fragment (Histone H3). Results Surprisingly, gene order was not conserved among the six Ophryotrocha species investigated, and varied greatly as compared to those found in other annelid species within the class Errantia. The mitogenome phylogeny for the six Ophryotrocha species displayed a separation of gonochoric and hermaphroditic species. However, this separation was not observed in the phylogeny based on the COX1, 16S rDNA, and H3 genes. Parsimony and Bayesian ancestral trait reconstruction indicated that gonochorism was the most parsimonious ancestral reproductive mode in Ophryotrocha spp. Conclusions Our results highlight the remarkably high level of gene order variation among congeneric species, even in annelids. This encourages the need for additional mitogenome sequencing of annelid taxa in order to properly understand its mtDNA evolution, high biodiversity and phylogenetic relationships.

Evolution of Poecilimon jonicus group (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae): a history linked to the Aegean Neogene paleogeography

The Aegean archipelago is among the largest on Earth with astonishing biodiversity within Europe. Its territory underwent a massive geotectonic transformation in Neogene that resulted in multitude of changes in land-sea configuration and disintegrated the formerly united Aegean land to a complicated mainland-archipelago system. Therefore, it represents an excellent laboratory for studying evolution of terrestrial fauna. In the present study, we use a model group of flightless bush crickets with annual reproduction cycle—Poecilimon jonicus species group—to trace correlation of lineage diversification with the known paleogeographic events in the Aegean area. The group belongs to the hyperdiverse genus Poecilimon and has a disjunct distribution along the Hellenic arc from southwestern Anatolia through Crete to the western Balkans and the Apennines. To test our hypothesis, we inferred phylogenetic relationships of the P. jonicus group sensu lato using a nuclear fragment covering two spacers of the ribosomal cistron (ITS1 + ITS2). To study intra-group phylogeny, we compared mitochondrial phylogenies based on two matrices—(1) a concatenated ND2 and COI dataset of 1656 bp and (2) a 16S rRNA + 12S rRNA dataset of 1835 bp. As a second step, we estimated divergence times applying Bayesian approach with BEAST and a relative rate framework with RelTime on the mitochondrial matrices. We compare trees calibrated based on evolutionary rates and tectonic events and discuss radiation scenarios in concordance with known paleogeographic events in the Aegean area. Our results revealed robust phylogeny of the Poecilimon jonicus group and confirmed a strong link between its evolution and the Aegean paleogeography. The phylogenetic relationships of the group supported reconsideration of its systematics.

Two Tetranuclear Butterfly-Shaped Co(II) Complexes: Structure, Mass Spectrometric, and Magnetism

The organic ligand (1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methanol (HL) was used to react with CoX2·6H2O (X = Cl and Br) under solvothermal conditions to obtain the complex [Co4(L)6(X)2] (1, X = Cl; 2, X = Br). The butterfly-shaped structure of complex 1 and 2 suggest that Co(II) ions have two different coordinated modes, which are five coordination with O3NX environment and six coordination with O4N2 environment. In addition, the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis indicated that the ion molecular fragment of highest intensity was [Co4(L)6]2+, and there existed a high nuclear fragment peak of [Co7(L)12]2+. Interestingly, it was basically completely transformed into [Co7(L)12]2+ two days later, so those two complexes were relatively stable in CH3OH. Magnetic characterization exhibited that complex 1 and 2 display field-induced single-molecule magnetic behavior, of which the energy hills Ueff/kB were 28 and 20 K under direct-current field of 0.1 T, respectively.