Evolutionary lineages of marine snails identified using molecular phylogenetics and geometric morphometric analysis of shells

Publication date: Available online 15 June 2018Source: Molecular Phylogenetics and EvolutionAuthor(s): Felix Vaux, Steven A. Trewick, James S. Crampton, Bruce A. Marshall, Alan G. Beu, Simon F.K. Hills, Mary Morgan-RichardsAbstractThe relationship between morphology and inheritance is of perennial interest in evolutionary biology and palaeontology. Using three marine snail genera Penion, Antarctoneptunea and Kelletia, we investigate whether systematics based on shell morphology accurately reflect evolutionary lineages indicated by molecular phylogenetics. Members of these gastropod genera have been a taxonomic challenge due to substantial variation in shell morphology, conservative radular and soft tissue morphology, few known ecological differences, and geographical overlap between numerous species. Sampling all sixteen putative taxa identified across the three genera, we infer mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal DNA phylogenetic relationships within the group, and compare this to variation in adult shell shape and size. Results of phylogenetic analysis indicate that each genus is monophyletic, although the status of some phylogenetically derived and likely more recently evolved taxa within Penion is uncertain. The recently described species P. lineatus is supported by genetic evidence. Morphology, captured using geometric morphometric analysis, distinguishes the genera and matches the molecular phylogeny, although using the same dataset, species and phylogenetic subclades a...
Source: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research