Evolution of Mesobuthus gibbosus (Brullé, 1832) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in the northeastern Mediterranean region

Abstract

Sequence data derived from two mitochondrial markers, 16S rRNA and COI genes, were used to infer the evolutionary history of 47 insular and mainland populations covering most of the distributional range of the northeastern Mediterranean scorpion species Mesobuthus gibbosus. Based on the estimated divergence times of Mesobuthus lineages, the temporal frame of the genus differentiation in the northeastern Mediterranean region is placed in middle Miocene (15 million years ago). The biogeographic affinities of M. gibbosus populations point towards a mainly vicariant pattern of differentiation of the species which is consistent with the geological events that transformed the Aegean region during the period from 12 to 5 million years ago. M. gibbosus is an old northeastern Mediterranean species that has retained valuable bits of genetic information, reflecting some of the oldest vicariant events that have occurred in the area. Most importantly, the history witnessed by M. gibbosus has not been obscured by more recent palaeoevents of the region. Therefore, the case of M. gibbosus is in favour of a taxon-oriented 'perception' of the natural history of a given area.

Phylogeography of co-distributed dune scorpions identifies the Amu Darya River as a long-standing component of Central Asian biogeography

“…The levels of divergence within Anomalobuthus, Liobuthus, and Mesobuthus are somewhat deep for intraspecific studies, but consistent with phylogeographic studies of other scorpions (BORGES et al 2010, GANTENBEIN et al 2001, 2003, GANTENBEIN & LARGIADÈR 2003, PARMAKELIS et al 2006a-b, SOUSA et al 2010. Our study thereby further substantiates the idea that scorpions are ideal for tracking relationships between earth history and biotic diversification across deeper timescales than possible with most other organisms (BRYSON et al in review).…”

Three Continents Claiming an Archipelago: The Evolution of Aegean’s Herpetofaunal Diversity

“…Specifically, land snails of the genus Mastus [56] scorpions of the genus Mesobuthus [57] terrestrial isopoda of the genera Ligidium [58] and Orthometopon [59] cave crickets of the genus Dolichopoda [60] as well as Nigella arvensis of the plant family Ranunculaceae [61] are shown to have populations geographically structured and differentiated in concordance with the barriers discussed, falling into one of the three basic patterns described (see also [62]). …”

Do diversity patterns of the spring-inhabiting snail Bythinella (Gastropoda, Bythinellidae) on the Aegean Islands reflect geological history?

“…There are several studies on land gastropods, but also on butterflies, beetles, terrestrial isopods, scorpions, frogs and lizards, and also plants (Beerli et al, 1996;Sfenthourakis, 1996, Douris et al, 1998, 2007Chatzimanolis et al, 2003;Parmakelis et al, 2003Parmakelis et al, , 2005Parmakelis et al, , 2006aPoulakakis et al, 2003Poulakakis et al, , 2005aBittkau & Comes, 2005;Kasapidis et al, 2005;Klossa-Kilia et al, 2006;Lymberakis et al, 2007;Poulakakis & Sfenthourakis, 2008;Papadopoulou et al, 2009;Lymberakis & Poulakakis, 2010), which suggest that the present distributions of most terrestrial Aegean taxa were shaped primarily through vicariant phenomena that resulted from the complex geological history of the eastern Mediterranean and particularly that of the Aegean archipelago. Nevertheless, dispersal over sea or through occasional land bridges was also involved (see Douris et al, 1998;Dennis et al, 2000;Kasapidis et al, 2005).…”