Hidden in the highlands: the description and phylogenetic position of a novel endemic freshwater crab species (Potamonautidae : Potamonautes) from Zimbabwe

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethel E. Phiri ◽  
Savel R. Daniels
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
12S Rrna ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Freshwater Crab ◽  
Crab Species ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Freshwater Crabs ◽  
Mtdna Sequence

A recent sampling endeavour of freshwater crabs along the high-lying streams of the Nyanga mountain range in Mutare (Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe) yielded a morphologically distinct, as yet undescribed species. The novel Zimbabwean species is compared to the 16 described species from southern Africa based on mtDNA sequence data derived from three partial gene sequences (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and COI). The new Zimbabwean species was found to be a sister taxon to Potamonautes mulanjeensis. These two species are morphologically and genetically easily differentiated. The new species is described as Potamonautes mutareensis, sp. nov. and is compared morphologically to the known freshwater crab species of southern Africa. A dichotomous key to the four described freshwater crab species that occur in Zimbabwe is also provided. Our results suggest that species diversity and endemism of freshwater decapods and other habitat specialists is likely to be high in unsampled mountainous regions.

scholarly journals Surveys of Afrotemperate forests yields two new freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Potamonautidae: Potamonautes MacLeay, 1838) from South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 782 ◽  
pp. 82-107
Author(s):  
Savel R Daniels ◽  
Aaron Barnes ◽  
Hannes Marais ◽  
Gavin Gouws
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
New Species ◽  
Novel Species ◽  
Sister Species ◽  
Freshwater Crab ◽  
Crab Species ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Freshwater Crabs ◽  
Two New Species

Sampling of remote inland aquatic habitats in South Africa has constantly been yielding novel endemic freshwater crab species (Potamonautes MacLeay,1838). During the present study, we report on the discovery and description of two new freshwater crab species (Potamonautes baziya sp. nov., and P. mariepskoppie sp. nov.) from Afrotemperate forested mountain regions in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, respectively. Phylogenetic evidence derived from DNA sequence data of three partial mitochondrial loci (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit one, COI) corroborates the evolutionary distinction of the two novel species. In addition, morphological and ecological data for the two new species further delineate their evolutionary distinction from congeneric sister species. A comparison of the taxonomically important gonopods 1 and 2 and carapace features among the sister species and other known freshwater crabs of South Africa was further used to provide evidence for the distinction of the two novel species. The discovery of two new species suggest that remote mountainous areas or unsampled regions in South Africa likely harbor several novel species, reiterating a call to document aquatic inland biodiversity in forested and mountainous regions of the country.

scholarly journals Phylogenetic relationships of the European newts (genus Triturus) tested with mitochondrial DNA sequence data

1999 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Zajc ◽  
J.W. Arntzen
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Sister Taxon ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
12S Rrna ◽  
16S Rrna Sequence

European newts (genus Triturus) are widely studied, but their phylogeny is not yet unambiguously resolved. Fragments of mitochondrial DNA experiencing different rates of evolution (the ATPase and 12S rRNA genes) were sequenced in order to test a phylogenetic hypothesis derived from biochemical and behavioral data. Well-supported branches of the existing phylogeny gained support in our study. The monophyletic origin of the hypothesized T. boscai – T. italicus clade remained ambiguous, whereas strong support was gained for the sister-taxon relationship of T. vulgaris and T. montandoni. The position of T. vittatus as a sister taxon to the T. marmoratus species group was also supported. The phylogenetic position of T. alpestris could not be clarified. With an in-group taxon sampling denser than in previous molecular phylogenetic studies and under the a priori selection of species from the genera Cynops, Neurergus and Paramesotriton as out-groups, the monophyly of Triturus was strongly supported. It cannot be excluded, however, that the presumed out-group actually belongs to the in-group, rendering Triturus paraphyletic as was concluded from recently published 12S and 16S rRNA sequence data.

Relationships of scincid lizards (Mabuya spp.) from the islands of the Gulf of Guinea based on mtDNA sequence data

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Jesus ◽  
D. James Harris ◽  
António Brehm
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Species Complex ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
12S Rrna ◽  
Gulf Of Guinea ◽  
Recent Proposal ◽  
Genetic Lineages ◽  
Sao Tome And Principe ◽  
Mtdna Sequence

AbstractRelationships of Mabuya lizards from the islands of the Gulf of Guinea where estimated using partial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cytochrome b mitochondrial gene sequences. Mabuya maculilabris from São Tomé and Principe are discreet monophyletic units, highly divergent from each other and from mainland populations, indicating M. maculilabris may be a species complex. Mabuya affinis from Principe is similarly distinct from mainland populations of this species. The relationships of Mabuya ozorii from Annobon are unclear, but the three species in the Gulf of Guinea islands are not closely related, indicating multiple independent colonization events. The recent proposal to partition Mabuya into four genera is premature, since at least five distinct genetic lineages can be identified.

scholarly journals A review of the freshwater crabs of Turkey (Brachyura, Potamidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-158
Author(s):  
Muzaffer Mustafa Harlıoğlu ◽  
Ardavan Farhadi ◽  
Ayşe Gül Harlıoğlu
Keyword(s):  
Species Distribution ◽  
Present Status ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Freshwater Crab ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
Crab Species ◽  
Freshwater Crabs

Abstract The present status of freshwater crabs (Decapoda, Brachyura) in Turkey is reviewed in this study, with the purpose of identifying the exact number of species, their conservation status, and their distribution. In previous records, it was reported that Turkey has nine freshwater crab species belonging to the genus Potamon: Potamon bileki Pretzmann, 1971, P. ibericum (Bieberstein, 1809), P. hueceste Pretzmann, 1962, P. persicum Pretzmann, 1962, P. magnum Pretzmann, 1962, P. potamios (Olivier, 1804), P. setiger Rathbun, 1904, P. rhodium Parisi, 1913, and P. mesopotamicum Brandis, Storch & Türkay, 1998. However, there was no detailed information on species distribution in Turkey. This review is intended to update the distribution of species in the country, and it revealed that populations of three more freshwater crab species (P. karpathos, P. fluviatile and P. hippocrate) also occur; thus, there are currently 12 freshwater crab species in Turkey. In addition, this review provides a distribution map and identifies possible threats to each species. This review can serve decision makers in the development of management strategies to better protect the environments of these species that are facing growing anthropogenic impacts.

scholarly journals Phylogenetics of the freshwater crab (Potamonautes MacLeay, 1838) fauna from ‘sky islands’ in Mozambique with the description of a new species (Brachyura: Potamoidea: Potamonautidae)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Savel R. Daniels ◽  
Gabriela B. Bittencourt-Silva ◽  
Vanessa Muianga ◽  
Julian Bayliss
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Divergence Time ◽  
12S Rrna ◽  
Sky Islands ◽  
Freshwater Crab ◽  
Crab Species ◽  
African Species ◽  
Island Species ◽  
Sky Island

Patterns and processes of cladogenesis among taxa living on the Mozambique ‘sky islands’ remain poorly studied. During the present study, we report on a new freshwater crab species from Mount Lico, an inselberg and ‘sky island’ in the Zambezia Province of Mozambique. Phylogenetic analyses using three mitochondrial DNA sequence loci (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and COI) were used to determine the evolutionary placement of the freshwater crab specimens from Mount Lico. The freshwater crab specimens from Mount Lico were retrieved sister to Potamonautes choloensis. The new species, Potamonautes licoensis sp. nov., is described and compared with other southern African freshwater crab species. Divergence time estimations for the Mozambican freshwater crab species suggest a Miocene / Plio–Pleistocene diversification. Some endemic ‘sky island’ species form an early branching and are sister to other predominantly East African species, while other ‘sky island’ species are more recently derived and nested within a predominantly southern African clade. The present study presents the description of the fourth endemic freshwater crab species from Mozambique and suggests that the species diversity in the country is likely highly underrepresented, reiterating the call for renewed systematic surveys. An argument for the conservation of these mountainous ‘sky islands’ is presented.

Identification of a cryptic lineage within Potamon fluviatile (Herbst) (Crustacea:Brachyura:Potamidae)

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Jesse ◽  
Christoph D. Schubart ◽  
Sebastian Klaus
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Morphological Variation ◽  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Freshwater Crab ◽  
Crab Species ◽  
Cryptic Lineage ◽  
Dna Sequence Data

Based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA-sequence data we identify and describe an evolutionary separate lineage (Potamon pelops, sp. nov.) within the potamid freshwater crab species Potamon fluviatile (Herbst, 1785). So far, Potamon pelops, sp. nov. is only reported from the Peloponnesus Peninsula (Greece), probably allopatric to P. fluviatile. This cryptic lineage is not identical with the infrasubspecies Potamon fluviatile fluviatile natio laconis Pretzmann, 1983, the latter being within the morphological variation of Potamon fluviatile and Potamon pelops. Morphologically, Potamon pelops, sp. nov. differs from Potamon fluviatile, probably in spermatophore packing (cleistospermia in P. fluviatile versus coeno- and cleistospermia in P. pelops).

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