Molecular systematics and phylogeography of the gigantic earthworms of the Metaphire formosae species group (Clitellata, Megascolecidae)

Chang, Chih-Han; Lin, Si Min; Chen, Jiun Hong

doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.08.025

Cited by 85 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Genetic distance between M. posthuma and M. houlleti was 39.29%). Some previous research on molecular analyses also gave similar results [10]. According to Easton (1979) [11], the Pheretima species group that was acoecata evolved faster compared to coecata and diverged in another evolutionary direction.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 63%

“…As the Pheretima species groups contain a large number of species, species division and classification into smaller genera are necessary, but the amendment process for these species was based only on morphological markers [4,11,14,18]. DNA barcode (a gene segment of mitochondrial Cytochrome C Oxidase subunit I) was considered as a useful molecular marker that might be able to determine the genetic relationships between earthworm species [3,9,10,15]. In this study, the whole-cell protein eletrophoretic analysis using SDS-PAGE was also tested to examine the genetic relationships between different species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testing on three determining methods of genetic diversity on earthworm species belonging to the Pheretima species group in the Mekong delta

Tùng

Dũng²,

Tu³

2012

V J Bio

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This paper introduced the testing results of three methods (analysis of morphological characteristics using numerical phenetics, the whole-cell proteins using SDS-PAGE and the DNA barcode sequences) used for determination of the genetic diversity of some earthworm species belonging to the Pheretima species group in the Mekong Delta (Amynthas paraalexandri, A. juliani, Metaphire posthuma, M. bahli, M. peguana, M. houlleti, Metaphire sp.8, Polypheretima elongata and P. taprobanae). All three methods yielded compatible and reliable results which appropriately explained the genetic relationships between closely related species and those between taxa of high taxonomic levels (families, genera). Phylogenetic tree constructed on the basis of DNA barcode analysis was able to indicate clearly genetic divergence between Pheretima species belonging to acoecata and coecata. Metaphire sp.8 was demonstrated to be a closely related species with M. houlleti.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing on three determining methods of genetic diversity on earthworm species belonging to the Pheretima species group in the Mekong delta

Tùng

Dũng²,

Tu³

2012

V J Bio

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“…However, unfortunately we could not discover the population, which performed biparental sexual reproduction without parthenogenesis, at the basal position of our phylogenetic tree. The genetic distances between A. vittatus haplotypes were lower (0.00-0.13) than those of other species within the same genus (0.15-0.16 [Admassu et al, 2006]; 0.16-0.23 [Huang et al, 2007]; 0.15-0.244 [Chang et al, 2007]; 0.15-0.28 [Chang et al, 2008]; 0.16-0.22 [Novo et al, 2009]). Moreover, H1 haplotype individuals were found at sites 13 and 14 as well as sites 8-10 (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Recently, numerous molecular phylogenetic studies on earthworms have been conducted (Jamieson et al, 2002;Pop et al, 2003Pop et al, , 2007Heethoff et al, 2004;Pérez-Losada et al, 2005Chang et al, , 2007Chang et al, , 2008Chang et al, , 2009Admassu et al, 2006;Huang et al, 2007;King et al, 2008;Cameron et al, 2008;Minamiya et al, 2009;Richard et al, 2009;Novo et al, 2009Novo et al, , 2010Knott and Haimi, 2010). Many of these studies used the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene (Pop et al, 2003(Pop et al, , 2007Pérez-Losada et al, 2005Admassu et al, 2006;Chang et al, 2007Chang et al, , 2008Chang et al, , 2009Huang et al, 2007;King et al, 2008;Cameron et al, 2008;Minamiya et al, 2009;Rougerie et al, 2009;Novo et al, 2009Novo et al, , 2010Knott and Haimi, 2010) because of the ease of primer design and the range of phylogenetic signals and rapid evolutionary rate of this gene (Hebert et al, 2003). To clarify the phylogenetic relationships of A. vittatus with different degree of degraded reproductive organs, we examined the morphological variations, such as the possession rate of both the male and spermathecal pores in A. vittatus found in various locations in Sendai city around Mt.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability of sexual organ possession rates and phylogenetic analyses of a parthenogenetic Japanese earthworm, Amynthas vittatus (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae)

et al. 2011

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Although earthworms are hermaphroditic animals with biparental sexual reproduction, some parthenogenetic species have been found. Evolutionary trends in parthenogenetic earthworms revealed a reduction in the reproductive organs. To clarify the phylogenetic relationships of parthenogenetic earthworms with different degree of degraded reproductive organs, we conducted a morphological analysis of the reproductive organs and molecular phylogenetic analyses of Amynthas vittatus which usually degraded a part of reproductive organs. Morphological analysis revealed that almost all individuals collected around Mt. Aobayama, Sendai city of northeastern Japan, possessed male pores, while individuals collected from areas located across Hirose River did not. Phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA sequences of 48 individuals representing 20 populations indicated that almost all individuals collected around Mt. Aobayama belonged to a different lineage from the other populations collected around Sendai, and that almost all individuals collected from across Japan belonged to the latter lineage. We suggest that the difference in the male pore possession rate was caused by histories of each population, but the A. vittatus population found on Mt. Aobayama belongs to a different lineage as compared to the other Japanese populations and not the primitive population. Thus, the parthenogenetic earthworm A. vittatus has undergone at least two morphological evolutionary processes.

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“…Previously in a single genus Pheretima sensu lato, this group currently contains more than 1,000 species in 14 genera James 2004;Blakemore 2010b). The pheretimoids are one of the most active fields of earthworm diversity research (Chang & Chen 2004James 2004James , 2005James , 2009Chang et al 2008Chang et al , 2014Tsai et al 2009Tsai et al , 2010Blakemore 2010a, b;Hong & James 2011Shen et al 2013Shen et al , 2014, with four new genera described in the last decade. Species from five genera, Amynthas, Metaphire, Pheretima, Pithemera and Polypheretima, have been reported as invasive in temperate and tropical regions worldwide Easton 1981;Gates 1982;Chang et al 2009a;.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asian pheretimoid earthworms in North America north of Mexico: An illustrated key to the genera Amynthas, Metaphire, Pithemera, and Polypheretima (Clitellata: Megascolecidae)

Chang

Snyder

Szlávecz

2016

Zootaxa

593

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The invasion of the pheretimoid earthworms in North America, especially the genera Amynthas and Metaphire, has raised increasing concerns among ecologists and land managers, in turn increasing the need for proper identification. However, the commonly used keys to this group are more than 30 years old with outdated taxonomic information and are based primarily on internal morphology. The requirement of significant amount of taxonomic expertise and dissection, even from the first entry of the key, has prevented broader use of these keys. As a result, many publications in the United States have used Amynthas spp. to represent the group without identifying the species. We present here a new key and diagnoses for the 16 pheretimoid earthworm species recorded in North America north of Mexico, including four genera: Amynthas (10), Metaphire (4), Pithemera (1), and Polypheretima (1). The descriptions were based on published records with modifications following inspection of specimens archived at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Photos of external and internal characters, including male pores, spermathecal pores, genital markings, spermathecae, prostate glands, and intestinal caeca, are presented to help identification. A summary of current knowledge about the ecology and historical context is provided for each species. We also highlight the previously overlooked and potentially common and widespread co-occurrence of three species-A. agrestis, A. tokioensis, and M. hilgendorfi-and point out that many recent claims of invasion of A. agrestis need to be re-evaluated for potential misidentification.

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Molecular systematics and phylogeography of the gigantic earthworms of the Metaphire formosae species group (Clitellata, Megascolecidae)

Cited by 85 publications

References 38 publications

Testing on three determining methods of genetic diversity on earthworm species belonging to the Pheretima species group in the Mekong delta

Testing on three determining methods of genetic diversity on earthworm species belonging to the Pheretima species group in the Mekong delta

Variability of sexual organ possession rates and phylogenetic analyses of a parthenogenetic Japanese earthworm, Amynthas vittatus (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae)

Asian pheretimoid earthworms in North America north of Mexico: An illustrated key to the genera Amynthas, Metaphire, Pithemera, and Polypheretima (Clitellata: Megascolecidae)

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