Morphological and Molecular Assessments of Bobtail Squids (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae) Reveal a Hidden History of Biodiversity

Molecular species delimitation assists taxonomic decisions for challenging species, like cryptic species complexes. Bobtail squids (Family Sepiolidae Leach, 1817) are a very diverse group of benthic and nektonic small to medium size cephalopods with many taxonomic questions to solve. In this study we provided new sequence data for 12 out 17 Mediterranean bobtail squid species including all the genera present i n the area. Other relevant species from other parts of the world were used as comparison. The combined use of several molecular species delimitation methods consistently showed a picture of hidden biodiversity within this family which hinders the use of molecular data isolated from morphological characters. On the one hand, those methods provided contrasting results for the number of recognized species of some morphologically well-defined species. We suggest this can be an effect of recent speciation phenomena followed by an intense morphological drift. On the other hand, cryptic biodiversity was detected among members of several monophyletic clades assigned to the same nominal species, pointing to recent speciation phenomena without a parallel morphological evolution. Although Mediterranean bobtail diversity has been extensively studied for more than a century, a new species of Stoloteuthis Verrill (1881) was discovered and described here, both using molecular and morphological methods. This new research stresses the necessity of combined morphological and molecular studies to correctly assess cephalopod diversity. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:57AFBB38-18EA-4F80-B1D4-73519C12694F.

Cryptic Diversity on Cliffs: Aster sanqingensis, a New Species of Asteraceae from Eastern China

It is generally believed that cliffs bear low biodiversity because of their harsh habitats. However, another reason, i.e. insufficient investigation caused by the inaccessibility of the cliffs, could not be excluded. In the genus Aster, two cliff species, Aster fanjingshanicus and Aster tianmenshanensis, respectively growing on slate and limestone cliffs, were previously described. During our extensive field investigations, a third cliff species of Aster growing on granite cliffs from eastern China was found. Based on evidence from molecular phylogeny, morphologyand micro-morphology, we propose that it should be treated as a new species and named Aster sanqingensis. It is described and illustrated here. Considering its limited number of individuals, highly localized distribution, and disturbed habitat, we propose to treat it as a Critically Endangered species. Our new finding indicates there is cryptic biodiversity on the cliffs remaining to be discovered.

Cryptic Species from Biodiversity Hotspot: Estimation of Decapoda on Dead Coral Head Pocillopora in Raja Ampat Papua

Cryptic organisms that live within the interstices of reef habitats contribute significantly to coral reef biodiversity. One example of this cryptic biodiversity is the high abundance of decapods in dead coral heads that associated with various biota. However, this diversity poorly studied especially species identification and species richness. This study aims to estimate the decapods diversity in Raja Ampat, Papua, using Pocillopora dead coral head method as semi-quantitative sampling approach. Raja Ampat in Papua is chosen because it situated in the center of Coral Triangle marine hotspot. Data were collected from 10 dead coral heads of genus Pocillopora from 10-meter depth near the islands of Kri and Misool. This study observed a total of 205 individuals Decapoda from Kri Island and 672 Individual from Misool Islands. Species richness observation (Chao1 and ACE) of the total samples reports only 11 families of decapoda detected in this study. Rarefaction curve reach an asymptote after all after all ten dead coral were analyzed; indicating that additional sample collection would not change estimates of diversity found in this study. The Shannon-Wiener index diversity on the Kri Island showed lower diversity value (2.09) compared to Misool Island (2.18). In the future, this research can be used as a basis for understanding the diversity of coral reefs as well as for management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems.

Archival DNA reveals cryptic biodiversity within the Spotted Shag (Phalacrocorax punctatus) from New Zealand

Genetic data are increasingly being used to prioritize species conservation in a fiscally constrained age of seemingly boundless conservation crises. Such data can also reveal previously cryptic biodiversity requiring further revision of conservation management guidelines. Using a combination of mitochondrial (control region) and nuclear (beta fibrinogen intron 7) DNA, and morphology, we reveal that the endemic New Zealand Spotted Shag (Phalacrocorax punctatus) complex exhibits phylogenetic structure that is decoupled from previously recorded qualitative morphological variation. Crucially, the most genetically distinct populations within P. punctatus are from northern New Zealand; recent surveys show that these populations, which house important genetic diversity within Spotted Shags, are in danger of being extirpated. In contrast, we find the previously phenotypically differentiated nominate (P. punctatus punctatus) and Blue (P. punctatus oliveri) Shag subspecies show no genetic and morphological separation, and are of least conservation concern.

Multilocus data reveal cryptic species in the Atlantic seabob shrimp Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Crustacea: Decapoda)

The recognition of cryptic biodiversity provides valuable insights for the management of exploited species. The Atlantic seabob shrimp (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri) is a commercially important fishery resource in the Guianan ecoregion, South America. Previous research in Brazil suggested the presence of cryptic species within the genus. Here, we confirm this presence and delimit the species by applying a multilocus approach based on two mitochondrial (COI and cytb) and two nuclear (PEPCK and NaK) genes. Species boundaries were tested using BPP, GMYC and bPTP delimitation algorithms. These analyses provided strong support for three clades within the genus Xiphopenaeus, including one undescribed clade, which occurs sympatrically with X. kroyeri in the Western Atlantic. Unexpectedly, this undescribed clade is more closely related to the Pacific Xiphopenaeus riveti than to their Atlantic congener. Our DNA-based species delimitation was further supported by new ecological information on habitat and morphology (colour). We also expand the known distribution range of the cryptic species, currently restricted to Brazil, to include French Guiana, Suriname and Colombia. Our findings have important consequences for the management of the species, in terms of both biodiversity management and fisheries management.