title: Coat of many colours-DNA reveals polymorphism of mantle patterns and colouration in CaribbeanCyphomaRöding, 1798 (Gastropoda, Ovulidae).
abstract: The iconic gastropod genusCyphomais commonly observed in the Caribbean, where it lives in association with various octocorallian hosts. Each species in the genusCyphomahas a unique, characteristic mantle pattern and colouration, which separates the valid taxa. Because of its abundance and recognisabilityCyphoma gibbosumhas been used as a model organism in several studies concerning allelochemicals, reef degradation, and physical defence mechanisms. Molecular analyses based on four molecular markers (COI, 16S, H3 and 28S) for threeCyphomaspecies (C. gibbosum,C. mcgintyi,C. signatum) and an unidentified black morph, collected from three localities in the Caribbean, show that they represent morphological varieties of a single, genetically homogeneous species. This outcome is in agreement with previous anatomical studies. As a resultC. mcgintyiandC. signatumare synonymised withC. gibbosum, which is a key result for future work usingC. gibbosumas a model organism. The striking morphological differences in mantle pattern and colouration are hypothesised to be the result of one of three possible scenarios: rapid divergence, supergenes (including balanced polymorphism), or incipient speciation.
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center , Leiden , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bastian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Reijnen
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Linacre College, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sancia E T
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: van der Meij
keywords: Gastropoda; Marine invertebrates; Molecular phylogeny; Octocorallia; Systematics; Taxonomy