02954nas a2200229 4500008004100000022001400041245018300055210006900238260001500307300001200322490000700334520216900341653001702510653001702527653002502544653001802569653002002587653002302607100001802630700002302648856005302671 2019 eng d a0300-325600aOn the importance of fine-scale sampling in detecting alpha taxonomic diversity among saproxylic invertebrates: A velvet worm (Onychophora: Opisthopatus amaxhosa) template0 aimportance of finescale sampling in detecting alpha taxonomic di c20/02/2019 a243-2620 v483 a

The phylogeography and social structure of the narrow endemic velvet worm species Opisthopatus amaxhosa were investigated by conducting fine‐scale sampling in its distribution range in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. In addition, and as part of larger grant on forest biodiversity, Opisthopatus specimens sampled at localities not included during a recent evaluation of the genus were included in a new phylogeny. A total of 89 specimens from 18 sample localities were collected at three forest patches for O. amaxhosa samples, while an additional six Opisthopatus sample localities were included. For O. amaxhosa, we sequenced the COI locus for all specimens, while a subset of specimens was sequenced for two nuclear loci, 18S rRNA and the fushi tarazu intron (FTz). Phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences of the latter species revealed the presence of two highly divergent clades, characterised by marked uncorrected sequence divergence values. In addition, these two clades did not share any maternal haplotypes, were characterised by high FST values and fixed nuclear difference for the 18S rRNA locus, while the FTz intron was genetically invariant. Furthermore, the application of scanning electron microscopy between the two genetically divergent clades also revealed the presence of fixed ventral and dorsal scale numbers. Collectively, this provides evidence for a novel species that is present at a fine scale. Divergence time estimations suggest that the two clades diverged during the late and early Pleistocene with climatic cycling potentially causal to the fragmentation. The social structure was male‐biased, and samples from the same logs were not always genetically identical. At the broader scale, the inclusion of new specimens within Opisthopatus revealed no novel lineages. Fine‐scale sampling appears more important to detect alpha taxonomic diversity compared to broadscale sampling.

 

10aconservation10afine‐scale10aforest fragmentation10anovel species10aphylogeographic10apopulation‐level1 aBarnes, Aaron1 aDaniels, Savel, R. uhttp://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/zsc.2019.48.issue-202811nas a2200229 4500008004100000022001400041245017900055210006900234260001500303300001200318490000700330520205500337653002602392653001202418653001802430653001302448653001602461100001802477700001602495700002302511856004702534 2020 eng d a1445-522600aSystematics of the Peripatopsis clavigera species complex (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) reveals cryptic cladogenic patterning, with the description of five new species0 aSystematics of the iPeripatopsis clavigerai species complex Onyc c14/08/2020 a569-5900 v343 a

During the present study, DNA sequence data, gross morphology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to examine cryptic species boundaries in the velvet worm, Peripatopsis clavigera species complex, from the southern Cape Afrotemperate forest belt in South Africa. Sequence data were generated for the mitochondrial COI and the nuclear 18S rRNA loci and phylogenetically analysed using both a Bayesian inference and a maximum-likelihood approach. Both the COI data and the combined DNA sequence topology (COI+18S) revealed the presence of five clades within the Peripatopsis clavigera species complex, and revealed that specimens from Tulbagh were distantly related and represented a sixth clade. The evolutionary distinction of the five clades was corroborated to varying degrees by the four species-delimitation methods (ABGD, PTP, GMYC and STACEY); however, both the gross morphological data and the SEM provided limited diagnostic differences between the five clades. Furthermore, the COI haplotype network and phylogeographic analyses provided evidence of genetic isolation between lineages that are currently syntopic. The distribution of genealogically exclusive and widespread maternal lineages was atypical among velvet worms and did not reflect the general trend of genetic and geographical isolation. Instead, lineages exhibited admixture among localities, a result most likely due to fluctuations in climatic conditions affecting the southern Cape Afrotemperate forest during the Pliocene–Pleistocene period as evident from our divergence time estimations. Four novel, narrow-range endemic species – P. ferox, sp. nov., P. mellaria, sp. nov., P. edenensis, sp. nov. and P. mira, sp. nov. – are described within the P. clavigera species complex, whereas the Tulbagh specimens are described as P. tulbaghensis, sp. nov. Collectively, these results demonstrate that Peripatopsis likely contains several undescribed species.

10aclimatic amelioration10aendemic10anovel species10asympatry10avelvet worm1 aBarnes, Aaron1 aReiss, Till1 aDaniels, Savel, R. uhttp://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=IS19071