Molecular diversity and distribution of eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean dogfishes Squalus highlight taxonomic issues in the genus

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record.The alpha taxonomy of the globally distributed shark genus Squalus has been under intense investigation recently, and many new species have been described over the last decade. However, taxonomic uncertainty remains about several taxa. Without consistent nomenclature and the ability to reliably distinguish between the different Squalus species, basic data collection, downstream conservation and management efforts are seriously compromised. To aid in clarifying the taxonomic status of Squalus species in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, we assessed species diversity at the molecular level and evaluated the consistency in species identification in the region. Samples from all nominal Squalus species recognized in the above regions were collected in an international effort and sequenced for regions of the mitochondrial COI and ND2 genes. These data were further analysed alongside publicly available sequences, including 19 of the 26 Squalus species globally recognized, to compare the regional genus-level diversity with that found elsewhere. Our results confirm inconsistent species identification in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Squalus, particularly concerning S. blainville and S. megalops, and reinforce the need to revise the status of S. megalops and S. mitsukurii as they may include several distinct species distributed around the world. The status of S. blainville is also discussed in the light of the current findings and its problematic taxonomic history.Systematic Research Fund. Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Grant Number: SFRH/BPD/77487/2007. Social European Fund. Portuguese funds. New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Lt

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (July 2016)

This contribution forms part of a series of collective articles published regularly in Mediterranean Marine Science that report on new biodiversity records from the Mediterranean basin. The current article presents 51 geographically distinct records for 21 taxa belonging to 6 Phyla, extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine. The new records, per country, are as follows: Spain: the cryptogenic calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna is reported from a new location in the Alicante region. Algeria: the rare Atlanto-Mediterranean bivalve Cardium indicum is reported from Annaba. Tunisia: new distribution records for the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois miles from Zembra Island and Cape Bon. Italy: the ark clam Anadara transversa is reported from mussel cultures in the Gulf of Naples, while the amphipod Caprella scaura and the isopods Paracerceis sculpta and Paranthura japonica are reported as associated to the –also allochthonous–bryozoan Amathia verticillata in the Adriatic Sea; in the latter region, the cosmopolitan Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensisis also reported, a rare finding for the Mediterranean. Slovenia: a new record of the non-indigenous nudibranch Polycera hedgpethi in the Adriatic. Greece: several new reports of the introduced scleractinian Oculina patagonica, the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina, the blunthead puffer Sphoeroides pachygaster (all Atlantic), and the lionfish Pterois miles (Indo-Pacific) suggest their ongoing establishment in the Aegean Sea; the deepest bathymetric record of the invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea in the Mediterranean Sea is also registered in the Kyklades, at depths exceeding 70 m. Turkey: new distribution records for two non indigenous crustaceans, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Atlantic origin) and the moon crab Matuta victor (Indo-Pacific origin) from the Bay of Izmir and Antalya, respectively; in the latter region, the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali, is also reported. Lebanon: an array of records of 5 alien and one native Mediterranean species is reported by citizen-scientists; the Pacific jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata and the Indo-Pacific teleosteans Tylerius spinosissimus, Ostracion cubicus, and Lutjanus argentimaculatus are reported from the Lebanese coast, the latter notably being the second record for the species in the Mediterranean Sea since 1977; the native sand snake-eel Ophisurus serpens, rare in the eastern Mediterranean, is reported for the first time from Lebanon, this being its easternmost distribution range; finally, a substantial number of sightings of the lionfish Pterois miles further confirm the current establishment of this lessepsian species in the Levantine

The transcriptomic signature of different sexes in two protogynous hermaphrodites: Insights into the molecular network underlying sex phenotype in fish

Sex differentiation is a puzzling problem in fish due to the variety of reproductive systems and the flexibility of their sex determination mechanisms. The Sparidae, a teleost family, reflects this remarkable diversity of sexual mechanisms found in fish. Our aim was to capture the transcriptomic signature of different sexes in two protogynous hermaphrodite sparids, the common pandora Pagellus erythrinus and the red porgy Pagrus pagrus in order to shed light on the molecular network contributing to either the female or the male phenotype in these organisms. Through RNA sequencing, we investigated sex-specific differences in gene expression in both species’ brains and gonads. The analysis revealed common male and female specific genes/pathways between these protogynous fish. Whereas limited sex differences found in the brain indicate a sexually plastic tissue, in contrast, the great amount of sex-biased genes observed in gonads reflects the functional divergence of the transformed tissue to either its male or female character. Α common “crew” of well-known molecular players is acting to preserve either sex identity of the gonad in these fish. Lastly, this study lays the ground for a deeper understanding of the complex process of sex differentiation in two species with an evolutionary significant reproductive system

Molecular diversity and distribution of eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean dogfishes Squalus highlight taxonomic issues in the genus

The alpha taxonomy of the globally distributed shark genus Squalus has been under intense investigation recently, and many new species have been described over the last decade. However, taxonomic uncertainty remains about several taxa. Without consistent nomenclature and the ability to reliably distinguish between the different Squalus species, basic data collection, downstream conservation and management efforts are seriously compromised. To aid in clarifying the taxonomic status of Squalus species in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, we assessed species diversity at the molecular level and evaluated the consistency in species identification in the region. Samples from all nominal Squalus species recognized in the above regions were collected in an international effort and sequenced for regions of the mitochondrial COI and ND2 genes. These data were further analysed alongside publicly available sequences, including 19 of the 26 Squalus species globally recognized, to compare the regional genus-level diversity with that found elsewhere. Our results confirm inconsistent species identification in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Squalus, particularly concerning S.blainville and S.megalops, and reinforce the need to revise the status of S.megalops and S.mitsukurii as they may include several distinct species distributed around the world. The status of S.blainville is also discussed in the light of the current findings and its problematic taxonomic history

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (December 2012)

This paper presents records extending or confirming the distribution of Mediterranean species. Three alien algae are included, namely Codium taylorii reported for the first time from the Aegean and Turkey (Izmir Gulf), Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea (Karpathos and Chalki Isl., Aegean Sea) and Ganonema farinosum (Karpathos Isl., Aegean Sea). As far as animals are concerned, Litarachna divergens (Acari: Hydrachnidia) was recorded (Side, Eastern Mediterranean) and represents a new amendment at genus level for Turkish fauna. Other invertebrates include alien species such as the crabs Dyspanopeus sayi (Lago Fusaro, SW Italy), Percnon gibbesi (Larnaca, Cyprus; Karpathos and Chalki Isl., Aegean Sea) and Callinectes sapidus (Voda estuary, NW Greece), the nudibranch Aplysia dactylomela (Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro), the gastropod Conomurex persicus (Karpathos and Chalki Isl., Aegean Sea) and the bryozoan Electra tenella (Livorno harbour and Messina Straits area). The alien fish Siganus luridus, Siganus rivulatus, Fistularia commersonii, Sphyraena chrysotaenia and Sargocentron rubrum are also reported from the islands of Karpathos and Chalki, and Pteragogus pelycus from Heraklion Bay, Crete. In addition, new localities for four rare Mediterranean inhabitants are given: the cephalopod Thysanoteuthis rhombus (NW Sardinia) and the fish: Lampris guttatus (Calabria, S Italy), Petromyzon marinus (Gokova Bay) and Remora australis (Saronikos Gulf), while the opisthobranch gastropod Cerberilla bernadettae is reported for the first time from the E Mediterranean (Cyprus). Finally, three species of the Aegean ascidiofauna are recorded for the first time: Lissoclinum perforatum, Ciona roulei and Ecteinascidia turbinata. Furthermore, it was established that Phallusia nigra has extended its distributional range to the north of the Aegean Sea