Dataset Information

An example of how barcodes can clarify cryptic species: the case of the calanoid copepod Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis (Herrick).

ABSTRACT:

Background

The freshwater calanoid Mastigodiaptomus is a genus with high richness in the Americas and is composed of nine species, seven recorded in Mexico and four that are apparently endemic to small areas. Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis is a common, widely distributed species ranging from the southern USA to Central America. This species can be easily identified by a notable butterfly-like sclerotization on the basis of the right fifth leg of males. Nevertheless, morphological differences observed among populations throughout this species distributional range have led to the description of several related species or subspecies, such as M. albuquerquensis patzcuarensis from Lake Pátzcuaro in the Central Plateau of Mexico.

Methods

Genetic results based on barcodes, morphology based on scanning electron and light microscopy images, and morphometric analyses were used to describe cryptic species within the M. albuquerquensis complex.

Results

The morphological analyses coincided partially with the genetic markers, suggesting the existence of at least two sibling species: M. albuquerquensis s. str. and M. patzcuarensis. A third species was genetically separated but was morphologically indistinguishable from the M. patzcuarensis group.

Conclusions

Hidden diversity has been a major problem in establishing real patterns of species distribution and genetic acquisition from megadiverse hotspots such as Mexico, where the Nearctic and the Neotropical regions of the Americas meet. Barcodes can help taxonomists to reveal and formally name these new species. Here, we describe two of three potential species highlighted by the use of barcodes: M. albuquerquensis s. str. in the northern semi-desert and M. patzcuarensis on the Central Plateau at more than 2000 m above sea level.

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez-Aguirre MA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3897401 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

An example of how barcodes can clarify cryptic species: the case of the calanoid copepod Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis (Herrick).

Gutiérrez-Aguirre Martha Angélica MA Cervantes-Martínez Adrián A Elías-Gutiérrez Manuel M

PloS one 20140121 1

<h4>Background</h4>The freshwater calanoid Mastigodiaptomus is a genus with high richness in the Americas and is composed of nine species, seven recorded in Mexico and four that are apparently endemic to small areas. Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis is a common, widely distributed species ranging from the southern USA to Central America. This species can be easily identified by a notable butterfly-like sclerotization on the basis of the right fifth leg of males. Nevertheless, morphological diffe ...[more]

PMID: 24465470

Similar Datasets

Project description:Interest in cryptic species has increased significantly with current progress in genetic methods. The large number of cryptic species suggests that the resolution of traditional morphological techniques may be insufficient for taxonomical research. However, some species now considered to be cryptic may, in fact, be designated pseudocryptic after close morphological examination. Thus the "cryptic or pseudocryptic" dilemma speaks to the resolution of morphological analysis and its utility for identifying species. We address this dilemma first by systematically reviewing data published from 1980 to 2013 on cryptic species of Copepoda and then by performing an in-depth morphological study of the former Eurytemora affinis complex of cryptic species. Analyzing the published data showed that, in 5 of 24 revisions eligible for systematic review, cryptic species assignment was based solely on the genetic variation of forms without detailed morphological analysis to confirm the assignment. Therefore, some newly described cryptic species might be designated pseudocryptic under more detailed morphological analysis as happened with Eurytemora affinis complex. Recent genetic analyses of the complex found high levels of heterogeneity without morphological differences; it is argued to be cryptic. However, next detailed morphological analyses allowed to describe a number of valid species. Our study, using deep statistical analyses usually not applied for new species describing, of this species complex confirmed considerable differences between former cryptic species. In particular, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), the random variation of left and right structures, was significantly different between forms and provided independent information about their status. Our work showed that multivariate statistical approaches, such as principal component analysis, can be powerful techniques for the morphological discrimination of cryptic taxons. Despite increasing cryptic species designations, morphological techniques have great potential in determining copepod taxonomy.

Dataset Information

An example of how barcodes can clarify cryptic species: the case of the calanoid copepod Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis (Herrick).

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

An example of how barcodes can clarify cryptic species: the case of the calanoid copepod Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis (Herrick).

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets