Phylogeographic study of the West Australian freshwater mussel, Westralunio carteri, uncovers evolutionarily significant units that raise new conservation concerns

M.W. Klunzinger; M. Lopes-Lima; A. Gomes-dos-Santos; E. Froufe; A.J. Lymbery; L. Kirkendale

doi:10.1007/s10750-020-04200-6

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Phylogeographic study of the West Australian freshwater mussel, Westralunio carteri, uncovers evolutionarily significant units that raise new conservation concerns

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Phylogeographic study of the West Australian freshwater mussel, Westralunio carteri, uncovers evolutionarily significant units that raise new conservation concerns

M.W. Klunzinger, M. Lopes-Lima, A. Gomes-dos-Santos, E. Froufe, A.J. Lymbery and L. Kirkendale

Hydrobiologia, Vol.848, pp.2951-2964

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-020-04200-6

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Abstract

South-western Australia is isolated from other forested regions of Australia by desert and bounded on southern and western sides by the Southern and Indian Oceans, respectively, with Westralunio carteri (Iredale, 1934) as the sole endemic freshwater mussel. Its conservation status is vulnerable. This species has a history of nomenclatural change and its systematic placement and population genetic history are largely unknown. We sampled 46 individuals from 13 sites across W. carteri’s distribution and sequenced two mitochondrial genes (16S rDNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and one nuclear gene (28S rDNA). The mitochondrial haplotype networks and COI phylogenies revealed three evolutionarily significant units (ESUs): “W. carteri” I including the west coast populations, “W. carteri” II from the south and south-eastern range, and “W. carteri” III only occurring in the south-western tip of Australia. Four species delimitation methods identified two molecular operational taxonomic units supporting two distinct species (“W. carteri” I and “W. carteri” II + III). Phylogeographic patterns revealed herein confirm the historical separation of Western and Southern paleo-basins, also highlighting the isolation of the south-western extremity of the region. This underlines the need for taxonomic revision and will require a re-evaluation of W. carteri’s conservation status.

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Title: Phylogeographic study of the West Australian freshwater mussel, Westralunio carteri, uncovers evolutionarily significant units that raise new conservation concerns
Authors/Creators: M.W. Klunzinger (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
M. Lopes-Lima (Author/Creator)
A. Gomes-dos-Santos (Author/Creator) - Universidade do Porto
E. Froufe (Author/Creator) - Universidade do Porto
A.J. Lymbery (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
L. Kirkendale (Author/Creator) - Australian Museum
Publication Details: Hydrobiologia, Vol.848, pp.2951-2964
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
Identifiers: 991005541045607891
Copyright: © 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems; Harry Butler Institute
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.2 Marine Biology; 3.2.1002 Bivalve Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Marine & Freshwater Biology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science