3 research outputs found
Integrated Operational Taxonomic Units (IOTUs) in Echolocating Bats: A Bridge between Molecular and Traditional Taxonomy
Background: Nowadays, molecular techniques are widespread tools for the identification of biological entities. However,
until very few years ago, their application to taxonomy provoked intense debates between traditional and molecular
taxonomists. To prevent every kind of disagreement, it is essential to standardize taxonomic definitions. Along these lines,
we introduced the concept of Integrated Operational Taxonomic Unit (IOTU). IOTUs come from the concept of Operational
Taxonomic Unit (OTU) and paralleled the Molecular Operational Taxonomic Unit (MOTU). The latter is largely used as
a standard in many molecular-based works (even if not always explicitly formalized). However, while MOTUs are assigned
solely on molecular variation criteria, IOTUs are identified from patterns of molecular variation that are supported by at least
one more taxonomic characteristic.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We tested the use of IOTUs on the widest DNA barcoding dataset of Italian echolocating
bats species ever assembled (i.e. 31 species, 209 samples). We identified 31 molecular entities, 26 of which corresponded to
the morphologically assigned species, two MOTUs and three IOTUs. Interestingly, we found three IOTUs in Myotis nattereri,
one of which is a newly described lineage found only in central and southern Italy. In addition, we found a level of molecular
variability within four vespertilionid species deserving further analyses. According to our scheme two of them (i.e.
M. bechsteinii and Plecotus auritus) should be ranked as unconfirmed candidate species (UCS).
Conclusions/Significance: From a systematic point of view, IOTUs are more informative than the general concept of OTUs
and the more recent MOTUs. According to information content, IOTUs are closer to species, although it is important to
underline that IOTUs are not species. Overall, the use of a more precise panel of taxonomic entities increases the clarity in
the systematic field and has the potential to fill the gaps between modern and traditional taxonomy