10.6084/m9.figshare.12023304.v1
José A. Jurado-Rivera
José A.
Jurado-Rivera
Francesco Zapelloni
Francesco
Zapelloni
Joan Pons
Joan
Pons
Carlos Juan
Carlos
Juan
Damià Jaume
Damià
Jaume
Morphological and molecular species boundaries in the Hyalella species flock of Lake Titicaca (Crustacea: Amphipoda)
Brill Online
2020
ancient lakes
Amphipoda
Titicaca
Hyalella
molecular species delimitation
Paleontology
2020-04-15 08:49:13
Journal contribution
https://brill.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Morphological_and_molecular_species_boundaries_in_the_Hyalella_species_flock_of_Lake_Titicaca_Crustacea_Amphipoda_/12023304
<p>The <i>Hyalella </i>species diversity in the
high-altitude water bodies of the Andean Altiplano is addressed using
mitochondrial <i>cox1 </i>sequences and implementing different molecular
species delimitation criteria. We have recorded the presence of five major
genetic lineages in the Altiplano, of which one seems to be exclusive to Lake
Titicaca and nearby areas, whereas the rest occur also in other regions of
South America. Eleven out of 36 South American entities diagnosed by molecular
delimitation criteria in our study are likely endemic to the Titicaca and
neighbouring water bodies. We have detected a remarkable disagreement between
morphology and genetic data in the Titicacan <i>Hyalella </i>, with occurrence
of several cases of the same morpho-species corresponding to several Molecular
Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs), some even distantly related, and other
instances where a particular MOTU is shared by a morphologically heterogeneous
array of species, including species with body smooth and others with body
heavily armoured. Species diversification and incongruence between
morphological and molecular boundaries within this species assemblage may be
associated to the sharp changes in hydrological conditions experienced by the
water bodies of the Altiplano in the past, which included dramatic fluctuations
in water level and salinity of Lake Titicaca. Such environmental shifts could
have triggered rapid morphological changes and ecological differentiation
within the <i>Hyalella </i>assemblage, followed by phenotypic convergence among
the diverse lineages. Factors such as phenotypic plasticity, incomplete lineage
sorting or admixture between divergent lineages might lie also at the root of
the morphological-genetic incongruence described herein.</p>