Mitochondrial DNA reveals hidden diversity for tardigrades from across the Antarctic realm

Velasco Castrillón, Alejandro and McInnes, Sandra J. and Schultz, Mark and Arróniz Crespo, María and D'Haese, Cyrille A. and Gibson, John A. E. and Adams, Byron J. and Page, Timothy J. and Austin, Andrew D. and Cooper, Steven J. B. and Stevens, Mark I. (2015). Mitochondrial DNA reveals hidden diversity for tardigrades from across the Antarctic realm. "Invertebr Syst", v. 29 (n. 6); pp. 578-590. ISSN 1445-5226. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS14019.

Description

Title: Mitochondrial DNA reveals hidden diversity for tardigrades from across the Antarctic realm
Author/s:
  • Velasco Castrillón, Alejandro
  • McInnes, Sandra J.
  • Schultz, Mark
  • Arróniz Crespo, María
  • D'Haese, Cyrille A.
  • Gibson, John A. E.
  • Adams, Byron J.
  • Page, Timothy J.
  • Austin, Andrew D.
  • Cooper, Steven J. B.
  • Stevens, Mark I.
Item Type: Article
Título de Revista/Publicación: Invertebr Syst
Date: 2015
ISSN: 1445-5226
Volume: 29
Subjects:
Faculty: E.T.S.I. Agrónomos (UPM) [antigua denominación]
Department: Química y Tecnología de Alimentos
Creative Commons Licenses: Recognition - No derivative works - Non commercial

Full text

[thumbnail of INVE_MEM_2015_224830.pdf]
Preview
PDF - Requires a PDF viewer, such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Download (8MB) | Preview

Abstract

Antarctica contains some of the most challenging environmental conditions on the planet due to freezing temperatures, prolonged winters and lack of liquid water. Whereas 99.7% of Antarctica is permanently covered by ice and snow, some coastal areas and mountain ridges have remained ice-free and are able to sustain populations of microinvertebrates. Tardigrades are one of the more dominant groups of microfauna in soil and limno-terrestrial habitats, but little is known of their diversity and distribution across Antarctica. Here, we examine tardigrades sampled from across an extensive region of continental Antarctica, and analyse and compare their partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene sequences with those from the Antarctic Peninsula, maritime and sub-Antarctica, Tierra del Fuego and other worldwide locations in order to recognise operational taxonomic units (OTUs). From 439 new tardigrade COI sequences, we identified 98 unique haplotypes (85 from Antarctica) belonging to Acutuncus, Diphascon, Echiniscus, Macrobiotus, Milnesium and unidentified Parachela. Operational taxonomic units were delimited by Poisson tree processes and general mixed Yule coalescent methods, resulting in 58 and 55 putative species, respectively. Most tardigrades appear to be locally endemic (i.e. restricted to a single geographic region), but some (e.g. Acutuncus antarcticus (Richters, 1904)) are widespread across continental Antarctica. Our molecular results reveal: (i) greater diversity than has previously been appreciated with distinct OTUs that potentially represent undescribed species, and (ii) a lack of connectivity between most OTUs from continental Antarctica and those from other Antarctic geographical zones.

More information

Item ID: 40973
DC Identifier: https://oa.upm.es/40973/
OAI Identifier: oai:oa.upm.es:40973
DOI: 10.1071/IS14019
Official URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/120/paper/IS14019....
Deposited by: Memoria Investigacion
Deposited on: 16 Jun 2016 17:29
Last Modified: 16 Jun 2016 17:29
  • Logo InvestigaM (UPM)
  • Logo GEOUP4
  • Logo Open Access
  • Open Access
  • Logo Sherpa/Romeo
    Check whether the anglo-saxon journal in which you have published an article allows you to also publish it under open access.
  • Logo Dulcinea
    Check whether the spanish journal in which you have published an article allows you to also publish it under open access.
  • Logo de Recolecta
  • Logo del Observatorio I+D+i UPM
  • Logo de OpenCourseWare UPM