Systematic revision of Gatesona (Crassiclitellata, Lumbricidae), an endemic earthworm genus from the Massif Central(France)

The Massif Central in France could potentially harbor numerous ancient endemic lineages owing to its long history of continuous geological stability. Several endemic earthworm species inhabit the area, with Allolobophora (Gatesona) chaetophora, Helodrilus (Acystodrilus) and Avelona ligra showing hints of a common evolutionary origin. However, the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of the species remain to be studied through integrative molecular and morphological methods. To this end, eight species including most of the known species and subspecies of All. (Gatesona), Helodrilus (Acystodrilus) musicus, and Avelona ligra were sequenced for a set of five molecular markers. The species were grouped on the basis of the molecular findings in a phylogenetic framework. All. (Gatesona) was included within the same clade as Helodrilus (Acystodrilus) and Avelona, separated from Allolobophora sensu stricto, supporting its status as a good genus. Branch lengths and average pairwise genetic distances suggested the subspecies of All. (Gatesona) chaetophora examined should be considered species-level taxa. Thus, a generic diagnosis for Gatesona stat. nov. is provided, along with redescriptions of Gatesona chaetophora comb. nov., Gatesona rutena comb. nov. stat. nov., Gatesona lablacherensis comb. nov. stat. nov. and Gatesona serninensis comb. nov. stat. nov. The study findings highlight the need for further sampling of earthworm diversity in the Massif Central (and Southern France), in addition to an increased focus on the Eastern European species of Helodrilus

Understanding the diversification and functional radiation of Aporrectodea (Crassiclitellata, Lumbricidae) through molecular phylogenetics of its endemic species

International audienceThe genus Aporrectodea includes some of the most conspicuous earthworm species, but its taxonomic history is among the most complex within the family Lumbricidae. Molecular phylogenetic studies have produced some advances by assigning former Aporrectodea species to other monophyletic clades and by detecting species level lineages within the cosmopolitan caliginosa-trapezoides complex. However, little attention has been devoted to endemic taxa of Aporrectodea such as Ap. rubra, Ap. arverna, Ap. gogna, Ap. balisa, Ap. velox, Ap. giardi voconca and Ap. longa ripicola. These earthworms (and additional populations of Ap. longa and Ap. nocturna) were included in a molecular phylogenetic framework in order to reconstruct the ancestral range of the genus, as well as to help understand its diversification within its native range and to perform a systematic revision. Species delimitation, ancestral area reconstruction and Bayesian inference of the phylogenetic relationships were performed using a large gene sequence (COI) dataset and a narrower dataset composed of 5 mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Phylogenetic position and species delimitation indicated that Ap. giardi voconca and Ap. longa ripicola constitute species-level entities not closely related to Ap. giardi or Ap. longa, and they were thus redescribed as Aporrectodea voconca stat. nov. and Aporrectodea ripicola stat. nov. Ancestral area reconstruction enabled location of the origin of Aporrectodea in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alps, in Southeastern France. The study findings provide some insight into the evolution of functional traits in this ecologically successful genus. Ap. rubra and Ap. arverna (small, reddish, epigeic/epianecic) and Ap. gogna (very large, dark, anecic) were recovered as the earliest branching taxa, suggesting a complex evolution of functional traits within this genus

Understanding the diversification and functional radiation of Aporrectodea (Crassiclitellata, Lumbricidae) through molecular phylogenetics of its endemic species

The genus Aporrectodea includes some of the most conspicuous earthworm species, but its taxonomic history is among the most complex within the family Lumbricidae. Molecular phylogenetic studies have produced some advances by assigning former Aporrectodea species to other monophyletic clades and by detecting species level lineages within the cosmopolitan caliginosa-trapezoides complex. However, little attention has been devoted to endemic taxa of Aporrectodea such as Ap. rubra, Ap. arverna, Ap. gogna, Ap. balisa, Ap. velox, Ap. giardi voconca and Ap. longa ripicola. These earthworms (and additional populations of Ap. longa and Ap. nocturna) were included in a molecular phylogenetic framework in order to reconstruct the ancestral range of the genus, as well as to help understand its diversification within its native range and to perform a systematic revision. Species delimitation, ancestral area reconstruction and Bayesian inference of the phylogenetic relationships were performed using a large gene sequence (COI) dataset and a narrower dataset composed of 5 mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Phylogenetic position and species delimitation indicated that Ap. giardi voconca and Ap. longa ripicola constitute species-level entities not closely related to Ap. giardi or Ap. longa, and they were thus redescribed as Aporrectodea voconca stat. nov. and Aporrectodea ripicola stat. nov. Ancestral area reconstruction enabled location of the origin of Aporrectodea in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alps, in Southeastern France. The study findings provide some insight into the evolution of functional traits in this ecologically successful genus. Ap. rubra and Ap. arverna (small, reddish, epigeic/epianecic) and Ap. gogna (very large, dark, anecic) were recovered as the earliest branching taxa, suggesting a complex evolution of functional traits within this genus.Xunta de Galicia .Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria. Secretaria Xeral de UniversidadesMInisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/Campus FranceMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)/Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasTRUEpu