A DNA barcode library for the water mites of Montenegro

Abstract

Water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) are a significant component of freshwater ecosystems inhabiting a wide range of aquatic habitats. This study provides a first comprehensive DNA barcode library for the water mites of Montenegro. DNA barcodes were analysed from 233 specimens of water mites morphologically assigned to 86 species from 28 genera and 15 families. In the course of the study, four species, i.e. Lebertia reticulata (Koenike, 1919), Atractides inflatipalpis K.Viets, 1950, A. latipes (Szalay, 1935) and Parabrachypoda montii (Maglio, 1924) were molecularly confirmed as new for Montenegro and three species, i.e. Protzia octopora Lundblad, 1954, Piona laminata (Thor, 1901) and Unionicola ypsilophora (Bonz, 1783) are new for the Balkan Peninsula. Results are analysed using the Barcode Index Number system (BIN) and the Refined Single Linkage (RESL) of BOLD. The BIN assigned sequences to 98 clusters, while the RESL reveal 103 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Unique BINs were revealed for 72 species (83.7%), whereas twelve species (14%) were characterised by two BINs and two species (2.3%) with three BINs. Amongst the studied taxa, 14 species were found with a high intraspecific sequence divergences (˃ 2.2%), emphasising the need for additional comprehensive morphological and molecu­lar analysis of these species.

New records of water mites from the Balkans revealed by DNA barcoding (Acari, Hydrachnidia)

“…The latter site represents also the southernmost distribution range of W. lacustris. The latter species was originally described from Biogradsko Lake (Pešić and Smit 2018) and recently collected in the outflow of the Mareza spring in Montenegro (Pešić et al 2021b).…”

“…However this number does not give the whole picture because most barcode records are private. Based on available data, the most investigated country is Montenegro, particularly the Skadar Lake basin (Pešić et al 2021b). Recently, in the framework of the "DNA-Eco" project, Pešić et al (2021b) formed a DNA barcode library for water mite species present in Montenegro.…”

“…Based on available data, the most investigated country is Montenegro, particularly the Skadar Lake basin (Pešić et al 2021b). Recently, in the framework of the "DNA-Eco" project, Pešić et al (2021b) formed a DNA barcode library for water mite species present in Montenegro. This library includes a reference library of DNA barcodes for 322 specimens of water mites belonging to 98 morphologically identified species (53% of Montenegrin fauna) and represents a solid basis for further DNA based biodiversity research of water mites in Montenegro and the Balkans (Pešić et al 2021b).…”

Complete mitochondrial genome of Hygrobates turcicus Pešić, Esen & Dabert, 2017 (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatoidea)

“…To participate in this effort, we have undertaken the sequencing of the complete mitogenome of Hygrobates turcicus Pešić, Esen & Dabert, 2017, a species belonging to genera extensively studied by DNA-barcoding 2 – 6 , 9 , 10 . We compared the characteristics of this mitogenome with those of Hygrobates longiporus Thor, 1898 and Hygrobates taniguchii Imamura, 1954, and used the data to perform a multigene phylogeny.…”

“…One of the ways to achieve this is to sequence complete mitochondrial genomes. There is an important, rapidly growing literature dedicated to the sequencing of complete mitogenomes, but despite this, up to now only 12 mitogenomes of Hydrachnidia have been made available and published [19][20][21][22][23] .To participate in this effort, we have undertaken the sequencing of the complete mitogenome of Hygrobates turcicus Pešić, Esen & Dabert, 2017, a species belonging to genera extensively studied by DNA-barcoding [2][3][4][5][6]9,10 .…”