Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular Resolution

ABSTRACT Recognizing cryptic species is crucial for understanding global biodiversity. The intertidal snail Littoraria flammea is potentially a cryptic species of L. melanostoma widely distributed in the Northwest Pacific. However, the evidence from traditional morphology and single genetic markers...

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Main Authors: Jia‐Wei Xu, Jie Wang, Yun‐Wei Dong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70715
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author Jia‐Wei Xu
Jie Wang
Yun‐Wei Dong
author_facet Jia‐Wei Xu
Jie Wang
Yun‐Wei Dong
author_sort Jia‐Wei Xu
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Recognizing cryptic species is crucial for understanding global biodiversity. The intertidal snail Littoraria flammea is potentially a cryptic species of L. melanostoma widely distributed in the Northwest Pacific. However, the evidence from traditional morphology and single genetic markers is inconsistent. Our study combined quantitative morphological and whole‐genome molecular data to clarify the phylogenetic relationship of three species (L. flammea, L. aff. melanostoma, and L. melanostoma). Three‐dimensional models of shells revealed significant differences in morphology between L. flammea and L. melanostoma. Neutral SNPs indicated that individuals of L. flammea and L. melanostoma were in different clusters. The ratio of interspecific FST to intraspecific FST between L. flammea and L. melanostoma (16) was much larger than the lowest ratio (2.31) in six published genera with cryptic species in gastropods. Non‐neutral SNPs disclosed divergence in functional genes related to reproduction and protein binding. The morphological and phylogenetic analyses corroborated the transitional status of L. aff. melanostoma. These results confirmed that the L. flammea snails north of the Yangtze River Estuary is a cryptic species of L. melanostoma, and allopatric speciation occurs in the L. melanostoma complex.
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series Ecology and Evolution
spelling doaj-art-2b308bd5b6e14b448ce2fd9e43aa63b42024-12-27T11:24:39ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582024-12-011412n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70715Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular ResolutionJia‐Wei Xu0Jie Wang1Yun‐Wei Dong2The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College Ocean University of China Qingdao People's Republic of ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College Ocean University of China Qingdao People's Republic of ChinaThe Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College Ocean University of China Qingdao People's Republic of ChinaABSTRACT Recognizing cryptic species is crucial for understanding global biodiversity. The intertidal snail Littoraria flammea is potentially a cryptic species of L. melanostoma widely distributed in the Northwest Pacific. However, the evidence from traditional morphology and single genetic markers is inconsistent. Our study combined quantitative morphological and whole‐genome molecular data to clarify the phylogenetic relationship of three species (L. flammea, L. aff. melanostoma, and L. melanostoma). Three‐dimensional models of shells revealed significant differences in morphology between L. flammea and L. melanostoma. Neutral SNPs indicated that individuals of L. flammea and L. melanostoma were in different clusters. The ratio of interspecific FST to intraspecific FST between L. flammea and L. melanostoma (16) was much larger than the lowest ratio (2.31) in six published genera with cryptic species in gastropods. Non‐neutral SNPs disclosed divergence in functional genes related to reproduction and protein binding. The morphological and phylogenetic analyses corroborated the transitional status of L. aff. melanostoma. These results confirmed that the L. flammea snails north of the Yangtze River Estuary is a cryptic species of L. melanostoma, and allopatric speciation occurs in the L. melanostoma complex.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70715cryptic speciesLittorariamorphological differencesNorthwest Pacificwhole‐genome molecular data
spellingShingle Jia‐Wei Xu
Jie Wang
Yun‐Wei Dong
Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular Resolution
Ecology and Evolution
cryptic species
Littoraria
morphological differences
Northwest Pacific
whole‐genome molecular data
title Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular Resolution
title_full Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular Resolution
title_fullStr Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular Resolution
title_full_unstemmed Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular Resolution
title_short Genetic Determination of a Cryptic Species in the Littoraria Genus With Whole‐Genome Molecular Resolution
title_sort genetic determination of a cryptic species in the littoraria genus with whole genome molecular resolution
topic cryptic species
Littoraria
morphological differences
Northwest Pacific
whole‐genome molecular data
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70715
work_keys_str_mv AT jiaweixu geneticdeterminationofacrypticspeciesinthelittorariagenuswithwholegenomemolecularresolution
AT jiewang geneticdeterminationofacrypticspeciesinthelittorariagenuswithwholegenomemolecularresolution
AT yunweidong geneticdeterminationofacrypticspeciesinthelittorariagenuswithwholegenomemolecularresolution