Biodiversity of Australian Conchostraca - Phylogeography, taxonomy and phylogeny
Final Report Abstract
‘Large Branchiopoda’ are a characteristic element of the temporary habitats that are the most important form of aquatic habitats throughout Australia. However, very little is known about their diversity and evolutionary history. By employing an integrative approach to taxonomy it was possible to identify numerous species new to science and to greatly increase our understanding of the geographic distribution of these species. Especially the emphasis on reproductive isolation as the criterion to delimit species proved invaluable to accurately delimit species. Phylogeographic analyses revealed consistent patterns of population differentiation across most studied species. Little to no genetic differentiation coupled with high levels of genetic diversity were observed over large parts of central and eastern Australia. These patterns are in contrast to findings of other aquatic taxa in this area (here population differentiation is correlated to drainage system boundaries) and more similar to those of terrestrial taxa. However, in contrast to those, historic subdivisions potentially reflecting historic refugia are not as pronounced, suggesting more recent (or even on-going) dispersal and gene flow. This appears to be correlated to the movement and occurrence of migratory water birds, which are their most important dispersal vectors. Low level of genetic differentiation among populations may also be result of temporal dispersal effects of the resting egg bank. These could be highlighted by the pronounced year-to-year differences in the genetic composition of adult populations. By reducing drift within each single population the between population differentiation may be slowed down, an effect described so far for plants (with dormant seed banks). But this opposes the contemporary view on crustacean resting egg banks, which assumes increased levels of population differentiation due to buffering effects of the resting egg bank against dispersal and gene flow.
Publications
- (2011): An integrative approach to species delineation incorporating different species concepts: a case study of Limnadopsis (Branchiopoda: Spinicaudata). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 104: 575-599
Schwentner, M., Timms, B.V., Richter, S.
- (2012): A new genus and species of large limnadiid clam shrimp from Australia (Spinicaudata: Limnadiidae). Journal of Crustacean Biology 32(6): 981-990
Timms, B.V., Schwentner, M.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1163/1937240X-00002098) - (2012): Description of four new species of Limnadopsis from Australia (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Spinicaudata). Zootaxa 3315:42-64
Schwentner, M., Timms, B.V., Richter, S.
- (2012): Flying with the birds? Recent large-area dispersal of four Australian Limnadopsis species (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Spinicaudata). Ecology and Evolution 2(7):1605–1626
Schwentner, M., Timms, B.V., Richter, S.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.265) - (2013): Cyclestheria hislopi (Crustacea: Branchiopoda): a group of morphologically cryptic species with origins in the Cretaceous. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66: 80-810
Schwentner, M., Clavier S., Fritsch M., Olesen J., Padhye S., Timms, B.V., Richter, S.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.005) - (2014): Evolutionary systematics of the Australian Eocyzicus fauna (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Spinicaudata) reveals hidden diversity and phylogeographic structure. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 52: 15-31
Schwentner, M., Timms, B.V., Richter, S.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1111/jzs.12038) - Evolutionary systematics of the Australian Cyzicidae (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Spinicaudata) with the description of a new genus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 173, Issue 2, 1 February 2015, Pages 271–295
Schwentner, M., Just, F., Richter, S.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12209)
