Phylogeny, phylogeography, and evolution in the Mediterranean region: News from a freshwater mussel (Potomida, Unionida).
The Potomida genus (Bivalvia, Unionida) has a Circum-Mediterranean distribution and like other freshwater mussel species, its populations have suffered dramatic declines. Although this genus is currently considered as monotypic, it has a long history of taxonomic revisions and presently many aspects of its systematics and evolutionary history are unclear. We sampled a total of 323 individuals from 39 different sites across the Potomida genus distribution, and sequenced two mitochondrial (16S rDNA and Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I) and one nuclear (28S rDNA) genes to clarify its phylogeny and phylogeographic history. Our results show that the genus includes two well-supported clades, one comprising solely the western Mediterranean species Potomida littoralis, and the other including two eastern Mediterranean species, the Greek endemic P. acarnanica and the Anatolian and Middle Eastern P. semirugata. We suggest that Potomida started radiating during the upper Miocene, and that both vicariance and dispersal events shaped the diversification and distribution of the genus along the Mediterranean region. P. littoralis is further divided in two mitochondrial lineages, one restricted to Europe and the other occurring mostly in North Africa. Moreover, some European basins present both lineages in sympatry. The conservation status of the three recognized species should be reevaluated, particularly P. acarnanica, since it is restricted to two Greek river basins presenting a high risk of extinction. Overall, our results clarify some important gaps in knowledge concerning the phylogeny, phylogeography and evolution of the Potomida genus in the Mediterranean region with important taxonomical, ecological and conservational implications.
CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: elsafroufe@gmail.com.
Elsa
E
Froufe
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution, ISyEB (UMR 7205 CNRS/UPMC/MNHN/EPHE), 43, Rue Cuvier, 75231 Paris, France.
Vincent
V
Prié
cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, and University of Azores, Department of Biology, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal.
João
J
Faria
Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Marrakech, Université Cadi Ayyad, Faculté des Sciences, Semlalia, B.P. 2390 Marrakech, Morocco.
Mohamed
M
Ghamizi
CIBIO/InBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, R. Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain.
Duarte V
DV
Gonçalves
Süleyman Demirel University, Water Institute, Isparta, Turkey.
Mustafa Emre
ME
Gürlek
Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), 46.7 km Athens-Sounio Av., Anavissos 19013, Greece.
Ioannis
I
Karaouzas
Biology Department of Art and Science Faculty, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey.
Ümit
Ü
Kebapçi
Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology, İskenderun Technical University, 31200 Iskenderun, Hatay, Turkey.
Hülya
H
Şereflişan
CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
Carina
C
Sobral
CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal; CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
Ronaldo
R
Sousa
CIMO-ESA-IPB - Mountain Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5301-854 Bragança, Portugal.
Amílcar
A
Teixeira
CITAB-UTAD - Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Forestry Department, Apartado 1013, 5001-811 Vila Real, Portugal.
Simone
S
Varandas
Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), 46.7 km Athens-Sounio Av., Anavissos 19013, Greece.
Stamatis
S
Zogaris
CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
Manuel
M
Lopes-Lima
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005618:Fresh Water; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
Conservation; Diversity; Freshwater mollusks; Refugia; Unionida