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Ahmed Shazib SU, Cote-L’Heureux A, Ahsan R, Muñoz-Gómez SA, Lee J, Katz LA, Shin MK. Phylogeny and species delimitation of ciliates in the genus Spirostomum (Class, Heterotrichea) using single-cell transcriptomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.29.596006. [PMID: 38854132 PMCID: PMC11160781 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.29.596006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Ciliates are single-celled microbial eukaryotes that diverged from other eukaryotic lineages over a billion years ago. The extensive evolutionary timespan of ciliate has led to enormous genetic and phenotypic changes, contributing significantly to their high level of diversity. Recent analyses based on molecular data have revealed numerous cases of cryptic species complexes in different ciliate lineages, demonstrating the need for a robust approach to delimit species boundaries and elucidate phylogenetic relationships. Heterotrich ciliate species of the genus Spirostomum are abundant in freshwater and brackish environments and are commonly used as biological indicators for assessing water quality. However, some Spirostomum species are difficult to identify due to a lack of distinguishable morphological characteristics, and the existence of cryptic species in this genus remains largely unexplored. Previous phylogenetic studies have focused on only a few loci, namely the ribosomal RNA genes, alpha-tubulin, and mitochondrial CO1. In this study, we obtained single-cell transcriptome of 25 Spirostomum species populations (representing six morphospecies) sampled from South Korea and the USA, and used concatenation- and coalescent-based methods for species tree inference and delimitation. Phylogenomic analysis of 37 Spirostomum populations and 265 protein-coding genes provided a robustious insight into the evolutionary relationships among Spirostomum species and confirmed that species with moniliform and compact macronucleus each form a distinct monophyletic lineage. Furthermore, the multispecies coalescent (MSC) model suggests that there are at least nine cryptic species in the Spirostomum genus, three in S. minus, two in S. ambiguum, S. subtilis, and S. teres each. Overall, our fine sampling of closely related Spirostomum populations and wide scRNA-seq allowed us to demonstrate the hidden crypticity of species within the genus Spirostomum, and to resolve and provide much stronger support than hitherto to the phylogeny of this important ciliate genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahed Uddin Ahmed Shazib
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610, South Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Auden Cote-L’Heureux
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063, USA
| | - Ragib Ahsan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610, South Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063, USA
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sergio A. Muñoz-Gómez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - JunMo Lee
- Department of Oceanography, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, South Korea
- Kyungpook Institute of Oceanography, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, South Korea
| | - Laura A. Katz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063, USA
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mann Kyoon Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610, South Korea
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Ye T, Jiang Y, Chen S, Xu Y, Li L, Shin MK, Chen X. The widely reported but poorly studied ciliate family Folliculinidae (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Heterotrichea): a revision with notes on its taxonomy, morphology and phylogenetic relationships. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 4:471-492. [PMID: 37078084 PMCID: PMC10077228 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-022-00152-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Ciliates of the heterotrich family Folliculinidae are widespread in various habitats and are distinguished by their transparent loricae of various shapes, conspicuous peristomial lobes, and dimorphic life cycles. They usually attach firmly to the surface of substrates, feed on bacteria and microalgae, and play a significant role in energy flow and material cycling in the microbial food web. However, little is known regarding their biodiversity and systematics. In this work, we establish the terminology of the family Folliculinidae and select six crucial features for genus recognition. Based on previous studies, we revise the classification of Folliculinidae, supply improved diagnoses for each of the 33 folliculinid genera, and provide a key to their identification. Moreover, phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences revealed that the family is monophyletic and comprises two subclades (subclades I II) which can be identified by the flexibility of their peristomial lobes and the sculpturing of their necks. Furthermore, we investigate the evolutionary relationships of folliculinids using the six chosen generic features. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-022-00152-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Ye
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315800 China
- Laboratory of Marine Protozoan Biodiversity and Evolution, Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209 China
| | - Yaohan Jiang
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, and College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Shuchang Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315800 China
| | - Yixiang Xu
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315800 China
| | - Lifang Li
- Laboratory of Marine Protozoan Biodiversity and Evolution, Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209 China
| | - Mann Kyoon Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, 44610 South Korea
| | - Xiangrui Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315800 China
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Jin D, Zhao X, Ye T, Huang J, Warren A, Al-Farraj SA, Chen X. Taxonomy and SSU rDNA-Based Phylogeny of Two Heterotrich Ciliates (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea) Collected From Subtropical Wetlands of China, Including the Description of a New Species, Linostomella pseudovorticella n. sp. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:719360. [PMID: 34557172 PMCID: PMC8453171 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.719360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Heterotrichea Stein, 1859 are a group of ciliated protists (single-celled eukaryotes) that occur in a wide variety of aquatic habitat where they play important roles in the flow of nutrients and energy within the microbial food web. Many species are model organisms for research in cytology and regenerative biology. In the present study, the morphology and phylogeny of two heterotrich ciliates, namely, Linostomella pseudovorticella n. sp. and Peritromus kahli Villeneuve-Brachon, 1940, collected from subtropical wetlands of China, were investigated using morphological and molecular methods. L. pseudovorticella n. sp. differs from its only known congener, Linostomella vorticella Ehrenberg, 1833 Aescht in Foissner et al., 1999, by having more ciliary rows (48-67, mean about 56 vs. 26-51, mean about 42) and its small-subunit (SSU) rDNA sequence, which shows a 15-bp divergence. Although P. kahli has been reported several times in recent decades, its infraciliature has yet to be described. A redescription and improved diagnosis of this species based on a combination of previous and present data are here supplied. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequences revealed that the genus Linostomella is positioned within Condylostomatidae, and Peritromidae is sister to Climacostomidae with relatively low support, and the family Spirostomidae is the root branch of the class Heterotrichea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didi Jin
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Laboratory of Protozoological Biodiversity and Evolution in Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xuetong Zhao
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Tingting Ye
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Saleh A. Al-Farraj
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xiangrui Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Hoshina R, Tsukii Y, Harumoto T, Suzaki T. Characterization of a green Stentor with symbiotic algae growing in an extremely oligotrophic environment and storing large amounts of starch granules in its cytoplasm. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2865. [PMID: 33536497 PMCID: PMC7859197 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82416-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Stentor is a relatively well-known ciliate owing to its lucid trumpet shape. Stentor pyriformis represents a green, short, and fat Stentor, but it is a little-known species. We investigated 124 ponds and wetlands in Japan and confirmed the presence of S. pyriformis at 23 locations. All these ponds were noticeably oligotrophic. With the improvement of oligotrophic culture conditions, we succeeded in long-term cultivation of three strains of S. pyriformis. The cytoplasm of S. piriformis contains a large number of 1-3 μm refractive granules that turn brown by Lugol's staining. The granules also show a typical Maltese-cross pattern by polarization microscopy, strongly suggesting that the granules are made of amylopectin-rich starch. By analyzing the algal rDNA, it was found that all S. pyriformis symbionts investigated in this study were Chlorella variabilis. This species is known as the symbiont of Paramecium bursaria and is physiologically specialized for endosymbiosis. Genetic discrepancies between C. variabilis of S. pyriformis and P. bursaria may indicate that algal sharing was an old incident. Having symbiotic algae and storing carbohydrate granules in the cytoplasm is considered a powerful strategy for this ciliate to withstand oligotrophic and cold winter environments in highland bogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Hoshina
- grid.419056.f0000 0004 1793 2541Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Tamura 1266, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829 Japan
| | - Yuuji Tsukii
- grid.257114.40000 0004 1762 1436Laboratory of Biological Science, Hosei University, 2-17-1 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8160 Japan
| | - Terue Harumoto
- grid.174568.90000 0001 0059 3836Research Group of Biological Sciences, Division of Natural Sciences, Nara Women’s University, Kitauoya-Nishimachi, Nara 630-8506 Japan
| | - Toshinobu Suzaki
- grid.31432.370000 0001 1092 3077Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe, 657-8501 Japan
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New contributions to the phylogeny of the ciliate class Heterotrichea (Protista, Ciliophora): analyses at family-genus level and new evolutionary hypotheses. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 64:606-620. [PMID: 33068287 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1817-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Heterotrichous ciliates play an important role in aquatic ecosystem energy flow processes and many are model organisms for research in cytology, regenerative biology, and toxicology. In the present study, we combine both morphological and molecular data to infer phylogenetic relationships at family-genus level and propose new evolutionary hypotheses for the class Heterotrichea. The main results include: (1) 96 new ribosomal DNA sequences from 36 populations, representing eight families and 13 genera, including three poorly annotated genera, Folliculinopsis, Ampullofolliculina and Linostomella; (2) the earliest-branching families are Spirostomidae in single-gene trees and Peritromidae in the concatenated tree, but the family Peritromidae probably represents the basal lineage based on its possession of many "primitive" morphological characters; (3) some findings in molecular trees are not supported by morphological evidence, such as the family Blepharismidae is one of the most recent branches and the relationship between Fabreidae and Folliculinidae is very close; (4) the systematic positions of Condylostomatidae, Climacostomidae, and Gruberiidae remain uncertain based either on morphological or molecular data; and (5) the monophyly of each genus included in the present study is supported by the molecular phylogenetic trees, except for Blepharisma in the SSU rDNA tree and Folliculina in the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 tree.
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Chi Y, Li Y, Zhang Q, Ma M, Warren A, Chen X, Song W. New contributions to two ciliate genera (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea) based on morphological and molecular analyses, with description of a new Gruberia species. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:297. [PMID: 33008292 PMCID: PMC7531149 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-01879-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heterotrichous ciliates are common members of microeukaryote communities which play important roles in both the transfer of material and the flow of energy in aquatic food webs. This group has been known for over two centuries due to their large body size and cosmopolitan distribution. Nevertheless, species identification and phylogenetic relationships of heterotrichs remain challenging due to the lack of accurate morphological information and insufficient molecular data. RESULTS The morphology and phylogeny of two heterotrichous ciliates, namely Gruberia foissneri spec. nov. and Linostomella vorticella (Ehrenberg, 1833) Aescht in Foissner et al., 1999, were studied using rigorous methods (living morphology, stained preparations, and small subunit rDNA sequence data). Gruberia foissneri spec. nov. is morphologically very similar to G. uninucleata Kahl, 1932, however, it can be distinguished from the latter by having more ciliary rows (about 32 vs. about 20) and macronuclear shape (sausage-shaped vs. ellipsoid). Based on a combination of previous and present studies, an improved diagnosis of L. vorticella is supplied and several taxonomic anomalies are clarified. In addition, phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data support the generic assignment of these two species. CONCLUSIONS Modern ciliate taxonomy should be performed by means of detailed living observation, stained preparations and molecular information. For those species that have been reported in previous studies, it is necessary to provide as much useful information as possible using state-of-the-art methods in order to resolve taxonomic anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Chi
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, and College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, and College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China.,Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Mingzhen Ma
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, and College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Xiangrui Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Weibo Song
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, and College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
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Chi Y, Duan L, Luo X, Cheng T, Warren A, Huang J, Chen X. A new contribution to the taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of three, well-known freshwater species of the ciliate genus Spirostomum (Protozoa: Ciliophora: Heterotrichea). Zool J Linn Soc 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMembers of the heterotrich genus Spirostomum are commonly found in freshwater or low salinity biotopes. In the present study, three species (S. minus, S. subtilis and S. teres) collected from freshwater habitats in Qingdao, China, are investigated using morphological and molecular methods. Detailed morphometric data are documented and improved diagnosis are supplied based on a combination of previous and present studies. In addition, small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences are obtained from the clonal cultures. Phylogenetic analyses show that all three species are placed in the Spirostomum clade. However, isolates of the morphospecies S. minus are divided into two paraphyletic clades, while ‘populations’ of the nominal species, S. teres, are placed in at least four separate groups in the tree. After comparing morphological and molecular differences in closely related forms available, we hypothesized that S. minus and S. teres might represent species complexes. A key to the identification of the ten valid species of Spirostomum is also supplied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Chi
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Lili Duan
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaotian Luo
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Ting Cheng
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiangrui Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Park MH, Min GS. The complete mitochondrial genome of Gruberia lanceolata (Gruber, 1884) Kahl, 1932 (Ciliophora: Heterotrichea). Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2019; 4:3443-3445. [PMID: 33366031 PMCID: PMC7707231 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2019.1674199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The ciliate Gruberia lanceolata (Gruber, 1884) Kahl, 1932 belonging to the class Heterotrichea was sampled from the coastal waters of South Korea. The complete mitogenome in its linear form and large size (∼40 kb) was obtained. It consisted of 27 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal subunit RNA (rRNA) genes, four transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and ten unclassified open reading frames (ORFs). Their telomeric structures were capped, with repeat regions at both ends. We analyzed its phylogenetic tree using the data of its respiratory chain complex I genes. It can be suggested that the complete mitochondrial genome of G. lanceolata can be recorded as a new class of the mitogenome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Hyun Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon, The Republic of Korea
| | - Gi-Sik Min
- Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon, The Republic of Korea
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Luo J, Ma M, Lu B, Li X, Warren A, Shi Y, Chen X. The Taxonomy and Phylogeny of the Poorly known Heterotrich Ciliate Ampullofolliculina lageniformis Hadži, 1951 (Ciliophora: Heterotrichea). J Eukaryot Microbiol 2019; 66:925-936. [PMID: 31112318 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Ampullofolliculina Hadži, 1951 is a monotypic genus, the only species being A. lageniformis which was first discovered in estuarine habitats in the U.S. and has never been redescribed. In the present study, we investigated the taxonomy and phylogeny of A. lageniformis Hadži, 1951 based on analyses of a population collected from a brackish wetland in Ningbo, China. The main characteristics of this species are as follows: trophont about 450-700 μm long in vivo with two short, rounded peristomial lobes of equal size; lorica flask-shaped, transparent and smooth with a short, wide neck at the base of which two transparent valves are asymmetrically inserted; cortex with brownish to reddish cortical granules and greenish pigment granules; about 80 somatic kineties evenly arranged; moniliform macronucleus with 4-8 ellipsoidal nodules; swarmer dark green, vermiform in shape, about 200-350 μm long in vivo, with about 60 adoral membranelles and 85 somatic kineties, no mouth nor paroral membrane. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from SSU rDNA sequences show that A. lageniformis is closely related to Folliculina and Eufolliculina which nest within a large clade that comprises five families, i.e. Stentoridae, Blepharismidae, Fabreidae, Maristentoridae, and Folliculinidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Luo
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Mingzhen Ma
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Borong Lu
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Xinghao Li
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
| | - Yuhong Shi
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Xiangrui Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
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