Citizen Science Reveals Unexpected Continental-Scale Evolutionary Change in a Model Organism

Organisms provide some of the most sensitive indicators of climate change and evolutionary responses are becoming apparent in species with short generation times. Large datasets on genetic polymorphism that can provide an historical benchmark against which to test for recent evolutionary responses are very rare, but an exception is found in the brown-lipped banded snail (Cepaea nemoralis). This species is sensitive to its thermal environment and exhibits several polymorphisms of shell colour and banding pattern affecting shell albedo in the majority of populations within its native range in Europe. We tested for evolutionary changes in shell albedo that might have been driven by the warming of the climate in Europe over the last half century by compiling an historical dataset for 6,515 native populations of C. nemoralis and comparing this with new data on nearly 3,000 populations. The new data were sampled mainly in 2009 through the Evolution MegaLab, a citizen science project that engaged thousands of volunteers in 15 countries throughout Europe in the biggest such exercise ever undertaken. A known geographic cline in the frequency of the colour phenotype with the highest albedo (yellow) was shown to have persisted and a difference in colour frequency between woodland and more open habitats was confirmed, but there was no general increase in the frequency of yellow shells. This may have been because snails adapted to a warming climate through behavioural thermoregulation. By contrast, we detected an unexpected decrease in the frequency of Unbanded shells and an increase in the Mid-banded morph. Neither of these evolutionary changes appears to be a direct response to climate change, indicating that the influence of other selective agents, possibly related to changing predation pressure and habitat change with effects on micro-climate

Genetic differentiation between cave and surface-dwelling populations of <it>Garra barreimiae </it>(Cyprinidae) in Oman

Abstract Background Phenotypic similarities among cave-dwelling animals displaying troglomorphic characters (e.g. reduced eyes and lack of pigmentation) have induced a long-term discussion about the forces driving convergent evolution. Here we introduce Garra barreimiae Fowler & Steinitz, 1956, as an interesting system to study the evolution of troglomorphic characters. The only hitherto known troglomorphic population of this species lives in Al Hoota Cave (Sultanate of Oman) close to a surface population. As a first approach, we assessed the genetic differentiation between the two morphotypes of G. barreimiae to determine whether gene flow still occurs. Results We analysed the mitochondrial control region (CR). In G. barreimiae the CR starts immediately downstream of the tRNA-Thr gene, while the tRNA-Pro gene is missing at this genomic location. Interestingly, a putative tRNA-Pro sequence is found within the CR. The phylogenetic analyses of the CR sequences yielded a tree divided into three clades: Clade 1 has a high genetic distance to the other clades and contains the individuals of three populations which are separated by a watershed from all the others. Clade 2 comprises the individuals from Wadi Bani Khalid, the geographically most remote population. Clade 3 comprises all other populations investigated including that of Al Hoota Cave. The latter forms a haplogroup which also includes individuals from the adjacent surface population. Conclusions Our data indicates that the troglomorphic cave population is of quite recent origin supporting the hypothesis that selection drives the fast evolution of troglomorphic traits. In this context pleiotropic effects might play an important role as it has been shown for Astyanax. There seems to be some gene flow from the cave population into the adjacent surface populations. One blind individual, found at a surface locality geographically distinct from Al Hoota Cave, is genetically differentiated from the other blind specimens indicating the probable existence of another cave population of G. barreimiae. The phylogeographic analyses show that while some of the surface populations are either still in contact or have been until recently, the population Wadi Bani Khalid is genetically separated. One group consisting of three populations is genetically highly differentiated questioning the conspecifity with G. barreimiae.</p

Habitat requirements of the pulmonate land snails Trochulus oreinos oreinos and <i>Cylindrus obtusus</i> endemic to the Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria. eco.mont (Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research)|eco.mont Vol. 2 No. 2 2 2|

The habitat needs and potential threats to Trochulus oreinos oreinos (Wagner 1915) and Cylindrus obtusus (Draparnaud 1805) were assessed by comparing vegetation maps and our own records. We selected four sites from which we had adequate samples and for which exact vegetation maps were available: the mountains Hochschwab, Schneealpe, Rax and Schneeberg. Both taxa prefer open dry alpine grassland with diggable soil and/or stones. T. oreinos oreinos is restricted to subalpine and alpine boulder societies and Caricetum firmae. While C. obtusus dwells on several communities of plants, it seems to be bound to unconsolidated stony ground. As both taxa prefer naturally forest-free areas, they are not affected by structural changes of the habitat, such as reforestation caused by the abandonment of grazing and the shift of vegetation zones. But it has to be considered that T. oreinos oreinos and C. obtusus are limited by microclimatic factors, as they prefer cooler habitats. The mountains Schneealpe, Rax and Schneeberg, reaching barely 2 000 m in height, are on the climatic limit of the species distribution. Therefore, the investigated taxa are vulnerable to the upward shift of climate zones. T. oreinos oreinos shows striking similarities in its habitat preference to the Swiss endemic T. biconicus, as both taxa prefer the same dry alpine habitats which are quite different to those of other representatives of the genus, which prefer damp habitats

アルブレヒト・フォン・ローレツが日本で採集した動物標本のリスト : ウィーン自然史博物館のカタログ調査から

オーストリア出身のお雇い外国人教師Dr.Albrecht von Roretzは,1874年から1882年まで日本に滞在した。その間に彼が折にふれて日本各地から精力的に採集した動物標本は当時のウィーン王室博物館に送られ,一部は分類学的研究に供せられた。この標本群(ローレツコレクション)は現在,ウィーン自然史博物館に引き継がれている。その全容解明のために,おもに当時の受け入れカタログに基づいて標本リストを作成した。その結果,海綿動物から哺乳類にわたるさまざまの動物群の標本が,計約360種,1450個体以上含まれることがわかった。学名の基礎となる担名タイプ標本は,紐形動物,環形動物多毛類,ユムシ動物,節足動物蛛形類・昆虫類・多足類・鰓尾類,棘皮動物ナマコ類,および脊索動物ホヤ類の各動物群の標本中に見出された。We compiled an inclusive list of Dr.Albrecht von Roretz's collection of Japanese animals made during his period of stay (1874-1882) and now deposited in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien mainly on the basis of catalogue information. The list shows that the collection consists of more than 1,450 individuals, ranging from sponges to mammals, classified into about 360 species. Included in the collection are many name-bearing types of nemerteans, polychaetes, echiurans, insects, myriapods, arachnids, branchiurans, holothurians, and ascidians.国立情報学研究所で電子化したコンテンツを使用している

DNA barcoding for species delimitation of the freshwater leech genus Glossiphonia from the Western Balkan (Hirudinea, Glossiphoniidae)

Glossiphoniid leeches are a diverse group and sometimes abundant elements of the aquatic fauna inhabiting various types of freshwater habitats. In this study, we sampled leeches of the genus Glossiphonia from the Western Balkan in order to test the suitability of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) marker sequence for species delimitation. Morphological analysis revealed the presence of four taxa, G. complanata with two subspecies, G. c. complanata and G. c. maculosa, the latter an endemic of Ohrid Lake, G. nebulosa and endemic G. balcanica. In total, 29 new barcodes of Glossiphonia were sequenced in the course of this study and compared with the available molecular dataset of the latter genus from GenBank/BOLD databases. The applied ASAP distance-based species delimitation method for the analysed dataset revealed an interspecific threshold between 4-8% K2P distance as suitable for species identification purposes of the Western Balkan Glossiphonia species. Our study revealed that morphologically identified taxa as G. nebulosa and G. concolor each consists of more than one clearly different phylogenetic clade. This study contributes to a better knowledge of the taxonomy of glossiphoniid leeches and emphasises future work on the revision of this genus using a standard molecular COI marker in species identification

The New Kingdom Population on Sai Island: Application of Sr Isotopes to Investigate Cultural Entanglement in Ancient Nubia

Sr isotopes were applied to identify possible allochthony of skeletal remains retrieved from Tomb 26 of the pharaonic cemetery SAC5 on Sai Island (Nubia). Tooth enamel of nine individuals, including the Overseer of Goldsmiths Khummose and his presumed ‘wife’, dating from the New Kingdom, were investigated to gain information whether these individuals were first generation immigrants from Egypt (= allochthonous) or members of the local population inhabiting the area of Sai Island (= autochthonous). The interpretation of supposed allochthony and autochthony was based on the comparison of the Sr of human enamel to an assumed autochthonous Sr isotopic composition. The autochthonous Sr signal on Sai Island during the New Kingdom was derived from archaeological animal samples (rodent, sheep/goat, dog and local mollusc shells dating from the New Kingdom) in combination with local environmental samples (paleo sediments dating from the New Kingdom and literature Sr isotope value of Nile River water for the New Kingdom era). As the Sr values in enamel of all individuals investigated lay within the determined autochthonous Sr range on Sai Island during the New Kingdom, all individuals were classified as supposed members of the local population on Sai Island. Elevated Sr, V, Mn and U mass fractions indicated a high degree of post-mortem alterations of human primary dentine. Hence, a mathematical approach was tested in order to correct the Sr isotope ratios in human primary dentine for diagenetic alteration considering a diagenetic Sr proportion and the Sr isotopic composition of the repository material. The rich funerary equipment associated with the burials in Tomb 26 allowed a dating of the family members of Khnummose and illustrated that they belonged to the Egyptian elite on Sai Island as far as their cultural identity is concerned. In combination with the Sr isotopic analysis, Tomb 26 provided fresh information on the complex coexistence and biological and cultural entanglement of Egyptians and Nubians on Sai Island during the New Kingdom