Range‐wide phylogeography and taxonomy of the marine rock pools dwellerTigriopus fulvus(Fischer, 1860) (Copepoda, Harpacticoida)

Abstract

In the light of the wide distribution and ecological importance of the genus Tigriopus in coastal rock pool habitats, and of its frequent use in aquaculture and as a model organism, we investigated the identity of the Atlantic–Mediterranean Tigriopus populations and elucidated their taxonomy and patterns of morphological and genetic diversity. In order to reach these goals, an “integrative taxonomy” multisource approach was implemented. First, we investigated the constancy and taxonomical value of the morphological characters currently used to distinguish among the Tigriopus species occurring in the Mediterranean and in Eastern Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer, and checked the actual morphological differences possibly present among topotypical samples of Tigriopus fulvus fulvus (Fischer, 1860) and its two subspecies Tigriopus fulvus adriaticus Van Douwe, 1913 and Tigriopus fulvus algiricus Monard, 1935. Then, we sequenced fragments of mitochondrial (12S) and nuclear (28S) genes. In the frame of this study, different “DNA taxonomy” approaches were implemented in order to check whether the subspecies of Tigriopus fulvus were actually lineages evolving independently, that is, valid species according to the “evolutionary genetic species concept.” The results coherently indicate the presence of a single species, characterized by constant morphology and a noteworthy geographically based genetic structure in the whole study area. No morphological or genetic support was found for the taxa of allegedly subspecific rank within T. fulvus, which are thus to be considered junior synonyms of T. fulvus s.s. Finally, a restricted locus typicus is established for T. fulvus, and a neotype is designated.

Morphological and molecular diversity patterns of the genus Tropodiaptomus Kiefer, 1932 (Copepoda, Calanoida, Diaptomidae) in Thailand

“…Fragments of the mitochondrial marker 12S rRNA and of the nuclear gene Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) were amplified in the 62 specimens using the primer pairs and conditions described by Vecchioni et al 26 and White et al 27 , respectively. In addition, a fragment of the nuclear gene 28S rRNA was amplified following the protocol described in Vecchioni et al 26 .…”

“…Fragments of the mitochondrial marker 12S rRNA and of the nuclear gene Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) were amplified in the 62 specimens using the primer pairs and conditions described by Vecchioni et al 26 and White et al 27 , respectively. In addition, a fragment of the nuclear gene 28S rRNA was amplified following the protocol described in Vecchioni et al 26 . However, due to its conservative nature, the 28S rRNA was amplified only in a subset of specimens selected from the major clades obtained based on the “12S-ITS2 dataset” (see below).…”

The Inland Water Copepod Fauna of a Traditional Rural Landscape in a Mediterranean Island (Crustacea, Copepoda)

“…Water 2022, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 24 calanoids have been sufficiently investigated, with special reference to the families Diaptomidae (e.g., [5][6][7][8][9][10]) and Pseudodiaptomidae [11]. Conversely, the cyclopoid and harpacticoid copepods inhabiting the surface inland waters of Sicily have been to date the object of few dedicated studies (e.g., [12][13][14][15]), and most of the available records are occasionally included in papers dealing with other topics (e.g., [5,[16][17][18]).…”

A century of research on micro-organisms from the inland waters of the largest Mediterranean island

“…However, the picture was far from exhaustive as demonstrated by the numerous new records of microcrustaceans (calanoid, cyclopoid, and harpacticoid copepods, cladocerans and ostracods) obtained in the new century through an intensified sampling activity in Sicilian groundwaters (e.g., Cottarelli et al, 2012;Bruno et al, 2018), and in some hundreds of temporary ponds (e.g., Marrone, 2003Marrone, , 2006Naselli-Flores, 2004, 2005;Marrone and Vecchioni, 2020;2006a, b, 2020Castelli et al, 2006;Pieri et al, 2006Pieri et al, , 2020Vecchioni et al, 2019aVecchioni et al, , 2021aMarchese et al 2022). These studies have contributed to increasing knowledge of the biodiversity of Sicilian inland waters, making the island one of the best-studied territories in the Mediterranean Basin.…”