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Premate E, Fišer C. Functional trait dataset of European groundwater Amphipoda: Niphargidae and Typhlogammaridae. Sci Data 2024; 11:188. [PMID: 38341425 PMCID: PMC10858915 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03020-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Groundwater represents a vast, but mostly hidden and inaccessible ecosystem. Although often overlooked in freshwater research, groundwater organisms form a significant part of freshwater biodiversity, whereas their functions are crucial in different ecosystem processes. Knowledge on functional traits is generally lacking for most groundwater species worldwide, yet European groundwater amphipods, particularly the family Niphargidae, are an exception. They are well-researched and used as a model system in ecological and evolutionary studies. We focused on this group to assemble a first functional trait dataset dedicated to groundwater species. We gathered data for eight morphological functional traits quantified through 27 measurements for 1123 individuals which represent 180 species and 314 MOTUs. Besides functional trait data, every entry is accompanied with locality information, including habitat type, and DNA sequences if available. The structure of the dataset and data processing information provided along enable wide applicability and extension to other amphipod taxa. When coupled with phylogeny, the dataset may further enhance different aspects of groundwater research, including biodiversity patterns, community assembly processes, and trait evolution.
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Grants
- PhD grant Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS (Slovenian Research Agency)
- Program P1-0184 Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS (Slovenian Research Agency)
- J1-2464 Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS (Slovenian Research Agency)
- Biodiversa+ (grant number 101052342): co-funded by the European Commission and with the funding organizations Ministry of Universities and Research (Italy), Agencia Estatal de Investigación—Fundación Biodiversidad (Spain), Fundo Regional para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), Suomen Akatemia—Ministry of the Environment (Finland), Belgian Science Policy Office (Belgium), Agence Nationale de la Recherche (France), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e.V. –BMBF-VDI/ VDE INNOVATION + TECHNIK GMBH (Germany), Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Forderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Switzerland), Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Austria), Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (Slovenia) and the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (Romania)
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Premate
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, SubBioLab, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Cene Fišer
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, SubBioLab, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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2
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Saclier N, Duchemin L, Konecny-Dupré L, Grison P, Eme D, Martin C, Callou C, Lefébure T, François C, Issartel C, Lewis JJ, Stoch F, Sket B, Gottstein S, Delić T, Zagmajster M, Grabowski M, Weber D, Reboleira ASPS, Palatov D, Paragamian K, Knight LRFD, Michel G, Lefebvre F, Hosseini MJM, Camacho AI, De Bikuña BG, Taleb A, Belaidi N, Tuekam Kayo RP, Galassi DMP, Moldovan OT, Douady CJ, Malard F. A collaborative backbone resource for comparative studies of subterranean evolution: The World Asellidae database. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13882. [PMID: 37864541 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Transition to novel environments, such as groundwater colonization by surface organisms, provides an excellent research ground to study phenotypic evolution. However, interspecific comparative studies on evolution to groundwater life are few because of the challenge in assembling large ecological and molecular resources for species-rich taxa comprised of surface and subterranean species. Here, we make available to the scientific community an operational set of working tools and resources for the Asellidae, a family of freshwater isopods containing hundreds of surface and subterranean species. First, we release the World Asellidae database (WAD) and its web application, a sustainable and FAIR solution to producing and sharing data and biological material. WAD provides access to thousands of species occurrences, specimens, DNA extracts and DNA sequences with rich metadata ensuring full scientific traceability. Second, we perform a large-scale dated phylogenetic reconstruction of Asellidae to support phylogenetic comparative analyses. Of 424 terminal branches, we identify 34 pairs of surface and subterranean species representing independent replicates of the transition from surface water to groundwater. Third, we exemplify the usefulness of WAD for documenting phenotypic shifts associated with colonization of subterranean habitats. We provide the first phylogenetically controlled evidence that body size of males decreases relative to that of females upon groundwater colonization, suggesting competition for rare receptive females selects for smaller, more agile males in groundwater. By making these tools and resources widely accessible, we open up new opportunities for exploring how phenotypic traits evolve in response to changes in selective pressures and trade-offs during groundwater colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathanaelle Saclier
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
- ISEM, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Louis Duchemin
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Lara Konecny-Dupré
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Philippe Grison
- BBEES, Unité Bases de données sur la Biodiversité, Ecologie, Environnement et Sociétés, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - David Eme
- INRAE, UR-RiverLY, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Chloé Martin
- BBEES, Unité Bases de données sur la Biodiversité, Ecologie, Environnement et Sociétés, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Callou
- BBEES, Unité Bases de données sur la Biodiversité, Ecologie, Environnement et Sociétés, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Tristan Lefébure
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Clémentine François
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Colin Issartel
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Julian J Lewis
- Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, Virginia, USA
- Lewis and Associates, Cave, Karst and Groundwater Biological Consulting, Borden, Indiana, USA
| | - Fabio Stoch
- Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Boris Sket
- Department of Biology, SubBio Lab, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sanja Gottstein
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Teo Delić
- Department of Biology, SubBio Lab, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maja Zagmajster
- Department of Biology, SubBio Lab, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Michal Grabowski
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology & Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology & Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Dieter Weber
- Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
- Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Ana Sofia P S Reboleira
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, and Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dmitry Palatov
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Georges Michel
- CWEPSS, Commission Wallonne d'Etude et de Protection des Sites Souterrains, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | | | - Mohammad-Javad Malek Hosseini
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC-SAZU), Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology (NIB), Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ana I Camacho
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC). Dpto. Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Madrid, Spain
| | - Begoña Gartzia De Bikuña
- Anbiotek, Investigación científica y técnica del medio ambiente, Erandio, Bizkaia, Spain
- Anbiolab, BIC Bizkaia Astondo bidea, Derio, Spain
| | - Amina Taleb
- Laboratoire d'Écologie et Gestion des Ecosystèmes Naturels, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria
| | - Nouria Belaidi
- Laboratoire d'Écologie et Gestion des Ecosystèmes Naturels, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria
| | - Raoul P Tuekam Kayo
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon
| | | | - Oana Teodora Moldovan
- Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain
| | - Christophe J Douady
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Florian Malard
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
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Premate E, Kepic T, Fišer C. Is the relationship between body length and body mass consistent across habitats? A case study on Niphargus (Crustacea: Amphipoda). ZOOLOGY 2023; 161:126120. [PMID: 37696118 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2023.126120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Body size is one of the main characteristics of any organism and influences various aspects of individual's biology. In animal ecology, it represents a key functional trait that can be quantified using different measures and is often used as a proxy for different organismal functions. The way we quantify body size is critical in any study using this measure alone or to scale other organismal traits. It is especially important in groups that act as model systems across different fields of biological research. One of such groups are amphipods, which are at focus in many ecological studies where appropriate quantification of body size is needed. Here, we explored the relationship between body length and body mass in the largest freshwater amphipod genus Niphargus, and evaluated whether the two measures lead to different conclusions in a putative ecological study of species coexistence. We selected 16 species inhabiting two different subterranean habitats, cave lakes and cave streams. The relationship between log-transformed body mass and body length was linear in all species, but body mass increased steeper among species from cave lakes than from cave streams, reflecting the stouter body shape of the former. In the simulated ecological study, the comparisons of the two measures showed that they may yield different results: in 10 % of cases, body length detected differences between species when body mass did not and vice versa (13 %). Usage of body length or body mass can thus lead to different conclusions. We recommend avoiding direct transformations between body length and body mass in ecological studies. Whenever needed, such transformations should be done with caution using habitat-specific body mass - body length ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Premate
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, SubBio Lab, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Tinkara Kepic
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, SubBio Lab, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Cene Fišer
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, SubBio Lab, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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4
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Peralta MA, Verónica IMÁ. South America stygobiont crustaceans: a new species of Hyalellidae (Amphipoda) and new reports of Stygocarididae (Anaspidacea) and Protojaniridae (Isopoda) from Calingasta Valley, Pre-Andean region, San Juan, Argentina. Zootaxa 2023; 5264:1-26. [PMID: 37044966 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5264.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
We describe one new eyeless Hyalella species, H. cuyana n. sp., from the hyporheic zone of Calingasta River, San Juan Province, Argentina. Hyalella cuyana n. sp. differs morphologically from its stygobiont congeners by characters of antennae (both antennae subequal in size; aesthetascs elongated); coxal plate 4 (posteriorly without excavation); epimeral plates 1-3 (rounded posterodistally); male gnathopod 2 propodus (almond-shaped, ovate, palm slope strongly oblique); and pleopods (inner ramus reduced to 2-3 articles). We provide a detailed morphological comparison between stygobiont and stygophile Hyalella species. We comment on the sympatry and new report of stygobiont Malacostraca species Parastygocaris andina and Cuyojanira sp. Severe environmental changes and significant decline of habitat quality recorded along the Calingasta River increase the risk of extinction for this vulnerable and endemic fauna. We recommend that the new Hyalella species should be listed as Critically Endangered (CR) in the IUCN categorization according to criteria B1a as it is only known from the type locality; and criteria B1b iii (continuing decline, observed, inferred in the quality of habitat).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Alejandra Peralta
- Instituto de Invertebrados; Fund. M. Lillo; Miguel Lillo 251; T4000JFE-San Miguel de Tucumán; Argentina..
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Hupało K, Copilaș-Ciocianu D, Leese F, Weiss M. Morphology, nuclear SNPs and mate selection reveal that COI barcoding overestimates species diversity in a Mediterranean freshwater amphipod by an order of magnitude. Cladistics 2023; 39:129-143. [PMID: 36576962 DOI: 10.1111/cla.12520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA sequence information has revealed many morphologically cryptic species worldwide. For animals, DNA-based assessments of species diversity usually rely on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. However, a growing amount of evidence indicate that mitochondrial markers alone can lead to misleading species diversity estimates due to mito-nuclear discordance. Therefore, reports of putative species based solely on mitochondrial DNA should be verified by other methods, especially in cases where COI sequences are identical for different morphospecies or where divergence within the same morphospecies is high. Freshwater amphipods are particularly interesting in this context because numerous putative cryptic species have been reported. Here, we investigated the species status of the numerous mitochondrial molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) found within Echinogammarus sicilianus. We used an integrative approach combining DNA barcoding with mate selection observations, detailed morphometrics and genome-wide double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq). Within a relatively small sampling area, we detected twelve COI MOTUs (divergence = 1.8-20.3%), co-occurring in syntopy at two-thirds of the investigated sites. We found that pair formation was random and there was extensive nuclear gene flow among the ten MOTUs co-occurring within the same river stretch. The four most common MOTUs were also indistinguishable with respect to functional morphology. Therefore, the evidence best fits the hypothesis of a single, yet genetically diverse, species within the main river system. The only two MOTUs sampled outside the focal area were genetically distinct at the nuclear level and may represent distinct species. Our study reveals that COI-based species delimitation can significantly overestimate species diversity, highlighting the importance of integrative taxonomy for species validation, especially in hyperdiverse complexes with syntopically occurring mitochondrial MOTUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Hupało
- Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany
| | - Denis Copilaș-Ciocianu
- Nature Research Centre, Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Hydrobionts, Akademijos 2, Vilnius, 08412, Lithuania
| | - Florian Leese
- Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany.,Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, Essen, 45141, Germany
| | - Martina Weiss
- Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany.,Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, Essen, 45141, Germany
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6
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Not the Last Piece of the Puzzle: Niphargus Phylogeny in Hungary. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The Palaearctic genus Niphargus is a promising model system to understand subterranean fauna genesis in Europe. The Pannonian Plain (mainly covered by Hungary) in Central Europe, once being the area of the Paratethys, is a key area for Niphargus diversification. However, our knowledge on Hungarian species of Niphargus is primarily based on sporadic taxonomical works from the pre-molecular era. Here, we studied 14 localities, covering the eight valid Hungarian species of Niphargus and including nine previously unstudied populations. Based on sequences of three gene fragments, we reconstructed their phylogeny using maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. We found that not all Hungarian species of Niphargus are closely related, and even species sampled at the same localities can belong to different clades. Some Hungarian species form monophyletic clades, while others are nested in various non-Hungarian lineages. The new populations are all genetically distinct from the known species. Our results suggest that the Hungarian Niphargus fauna has originated from seven unrelated clades and its diversity is underestimated due to unknown populations and cryptic species. The detection of genetically distinct species of Niphargus from non-carbonate regions calls for further research efforts. The high diversity and the number of putative new species in the N. tatrensis clade warrants further, high-resolution phylogenetic studies.
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Lithology and disturbance drive cavefish and cave crayfish occurrence in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19559. [PMID: 36379975 PMCID: PMC9666451 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21791-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse communities of groundwater-dwelling organisms (i.e., stygobionts) are important for human wellbeing; however, we lack an understanding of the factors driving their distributions, making it difficult to protect many at-risk species. Therefore, our study objective was to determine the landscape factors related to the occurrence of cavefishes and cave crayfishes in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion, USA. We sampled cavefishes and cave crayfishes at 61 sampling units using both visual and environmental DNA surveys. We then modeled occurrence probability in relation to lithology and human disturbance while accounting for imperfect detection. Our results indicated that occurrence probability of cave crayfishes was negatively associated with human disturbance, whereas there was a weak positive relationship between cavefish occurrence and disturbance. Both cavefishes and cave crayfishes were more likely to occur in limestone rather than dolostone lithology. Our results indicate structuring factors are related to the distribution of these taxa, but with human disturbance as a prevalent modifier of distributions for cave crayfishes. Limiting human alteration near karst features may be warranted to promote the persistence of some stygobionts. Moreover, our results indicate current sampling efforts are inadequate to detect cryptic species; therefore, expanding sampling may be needed to develop effective conservation actions.
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Recknagel H, Premate E, Zakšek V, Aljančič G, Kostanjšek R, Trontelj P. Oviparity, viviparity or plasticity in reproductive mode of the olm Proteus anguinus: an epic misunderstanding caused by prey regurgitation? CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/18759866-bja10029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Cave animals are biological models of fast evolutionary change induced by transition to extreme subterranean environments. But their concealed lifestyle makes it inherently difficult to study life-history changes. Therefore, currently very little is known on the reproduction of cave species, and even less is known on general patterns and potentially shared reproductive strategies. Theory predicts that the cave environment favours the production of a few well-developed offspring and live birth. For one of the most enigmatic cave animals, the olm (Proteus anguinus), it has been debated fiercely whether they reproduce by live birth (viviparity), egg-laying (oviparity) or facultatively. While successes in captive breeding after the 1950s report oviparity as the single parity mode, some historically older observations claimed viviparity. The controversial neo-Lamarckist Paul Kammerer even claimed to have induced changes in parity mode by altering environmental conditions. Here, we report on the feeding and regurgitation of fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) larvae by olms. The salamander larvae showed clear teeth marks and other injuries on the head caused by the olm, yet one larva was still alive after regurgitation. We suggest that historical reports of olm viviparity could have been misled by regurgitated salamander larvae. Our data bring additional indications that at least some of Kammerer’s experiments were fraudulent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Recknagel
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
| | - Ester Premate
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
| | - Valerija Zakšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
| | - Gregor Aljančič
- Society for Cave Biology, Tular Cave Laboratory, Oldhamska cesta 8a, 4000, Kranj, Slovenia,
| | - Rok Kostanjšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
| | - Peter Trontelj
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
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Premate E, Borko Š, Kralj-Fišer S, Jennions M, Fišer Ž, Balázs G, Bíró A, Bračko G, Copilaş-Ciocianu D, Hrga N, Herczeg G, Rexhepi B, Zagmajster M, Zakšek V, Fromhage L, Fišer C. No room for males in caves: Female-biased sex ratio in subterranean amphipods of the genus Niphargus. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:1653-1661. [PMID: 34424594 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Sex allocation theory predicts that the proportion of daughters to sons will evolve in response to ecological conditions that determine the costs and benefits of producing each sex. All else being equal, the adult sex ratio (ASR) should also vary with ecological conditions. Many studies of subterranean species reported female-biased ASR, but no systematic study has yet been conducted. We test the hypothesis that the ASR becomes more female-biased with increased isolation from the surface. We compiled a data set of ASRs of 35 species in the subterranean amphipod Niphargus, each living in one of three distinct habitats (surface-subterranean boundary, cave streams, phreatic lakes) representing an environmental gradient of increased isolation underground. The ASR was female-biased in 27 of 35 species; the bias was statistically significant in 12 species. We found a significant difference in the ASR among habitats after correction for phylogeny. It is most weakly female-biased at the surface-subterranean boundary and most strongly female-biased in phreatic lakes. Additional modelling suggests that the ASR has evolved towards a single value for both surface-subterranean boundary and cave stream-dwelling species, and another value for 9 of 11 phreatic lake dwellers. We suggest that a history of inbreeding in subterranean populations might lower inbreeding depression such that kin selection favours mating with siblings. This could select for a female-biased offspring sex ratio due to local mate competition among brothers. The observed patterns in sex ratios in subterranean species make them a group worthy of more attention from those interested in sex allocation theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Premate
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Špela Borko
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Simona Kralj-Fišer
- Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Michael Jennions
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Žiga Fišer
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gergely Balázs
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Bíró
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gregor Bračko
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Denis Copilaş-Ciocianu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Hydrobionts, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Nuša Hrga
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Behare Rexhepi
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maja Zagmajster
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Valerija Zakšek
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lutz Fromhage
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Cene Fišer
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Alther R, Bongni N, Borko Š, Fišer C, Altermatt F. Citizen science approach reveals groundwater fauna in Switzerland and a new species of Niphargus (Amphipoda, Niphargidae). SUBTERRANEAN BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.39.66755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge on the diversity and distribution of subterranean organisms is still scattered, even in faunistically relatively well-researched countries such as Switzerland. This is mostly due to the restricted access to these subterranean habitats. Better knowledge on these organisms is needed, because they contribute substantially to overall biodiversity of a region, often contain unique elements of biodiversity, and can potentially be indicative of the ecological status of subterranean ecosystems that are providing important ecosystem services such as drinking water. Past research on subterranean organisms has often used highly specialised sampling techniques and expert knowledge. Here, we show that inclusion of non-professionals can be an alternative and highly promising sampling strategy. We retrieved citizen science-based samples from municipal groundwater wells across Switzerland, mainly from the Swiss Plateau. Opportunistic samples from 313 sites revealed a previously undocumented groundwater fauna including organisms from different major invertebrate groups, with a dominance of crustaceans. Here, we studied amphipods of the genus Niphargus. Among all 363 individuals sampled, we found in total eight nominal species. Two of them, namely N. fontanus and N. kieferi, are reported for Switzerland for the first time. We also found four further phylogenetic lineages that are potentially new species to science. One of them is here formally described as Niphargus arolaensissp. nov. The description is based on molecular and morphometric data. Our study proves the suitability of citizen science to document subterranean diversity, supports groundwater conservation efforts with data, and raises awareness for the relevance and biodiversity of groundwater amphipods among stakeholders.
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11
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Feng Z, Wynne JJ, Zhang F. Cave-dwelling pseudoscorpions of China with descriptions of four new hypogean species of Parobisium (Pseudoscorpiones, Neobisiidae) from Guizhou Province. SUBTERRANEAN BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.34.49586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We summarize and discuss the 29 known cave-dwelling pseudoscorpion species from China. Four new troglomorphic pseudoscorpion species, Parobisium motianensesp. nov., P. qiangzhuangsp. nov., P. sanlouensesp. nov., and P. tianisp. nov., belonging to the family Neobisiidae, are described based on specimens collected in karst caves in Guizhou, China. Detailed diagnosis, descriptions, and illustrations are presented. We also provide recommendations for management of caves where they occur, as well as the cave arthropod communities and the habitats that support them.
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Ecophysiological and life-history adaptations of Gammarus balcanicus (Schäferna, 1922) in a sinking-cave stream from Western Carpathians (Romania). ZOOLOGY 2020; 139:125754. [PMID: 32088526 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Freshwater gammarids are known to colonise occasionally sinking-cave streams, providing contrasting morphological, life-history and ecophysiological adaptations compared to their surface conspecifics. In this study, a subterranean and a surface population of the species Gammarus balcanicus was surveyed for one year in a sinking-cave stream from the Western Carpathians (Romania). The results showed that the cave-dwelling population comprised individuals that were significantly larger compared to their surface conspecifics, had larger body-size at sexual maturity and that the females produced fewer, but larger eggs, compared to the population situated outside the cave. The trophic position and the omnivory were significantly higher for the cave-dwelling compared to surface population and the elemental imbalance for C:P molar ratios lower, but similar for C:N. However, the subterranean population did not present troglomorphic characters or longer lifespan as known for other cave-surface paired crustaceans. This, together with the rather extensive hydrological connection of the habitats, suggests active gene-flow between populations and similar response to seasonality for body-size distributions, indicating that the observed ecophysiological and life-history differences are rather the consequence of phenotypic plasticity than the result of genetic adaptation.
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Kralj-Fišer S, Premate E, Copilaş-Ciocianu D, Volk T, Fišer Ž, Balázs G, Herczeg G, Delić T, Fišer C. The interplay between habitat use, morphology and locomotion in subterranean crustaceans of the genus Niphargus. ZOOLOGY 2020; 139:125742. [PMID: 32086140 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Locomotion is an important, fitness-related functional trait. Environment selects for type of locomotion and shapes the morphology of locomotion-related traits such as body size and appendages. In subterranean aquatic arthropods, these traits are subjected to multiple, at times opposing selection pressures. Darkness selects for enhanced mechano- and chemosensory systems and hence elongation of appendages. Conversely, water currents have been shown to favor short appendages. However, no study has addressed the variation in locomotion of invertebrates inhabiting cave streams and cave lakes, or questioned the relationship between species' morphology and locomotion. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied the interplay between habitat use, morphology and locomotion in amphipods of the subterranean genus Niphargus. Previous studies showed that lake and stream species differ in morphology. Namely, lake species are large, stout and long-legged, whereas stream species are small, slender and short-legged. We here compared locomotion mode and speed between three lake and five stream species. In addition, we tested whether morphology predicts locomotion. We found that the stream species lie on their body sides and move using slow crawling or tail-flipping. The species inhabiting lakes move comparably faster, and use a variety of locomotion modes. Noteworthy, one of the lake species almost exclusively moves in an upright or semi-upright position that resembles walking. Body size and relative length of appendages predict locomotion mode and speed in all species. We propose that integrating locomotion in the studies of subterranean species might improve our understanding of their morphological evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kralj-Fišer
- Scientific and Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Institute of Biology, Novi trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Ester Premate
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Denis Copilaş-Ciocianu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Hydrobionts, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos Str. 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania; Department of Ecology, Charles University, Ovocný trh 560/5, 116 36 Prague, Czechia.
| | - Teja Volk
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Žiga Fišer
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Gergely Balázs
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Egyetem tér 1-3, 1053 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Egyetem tér 1-3, 1053 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Teo Delić
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Cene Fišer
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Jugovic J, Zakšek V, Petković M, Sket B. A shrimp out of place. New genus of Atyidae (Crustacea: Decapoda) in subterranean waters of southeastern Europe, with some remarks on Atyidae taxonomy. ZOOL ANZ 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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15
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Borko Š, Collette M, Brad T, Zakšek V, Flot JF, Vaxevanopoulos M, Sarbu SM, Fišer C. Amphipods in a Greek cave with sulphidic and non-sulphidic water: phylogenetically clustered and ecologically divergent. SYST BIODIVERS 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2019.1670273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Špela Borko
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, SI-1000, Slovenia
| | - Martin Collette
- Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, Brussels, B-1050, Belgium
| | - Traian Brad
- ‘Emil Racoviţă’ Institute of Speleology, Strada Clinicilor 5, Cluj-Napoca, 400006, Romania
| | - Valerija Zakšek
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, SI-1000, Slovenia
| | - Jean-François Flot
- Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, Brussels, B-1050, Belgium
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels – (IB)2, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Serban M. Sarbu
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Chico, Holt Hall 205, Chico, CA, 95929-515, USA
- ‘Emil Racoviţă’ Institute of Speleology, Calea 13 Septembrie 13, Bucharest, 050711, Romania
| | - Cene Fišer
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, SI-1000, Slovenia
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16
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Mammola S, Cardoso P, Culver DC, Deharveng L, Ferreira RL, Fišer C, Galassi DMP, Griebler C, Halse S, Humphreys WF, Isaia M, Malard F, Martinez A, Moldovan OT, Niemiller ML, Pavlek M, Reboleira ASPS, Souza-Silva M, Teeling EC, Wynne JJ, Zagmajster M. Scientists' Warning on the Conservation of Subterranean Ecosystems. Bioscience 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In light of recent alarming trends in human population growth, climate change, and other environmental modifications, a “Warning to humanity” manifesto was published in BioScience in 2017. This call reiterated most of the ideas originally expressed by the Union of Concerned Scientists in 1992, including the fear that we are “pushing Earth's ecosystems beyond their capacities to support the web of life.” As subterranean biologists, we take this opportunity to emphasize the global importance and the conservation challenges associated with subterranean ecosystems. They likely represent the most widespread nonmarine environments on Earth, but specialized subterranean organisms remain among the least documented and studied. Largely overlooked in conservation policies, subterranean habitats play a critical role in the function of the web of life and provide important ecosystem services. We highlight the main threats to subterranean ecosystems and propose a set of effective actions to protect this globally important natural heritage.
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Fišer C, Alther R, Zakšek V, Borko Š, Fuchs A, Altermatt F. Translating Niphargus barcodes from Switzerland into taxonomy with a description of two new species (Amphipoda, Niphargidae). Zookeys 2018; 760:113-141. [PMID: 29872366 PMCID: PMC5986823 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.760.24978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The amphipod genus Niphargus (Amphipoda: Niphargidae Bousfield, 1977) is the most species-rich genus of freshwater amphipods in the World. Species of this genus, which live almost exclusively in subterranean water, offer an interesting model system for basic and applied biodiversity science. Their use, however, is often limited due to the hitherto unresolved taxonomy within the whole genus. As a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the currently >425 Niphargus species is too demanding, it has been suggested that the taxonomy of the genus could be advanced in smaller steps, by reviewing regional faunas, that would eventually integrate into a global revision. In this study, we provide such a revision of Niphargus in Switzerland. First, we molecularly delimited, morphologically diagnosed, and formally described two new species, namely Niphargus luchoffmannisp. n. and Niphargus tonywhittenisp. n. Second, we updated and revised a checklist of Niphargus in Switzerland with new findings, and prepared a list of reference sequences for routine molecular identification, available at BOLD and GenBank. All available specimens of 22 known species from the area were morphologically examined, and their morphological variation was compiled in a data file of DEscription Language for TAxonomy, which can be used for automated generation of dichotomous or interactive keys. The data file is freely available at the World Amphipoda Database. Together, the checklist, the library of reference sequences, the DELTA file, but also a list of hitherto unresolved aspects are an important step towards a complete revision of the genus within a well-defined and biogeographically interesting area in Central Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cene Fišer
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Roman Alther
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Valerija Zakšek
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Špela Borko
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andreas Fuchs
- Institut für Grundwasserökologie IGÖ GmbH an der Universität Koblenz-Landau, Campus Landau Fortstraße 7, D-76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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18
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Is subterranean lifestyle reversible? Independent and recent large-scale dispersal into surface waters by two species of the groundwater amphipod genus Niphargus. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018; 119:37-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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19
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Mammola S, Cardoso P, Ribera C, Pavlek M, Isaia M. A synthesis on cave-dwelling spiders in Europe. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Mammola
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology; University of Torino; Turin Italy
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Finnish Museum of Natural History; University of Helsinki; Helsinki Finland
| | - Carles Ribera
- Biodiversity Research Institute and Department of Animal Biology; University of Barcelona; Barcelona Spain
| | - Martina Pavlek
- Biodiversity Research Institute and Department of Animal Biology; University of Barcelona; Barcelona Spain
- Ruđer Bošković Institute; Zagreb Croatia
- Croatian Biospeleological Society; Zagreb Croatia
| | - Marco Isaia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology; University of Torino; Turin Italy
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20
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Copilaș-Ciocianu D, Fišer C, Borza P, Balázs G, Angyal D, Petrusek A. Low intraspecific genetic divergence and weak niche differentiation despite wide ranges and extensive sympatry in two epigean Niphargus species (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Zool J Linn Soc 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlw031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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21
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Jemec A, Škufca D, Prevorčnik S, Fišer Ž, Zidar P. Comparative study of acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activities of closely related cave and surface Asellus aquaticus (Isopoda: Crustacea). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176746. [PMID: 28486514 PMCID: PMC5423599 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The freshwater isopod crustacean Asellus aquaticus has recently been developed as an emerging invertebrate cave model for studying evolutionary and developmental biology. Mostly morphological and genetic differences between cave and surface A. aquaticus populations have been described up to now, while scarce data are available on other aspects, including physiology. The purpose of this study was to advance our understanding of the physiological differences between cave A. aquaticus and its surface-dwelling counterparts. We sampled two surface populations from the surface section of the sinking Pivka River (central Slovenia, Europe), i.e. locality Pivka Polje, and locality Planina Polje, and one cave population from the subterranean section of the sinking Pivka River, i.e. locality Planina Cave. Animals were sampled in spring, summer and autumn. We measured the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in individuals snap-frozen in the field immediately after collection. Acetylcholinesterase is likely related to animals’ locomotor activity, while GST activity is related to the metabolic activity of an organism. Our study shows significantly lower AChE and GST activities in the cave population in comparison to both surface A. aquaticus populations. This confirms the assumption that cave A. aquaticus have lower locomotor and metabolic activity than surface A. aquaticus in their respective natural environments. In surface A. aquaticus populations, seasonal fluctuations in GST activity were observed, while these were less pronounced in individuals from the more stable cave environment. On the other hand, AChE activity was generally season-independent in all populations. To our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind conducted in A. aquaticus. Our results show that among closely related cave and surface A. aquaticus populations also physiological differences are present besides the morphological and genetic. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the biology of A. aquaticus and cave crustaceans in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Jemec
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail:
| | - David Škufca
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Simona Prevorčnik
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Žiga Fišer
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Primož Zidar
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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22
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FiŠer C, Konec M, Alther R, Švara V, Altermatt F. Taxonomic, phylogenetic and ecological diversity of Niphargus (Amphipoda: Crustacea) in the Hölloch cave system (Switzerland). SYST BIODIVERS 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2016.1249112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cene FiŠer
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marjeta Konec
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Roman Alther
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Vid Švara
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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23
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Riesch R, Tobler M, Lerp H, Jourdan J, Doumas T, Nosil P, Langerhans RB, Plath M. Extremophile Poeciliidae: multivariate insights into the complexity of speciation along replicated ecological gradients. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:136. [PMID: 27334284 PMCID: PMC4918007 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0705-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Replicate population pairs that diverge in response to similar selective regimes allow for an investigation of (a) whether phenotypic traits diverge in a similar and predictable fashion, (b) whether there is gradual variation in phenotypic divergence reflecting variation in the strength of natural selection among populations, (c) whether the extent of this divergence is correlated between multiple character suites (i.e., concerted evolution), and (d) whether gradual variation in phenotypic divergence predicts the degree of reproductive isolation, pointing towards a role for adaptation as a driver of (ecological) speciation. Here, we use poeciliid fishes of the genera Gambusia and Poecilia that have repeatedly evolved extremophile lineages able to tolerate high and sustained levels of toxic hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to answer these questions. Results We investigated evolutionary divergence in response to H2S in Gambusia spp. (and to a lesser extent Poecilia spp.) using a multivariate approach considering the interplay of life history, body shape, and population genetics (nuclear miscrosatellites to infer population genetic differentiation as a proxy for reproductive isolation). We uncovered both shared and unique patterns of evolution: most extremophile Gambusia predictably evolved larger heads and offspring size, matching a priori predictions for adaptation to sulfidic waters, while variation in adult life histories was idiosyncratic. When investigating patterns for both genera (Gambusia and Poecilia), we found that divergence in offspring-related life histories and body shape were positively correlated across populations, but evidence for individual-level associations between the two character suites was limited, suggesting that genetic linkage, developmental interdependencies, or pleiotropic effects do not explain patterns of concerted evolution. We further found that phenotypic divergence was positively correlated with both environmental H2S-concentration and neutral genetic differentiation (a proxy for gene flow). Conclusions Our results suggest that higher toxicity exerts stronger selection, and that divergent selection appears to constrain gene flow, supporting a scenario of ecological speciation. Nonetheless, progress toward ecological speciation was variable, partially reflecting variation in the strength of divergent selection, highlighting the complexity of selective regimes even in natural systems that are seemingly governed by a single, strong selective agent. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0705-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Riesch
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK. .,Department of Biological Sciences & W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, 127 David Clark Labs, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA.
| | - Michael Tobler
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 116 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Hannes Lerp
- Natural History Collections, Museum Wiesbaden, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 2, 65185, Wiesbaden, Germany
| | - Jonas Jourdan
- J. W. Goethe-University Frankfurt/M., Evolutionary Ecology Group, Max-von-Laue Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt a. M., Germany
| | - Tess Doumas
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Rd., Houston, TX, 77004, USA
| | - Patrik Nosil
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - R Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences & W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, 127 David Clark Labs, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA
| | - Martin Plath
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xinong Road 22, Yangling, 712100, People's Republic of China
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Contrasting life history strategies in a phylogenetically diverse community of freshwater amphipods (Crustacea: Malacostraca). ZOOLOGY 2016; 119:21-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2015.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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25
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Delić T, Trontelj P, Zakšek V, Fišer C. Biotic and abiotic determinants of appendage length evolution in a cave amphipod. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T. Delić
- Department of Biology; Biotechnical Faculty; University of Ljubljana; Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - P. Trontelj
- Department of Biology; Biotechnical Faculty; University of Ljubljana; Ljubljana Slovenia
- Museum für Naturkunde; Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - V. Zakšek
- Department of Biology; Biotechnical Faculty; University of Ljubljana; Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - C. Fišer
- Department of Biology; Biotechnical Faculty; University of Ljubljana; Ljubljana Slovenia
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Morphologically Cryptic Amphipod Species Are "Ecological Clones" at Regional but Not at Local Scale: A Case Study of Four Niphargus Species. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134384. [PMID: 26226375 PMCID: PMC4520478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that morphologically cryptic species may be ecologically more different than would be predicted from their morphological similarity and phylogenetic relatedness. However, in biodiversity research it often remains unclear whether cryptic species should be treated as ecologically equivalent, or whether detected differences have ecological significance. In this study, we assessed the ecological equivalence of four morphologically cryptic species of the amphipod genus Niphargus. All species live in a small, isolated area on the Istrian Peninsula in the NW Balkans. The distributional ranges of the species are partially overlapping and all species are living in springs. We reconstructed their ecological niches using morphological traits related to feeding, bioclimatic niche envelope and species’ preference for epi-hypogean habitats. The ecological meaning of differences in niches was evaluated using distributional data and co-occurrence frequencies. We show that the species comprise two pairs of sister species. All species differ from each other and the degree of differentiation is not related to phylogenetic relatedness. Moreover, low co-occurrence frequencies in sympatric zones imply present or past interspecific competition. This pattern suggests that species are not differentiated enough to reduce interspecific competition, nor ecologically equivalent to co-exist via neutral dynamics. We tentatively conclude that the question of ecological equivalence relates to the scale of the study: at a fine scale, species’ differences may influence dynamics in a local community, whereas at the regional level these species likely play roughly similar ecological roles.
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Fišer C, Luštrik R, Sarbu S, Flot JF, Trontelj P. Morphological evolution of coexisting amphipod species pairs from sulfidic caves suggests competitive interactions and character displacement, but no environmental filtering and convergence. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123535. [PMID: 25905793 PMCID: PMC4407961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypically similar species coexisting in extreme environments like sulfidic water are subject to two opposing eco-evolutionary processes: those favoring similarity of environment-specific traits, and those promoting differences of traits related to resource use. The former group of processes includes ecological filtering and convergent or parallel evolution, the latter competitive exclusion, character displacement and divergent evolution. We used a unique eco-evolutionary study system composed of two independent pairs of coexisting amphipod species (genus Niphargus) from the sulfidic caves Movile in Romania and Frasassi in Italy to study the relative contribution and interaction of both processes. We looked at the shape of the multifunctional ventral channel as a trait ostensibly related to oxygenation and sulfide detoxification, and at body size as a resource-related trait. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the sulfidic caves were colonized separately by ancestors of each species. Species within pairs were more dissimilar in their morphology than expected according to a null model based on regional species pool. This might indicate competitive interactions shaping the morphology of these amphipod species. Moreover, our results suggest that the shape of the ventral channel is not subject to long-term convergent selection or to the process of environmental filtering, and as such probably does not play a role in sulfide tolerance. Nevertheless, the ancestral conditions reconstructed using the comparative method tended to be more similar than null-model expectations. This shift in patterns may reflect a temporal hierarchy of eco-evolutionary processes, in which initial environmental filtering became later on superseded by character displacement or other competition-driven divergent evolutionary processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cene Fišer
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail:
| | - Roman Luštrik
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Serban Sarbu
- Grupul de Explorări Subacvatice şi Speologice, Strada Frumoasă 31, 010986 Bucureşti, Romania
| | - Jean-François Flot
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Trontelj
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 43, Berlin 10115, Germany
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Phylogeny and biogeography of three new species of Niphargus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Greece. ZOOL ANZ 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Altermatt F, Alther R, Fišer C, Jokela J, Konec M, Küry D, Mächler E, Stucki P, Westram AM. Diversity and distribution of freshwater amphipod species in Switzerland (Crustacea: Amphipoda). PLoS One 2014; 9:e110328. [PMID: 25354099 PMCID: PMC4212965 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 09/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphipods are key organisms in many freshwater systems and contribute substantially to the diversity and functioning of macroinvertebrate communities. Furthermore, they are commonly used as bioindicators and for ecotoxicological tests. For many areas, however, diversity and distribution of amphipods is inadequately known, which limits their use in ecological and ecotoxicological studies and handicaps conservation initiatives. We studied the diversity and distribution of amphipods in Switzerland (Central Europe), covering four major drainage basins, an altitudinal gradient of>2,500 m, and various habitats (rivers, streams, lakes and groundwater). We provide the first provisional checklist and detailed information on the distribution and diversity of all amphipod species from Switzerland. In total, we found 29 amphipod species. This includes 16 native and 13 non-native species, one of the latter (Orchestia cavimana) reported here for the first time for Switzerland. The diversity is compared to neighboring countries. We specifically discuss species of the genus Niphargus, which are often receiving less attention. We also found evidence of an even higher level of hidden diversity, and the potential occurrence of further cryptic species. This diversity reflects the biogeographic past of Switzerland, and suggests that amphipods are ideally suited to address questions on endemism and adaptive radiations, post-glaciation re-colonization and invasion dynamics as well as biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships in aquatic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Altermatt
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zentrum, Zürich, Switzerland
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Roman Alther
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Cene Fišer
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jukka Jokela
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zentrum, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marjeta Konec
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Elvira Mächler
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Anja Marie Westram
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Meleg IN, Zakšek V, Fišer C, Kelemen BS, Moldovan OT. Can environment predict cryptic diversity? The case of Niphargus inhabiting Western Carpathian groundwater. PLoS One 2013; 8:e76760. [PMID: 24204671 PMCID: PMC3804523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, several studies have shown that subterranean aquatic habitats harbor cryptic species with restricted geographic ranges, frequently occurring as isolated populations. Previous studies on aquatic subterranean species have implied that habitat heterogeneity can promote speciation and that speciation events can be predicted from species’ distributions. We tested the prediction that species distributed across different drainage systems and karst sectors comprise sets of distinct species. Amphipods from the genus Niphargus from 11 caves distributed along the Western Carpathians (Romania) were investigated using three independent molecular markers (COI, H3 and 28S). The results showed that: 1) the studied populations belong to eight different species that derive from two phylogenetically unrelated Niphargus clades; 2) narrow endemic species in fact comprise complexes of morphologically similar species that are indistinguishable without using a molecular approach. The concept of monophyly, concordance between mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and the value of patristic distances were used as species delimitation criteria. The concept of cryptic species is discussed within the framework of the present work and the contribution of these species to regional biodiversity is also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Nicoleta Meleg
- Emil Racoviţă Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- * E-mail:
| | - Valerija Zakšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Cene Fišer
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Beatrice Simona Kelemen
- Babeş-Bolyai University, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Molecular Biology Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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