title: Correlating molecular phylogeny with venom apparatus occurrence in Panamic auger snails (Terebridae).
abstract: Central to the discovery of neuroactive compounds produced by predatory marine snails of the superfamily Conoidea (cone snails, terebrids, and turrids) is identifying those species with a venom apparatus. Previous analyses of western Pacific terebrid specimens has shown that some Terebridae groups have secondarily lost their venom apparatus. In order to efficiently characterize terebrid toxins, it is essential to devise a key for identifying which species have a venom apparatus. The findings presented here integrate molecular phylogeny and the evolution of character traits to infer the presence or absence of the venom apparatus in the Terebridae. Using a combined dataset of 156 western and 33 eastern Pacific terebrid samples, a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on analyses of 16S, COI and 12S mitochondrial genes. The 33 eastern Pacific specimens analyzed represent four different species: Acus strigatus, Terebra argyosia, T. ornata, and T. cf. formosa. Anatomical analysis was congruent with molecular characters, confirming that species included in the clade Acus do not have a venom apparatus, while those in the clade Terebra do. Discovery of the association between terebrid molecular phylogeny and the occurrence of a venom apparatus provides a useful tool for effectively identifying the terebrid lineages that may be investigated for novel pharmacological active neurotoxins, enhancing conservation of this important resource, while providing supplementary information towards understanding terebrid evolutionary diversification.
authors.affiliation: The City University of New York-York College & CUNY Graduate Center, New York, New York, United States of America. mholford@york.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Mandë
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holford
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Puillandre
authors.forename: Maria Vittoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Modica
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.forename: Eldredge
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bermingham
authors.forename: Baldomero M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Olivera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D010802:Phylogeny; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000378:metabolism; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000378:metabolism; D012908:Snails / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014688:Venoms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C075526:RNA, ribosomal, 12S; D014688:Venoms