The Centipede Genus Scolopendra in Mainland Southeast Asia: Molecular Phylogenetics, Geometric Morphometrics and External Morphology as Tools for Species Delimitation

Abstract

Seven Scolopendra species from the Southeast Asian mainland delimited based on standard external morphological characters represent monophyletic groups in phylogenetic trees inferred from concatenated sequences of three gene fragments (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, 16S rRNA and 28S rRNA) using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Geometric morphometric description of shape variation in the cephalic plate, forcipular coxosternite, and tergite of the ultimate leg-bearing segment provides additional criteria for distinguishing species. Colouration patterns in some Scolopendra species show a high degree of fit to phylogenetic trees at the population level. The most densely sampled species, Scolopendra dehaani Brandt, 1840, has three subclades with allopatric distributions in mainland SE Asia. The molecular phylogeny of S. pinguis Pocock, 1891, indicated ontogenetic colour variation among its populations. The taxonomic validation of S. dawydoffi Kronmüller, 2012, S. japonica Koch, 1878, and S. dehaani Brandt, 1840, each a former subspecies of S. subspinipes Leach, 1814 sensu Lewis, 2010, as full species was supported by molecular information and additional morphological data. Species delimitation in these taxonomically challenging animals is facilitated by an integrative approach that draws on both morphology and molecular phylogeny.

Barcoding of Central European Cryptops centipedes reveals large interspecific distances with ghost lineages and new species records from Germany and Austria (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha)

“…There are only a handful of barcoding and phylogenetic studies applying molecular data of Scolopendromorpha worldwide (Murienne et al 2010; Simaiakis et al 2012; Vahtera et al 2012, 2013; Joshi and Edgecombe 2013; Oeyen et al 2014; Siriwut et al 2015). For Cryptops , there is only a singular molecular study utilizing barcoding genes and it deals with tropical pacific island species (Murienne et al 2011).…”

“…Barcoding studies inside the Scolopendromorpha consecutively revealed large interspecific distances (Simaiakis et al 2012; Joshi and Edgecombe 2013; Oeyen et al 2014; Siriwut et al 2015). The only study involving Cryptops (Murienne et al 2011) revealed exceptionally high intra- and interspecific distances, similar to the observations made in other Scolopendromorpha genera (see above), as well as in a recent study on German geophilomorph centipedes (Wesener et al 2015).…”

Genetic variation of COI gene of the Korean medicinal centipede Scolopendra mutilans Koch, 1878 (Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae)

“…The species and/or subspecies names given in the previous studies were used to avoid confusion with respect to taxonomic assignments in light of recently modified taxonomic statuses at the species level (e.g., Siriwut et al . versus Kang et al . ).…”

“…To confirm the morphospecies identification and to investigate haplotype diversity within Scolopendra mutilans, we performed analyses of the partial sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, which is referred to as the "DNA barcoding region" (Hebert et al 2003) and is useful for the identification of morphologically similar and cryptic species in the recent centipede taxonomic works (e.g., Kang et al 2017;Siriwut et al 2015;Vahtera et al 2013).…”

“…Therefore, it is important to reveal exact taxonomic status and to confirm genetic characterization for geographical populations in Scolopendra taxa as to unexamined Korean species of Scolopendra. DNA sequencing data including COI sequences have been accumulated for Scolopendra species, revealing phylogenetic relationships between species, boundaries between closely related species, and cryptic species diversity (e.g., Kang et al 2017;Murienne et al 2010;Siriwut et al 2015Siriwut et al , 2016Vahtera et al 2012Vahtera et al , 2013. Use of these data can be helpful to delimit exact taxonomic status on the unexamined Korean population.…”