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Melis R, Di Crescenzo S, Cariani A, Ferrari A, Crobe V, Bellodi A, Mulas A, Carugati L, Coluccia E, Follesa MC, Cannas R. I Like This New Me: Unravelling Population Structure of Mediterranean Electric Rays and Taxonomic Uncertainties within Torpediniformes. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2899. [PMID: 37760300 PMCID: PMC10525375 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study focused on the three species of electric rays known to occur in the Mediterranean Sea: Torpedo torpedo, Torpedo marmorata and Tetronarce nobiliana. Correct identification of specimens is needed to properly assess the impact of fisheries on populations and species. Unfortunately, torpedoes share high morphological similarities, boosting episodes of field misidentification. In this context, genetic data was used (1) to identify specimens caught during fishing operations, (2) to measure the diversity among and within these species, and (3) to shed light on the possible occurrence of additional hidden species in the investigated area. New and already published sequences of COI and NADH2 mitochondrial genes were analyzed, both at a small scale along the Sardinian coasts (Western Mediterranean) and at a large scale in the whole Mediterranean Sea. High levels of genetic diversity were found in Sardinian populations, being significantly different from other areas of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea due to the biotic and abiotic factors here discussed. Sardinian torpedoes can hence be indicated as priority populations/areas to be protected within the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, sequence data confirmed that only the three species occur in the investigated area. The application of several 'species-delimitation' methods found evidence of cryptic species in the three species outside the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in other genera/families, suggesting the urgent need for future studies and a comprehensive revision of the order Torpediniformes for its effective conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Melis
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
| | - Simone Di Crescenzo
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
| | - Alessia Cariani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (A.C.); (A.F.); (V.C.)
| | - Alice Ferrari
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (A.C.); (A.F.); (V.C.)
| | - Valentina Crobe
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (A.C.); (A.F.); (V.C.)
| | - Andrea Bellodi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
| | - Antonello Mulas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
| | - Laura Carugati
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
| | - Elisabetta Coluccia
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
| | - Maria Cristina Follesa
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
| | - Rita Cannas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (S.D.C.); (A.B.); (A.M.); (L.C.); (E.C.); (M.C.F.)
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Ferrari A, Crobe V, Cannas R, Leslie RW, Serena F, Stagioni M, Costa FO, Golani D, Hemida F, Zaera-Perez D, Sion L, Carbonara P, Fiorentino F, Tinti F, Cariani A. To Be, or Not to Be: That Is the Hamletic Question of Cryptic Evolution in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Raja miraletus Species Complex. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2139. [PMID: 37443937 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a high species diversity, skates (Rajiformes) exhibit remarkably conservative morphology and ecology. Limited trait variations occur within and between species, and cryptic species have been reported among sister and non-sister taxa, suggesting that species complexes may be subject to stabilising selection. Three sibling species are currently recognised in the Raja miraletus complex: (i) R. miraletus occurring along the Portuguese and Mediterranean coasts, (ii) R. parva in the Central-Eastern Atlantic off West Africa and (iii) R. ocellifera in the Western Indian Ocean off South Africa. In the present study, the genetic variation at mitochondrial and nuclear markers was estimated in the species complex by analysing 323 individuals sampled across most of its geographical distribution area to test the hypothesis that restricted gene flow and genetic divergence within species reflect known climate and bio-oceanographic discontinuities. Our results support previous morphological studies and confirm the known taxonomic boundaries of the three recognised species. In addition, we identified multiple weakly differentiated clades in the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean, at least two additional cryptic taxa off Senegal and Angola, a pronounced differentiation of ancient South African clades. The hidden genetic structure presented here may represent a valuable support to species' conservation action plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Ferrari
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Crobe
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Rita Cannas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09126 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Rob W Leslie
- Branch Fisheries Management, Department Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cape Town 8018, South Africa
| | - Fabrizio Serena
- Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology, National Research Council, 91026 Trapani, Italy
| | - Marco Stagioni
- Laboratory of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Department Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 61032 Fano, Italy
| | - Filipe O Costa
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) and ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Daniel Golani
- Department of Evolution, Systematics and Ecology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Farid Hemida
- Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l'Aménagement du Littoral, Campus Universitaire de Dely Ibrahim, Algiers 16320, Algeria
| | | | - Letizia Sion
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | | | - Fabio Fiorentino
- Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology, National Research Council, 91026 Trapani, Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 90149 Palermo, Italy
| | - Fausto Tinti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessia Cariani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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Bellodi A, Benvenuto A, Melis R, Mulas A, Barone M, Barría C, Cariani A, Carugati L, Chatzispyrou A, Desrochers M, Ferrari A, Guallart J, Hemida F, Mancusi C, Mazzoldi C, Ramírez-Amaro S, Rey J, Scannella D, Serena F, Tinti F, Vella A, Follesa MC, Cannas R. Call me by my name: unravelling the taxonomy of the gulper shark genus Centrophorus in the Mediterranean Sea through an integrated taxonomic approach. Zool J Linn Soc 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The current shift of fishery efforts towards the deep sea is raising concern about the vulnerability of deep-water sharks, which are often poorly studied and characterized by problematic taxonomy. For instance, in the Mediterranean Sea the taxonomy of genus Centrophorus has not been clearly unravelled yet. Since proper identification of the species is fundamental for their correct assessment and management, this study aims at clarifying the taxonomy of this genus in the Mediterranean Basin through an integrated taxonomic approach. We analysed a total of 281 gulper sharks (Centrophorus spp.) collected from various Mediterranean, Atlantic and Indian Ocean waters. Molecular data obtained from cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal RNA (16S), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) and a portion of a nuclear 28S ribosomal DNA gene region (28S) have highlighted the presence of a unique mitochondrial clade in the Mediterranean Sea. The morphometric results confirmed these findings, supporting the presence of a unique and distinct morphological group comprising all Mediterranean individuals. The data strongly indicate the occurrence of a single Centrophorus species in the Mediterranean, ascribable to C. cf. uyato, and suggest the need for a revision of the systematics of the genus in the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Bellodi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences – University of Cagliari, Via T. Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Benvenuto
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences – Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Sant’alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Riccardo Melis
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences – University of Cagliari, Via T. Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonello Mulas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences – University of Cagliari, Via T. Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Barone
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – Fisheries Division, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Barría
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alessia Cariani
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences – Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Sant’alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Laura Carugati
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences – University of Cagliari, Via T. Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
| | - Archontia Chatzispyrou
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, 576A Vouliagmenis Ave., 16452 Argyroupoli, Greece
| | - Monique Desrochers
- Northeastern University College of Science, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alice Ferrari
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences – Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Sant’alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Javier Guallart
- Marine Biology Laboratory, Zoology Department, Universitat de València, Burjassot E-46100 València, Spain
| | - Farid Hemida
- Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l’Amenagement du Littoral, Dely Ibrahim 16320, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Cecilia Mancusi
- Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region, Marine Division, Operational Unit Fisheries Resources and Marine Biodiversity, Via Marradi 114, 56127 Livorno, Italy
| | - Carlotta Mazzoldi
- University of Padova, Department of Biology, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Sergio Ramírez-Amaro
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain
| | - Javier Rey
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Malaga, Muelle Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Spain
| | - Danilo Scannella
- Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, National Research Council, Via Vaccara, 61, 91026, Mazara del Vallo, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Serena
- Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, National Research Council, Via Vaccara, 61, 91026, Mazara del Vallo, Italy
| | - Fausto Tinti
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences – Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Sant’alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Adriana Vella
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida, MSD2080, Malta
| | - Maria Cristina Follesa
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences – University of Cagliari, Via T. Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Cannas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences – University of Cagliari, Via T. Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy
- CoNISMa Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Mare, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Rome, Italy
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Crobe V, Ferrari A, Hanner R, Leslie RW, Steinke D, Tinti F, Cariani A. Molecular Taxonomy and Diversification of Atlantic Skates (Chondrichthyes, Rajiformes): Adding More Pieces to the Puzzle of Their Evolutionary History. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11070596. [PMID: 34206388 PMCID: PMC8303890 DOI: 10.3390/life11070596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation and long-term management plans of marine species need to be based upon the universally recognized key-feature of species identity. This important assignment is particularly challenging in skates (Rajiformes) in which the phenotypic similarity between some taxa and the individual variability in others, hampers accurate species identification. Here, 432 individual skate samples collected from four major ocean areas of the Atlantic were barcoded and taxonomically analysed. A BOLD project ELASMO ATL was implemented with the aim of establishing a new fully available and well curated barcode library containing both biological and molecular information. The evolutionary histories of the 38 skate taxa were estimated with two concatenated mitochondrial markers (COI and NADH2) through Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference. New evolutionary lineages within the genus Raja were discovered off Angola, where paleogeographic history coupled with oceanographic discontinuities could have contributed to the establishment of isolated refugia, playing a fundamental role among skates' speciation events. These data successfully resolved many taxonomic ambiguities, identified cryptic diversity within valid species and demonstrated a highly cohesive monophyletic clustering among the order, laying the background for further inference of evolutionary patterns suitable for addressing management and conservation issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Crobe
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 240126 Bologna, Italy; (A.F.); (A.C.)
- Correspondence: (V.C.); (F.T.)
| | - Alice Ferrari
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 240126 Bologna, Italy; (A.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Robert Hanner
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Robin W. Leslie
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Branch Fisheries Management, Cape Town 8018, South Africa;
- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science (DIFS), Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6139, South Africa
| | - Dirk Steinke
- Department of Integrative Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Fausto Tinti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 240126 Bologna, Italy; (A.F.); (A.C.)
- Correspondence: (V.C.); (F.T.)
| | - Alessia Cariani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 240126 Bologna, Italy; (A.F.); (A.C.)
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Ramírez-Amaro S, Ordines F, Esteban A, García C, Guijarro B, Salmerón F, Terrasa B, Massutí E. The diversity of recent trends for chondrichthyans in the Mediterranean reflects fishing exploitation and a potential evolutionary pressure towards early maturation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:547. [PMID: 31953489 PMCID: PMC6969072 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56818-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Chondrichthyans are a vulnerable group that has been overexploited for almost half a century in the Mediterranean. Since in this area most chondrichthyans are rarely incorporated into international statistics, the impact of fishing on their populations is difficult to assess. Here, we evaluate temporal trends in order to understand the recent history of chondrichthyans in the western Mediterranean. Fishery-independent data were obtained from scientific surveys carried out from 1994 to 2015 in three geographical sub-areas. Our results reflect fairly stable populations in terms of diversity, with some increase in density and standardized biomass of some species dwelling on the continental shelf, and even for some species dwelling on the slope. In contrast, decreasing trends were observed in some deep-water species. This can be explained by the reduction of the trawling effort on the continental shelf over the last few decades, and the shift of the fleet towards deep waters, along with the greater resilience displayed by some species. Furthermore, a decreasing trend in maturity of Scyliorhinus canicula was detected, suggesting an evolutionary response to overfishing. These results improve scientific knowledge for developing true adaptive management in the Mediterranean that will implement measures to strengthen or initiate the recovery of chondrichthyans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Ramírez-Amaro
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015, Palma, Spain. .,Laboratori de Genètica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
| | - Francesc Ordines
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015, Palma, Spain
| | - Antonio Esteban
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Varadero 1, 30740, San Pedro del Pinar, Murcia, Spain
| | - Cristina García
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Muelle Pesquero s/n, 29640, Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
| | - Beatriz Guijarro
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015, Palma, Spain
| | - Francisca Salmerón
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Muelle Pesquero s/n, 29640, Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
| | - Bàrbara Terrasa
- Laboratori de Genètica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Enric Massutí
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015, Palma, Spain
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