Molecular Ecology (2011) 20, 1936–1951 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05065.x
Concerted genetic, morphological and ecological diversification in Nacella limpets in the Magellanic Province
C. A. GONZA´ LEZ-WEVAR,* T. NAKANO,† J. I. CAN˜ ETE‡ and E. POULIN* *Instituto de Ecologı´a y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecolo´gicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras # 3425, N˜ un˜oa, Santiago, Chile, †Department of Geology and Paleontology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan, ‡Departamento de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
Abstract Common inhabitants of Antarctic and Subantarctic rocky shores, the limpet genus Nacella, includes 15 nominal species distributed in different provinces of the Southern Ocean. The Magellanic Province represents the area with the highest diversity of the genus. Phylogenetic reconstructions showed an absence of reciprocal monophyly and high levels of genetic identity among nominal species in this Province and therefore imply a recent diversification in southern South America. Because most of these taxa coexist along their distribution range with clear differences in their habitat preferences, Nacella is a suitable model to explore diversification mechanisms in an area highly affected by recurrent Pleistocene continental ice cap advances and retreats. Here, we present genetic and morphological comparisons among sympatric Magellanic nominal species of Nacella. We amplified a fragment of the COI gene for 208 individuals belonging to seven sympatric nominal species and performed geometric morphometric analyses of their shells. We detected a complete congruence between genetic and morphological results, leading us to suggest four groups of Nacella among seven analysed nominal species. Congruently, each of these groups was related to different habitat preferences such as bathymetric range and substrate type. A plausible explanation for these results includes an ecologically based allopatric speciation process in Nacella. Major climatic changes during the Plio-Pleistocene glacial cycles may have enhanced differentiation processes. Finally, our results indicate that the systematics of the group requires a deep revision to re-evaluate the taxonomy of Nacella and to further understand the Pleistocene legacy of the glacial cycles in the southern tip of South America.
Keywords: adaptive radiation, ecological speciation, Nacella, Patagonia, Patellogastropoda, Southern Ocean Received 5 November 2010; revision received 27 January 2011; accepted 9 February 2011
2004, 2007). Typically, taxonomic studies in the group Introduction have been based on shell morphology and external True limpets of the order Patellogastropoda are the characters, but the high degree of variability and homo- basal group in the evolution of Gastropoda, as revealed plasy detected in form and coloration has led to taxo- by morphological and molecular studies (Ponder & nomic confusion (Ridgway et al., 1998; Sasaki 1999; Lindberg 1997; Lindberg 1998; Harasewych & McArthur Espoz et al. 2004; Nakano & Spencer 2007; Lindberg 2000; McArthur & Harasewych 2003; Nakano & Ozawa 2008). Recent molecular studies have greatly improved the systematics and taxonomy of Patellogastropoda at the levels of family, genus and species. Seven families, Correspondence: C. A. Gonza´lez-Wevar, Fax: 056 02 2727363; Lotiidae, Acmaeidae, Pectinodontidae, Patellidae, E-mail: [email protected] Lepetidae, Eoacmaeidae and Nacellidae, are currently