Increasing the number of molecular markers resolves the phylogenetic relationship of ‘Cepaea ’ vindobonensis (Pfeiffer 1828) with Caucasotachea Boettger 1909 (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Helicidae)

Abstract

‘Cepaea’ vindobonensis has been shown to be closely related to Caucasotachea in recent molecular studies. The phylogenetic relationships within this clade and especially the phylogenetic position of ‘Cepaea’ vindobonensis were, however, not well resolved. Our phylogenetic analyses on the basis of an increased number of molecular genetic loci from the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes unambiguously demonstrate that ‘Cepaea’ vindobonensis represents the sister group of the Caucasotachea taxa, with C. leucoranea from the Caspian region of Azerbaijan and Iran being the sister species of the remaining Caucasian and eastern Pontic Caucasotachea species. We argue for the inclusion of ‘Cepaea’ vindobonensis in Caucasotachea rather than for a re‐erection of a monotypic genus Austrotachea for the species because of the overall low degree of morphological differentiation and the low number of species in the group.

Reconstructed historical distribution and phylogeography unravels non-steppic origin of Caucasotachea vindobonensis (Gastropoda: Helicidae)

“…This point of view has now completely changed because molecular phylogenetic evidence has rejected the monophyly of former Cepaea (Neiber and Hausdorf 2015), instead placing C. vindobonensis into Caucasotachea. As all other members of Caucasotachea are distributed in the Caucasian mountains and along the coasts of the eastern Black Sea and western Caspian Sea (Neiber and Hausdorf 2015; Neiber et al 2016), it is likely that the group originated in that region. Oldest (Middle Miocene) fossil records conchologically resembling modern C. vindobonensis are from Crimea (Egorov, unpublished data), which provide further support for this assumption.…”

“…Based on the distribution and local frequency, the snail is believed to be a predominantly central-eastern European species (Ložek 1964). Although it was long classified within the genus Cepaea Held, 1838 (Kerney et al 1983), recent molecular evidence has shown that the species should better be placed in the genus Caucasotachea (Neiber and Hausdorf 2015; Neiber et al 2016). As all other Caucasotachea species are distributed around the Caucasus and Mt.…”

“…As all other Caucasotachea species are distributed around the Caucasus and Mt. Elbourz (Neubert and Bank 2006; Welter-Schultes 2012), this implies a Caucasian origin of the genus (Neiber and Hausdorf 2015; Neiber et al 2016).…”

The genetic structure of populations of specially protected mollusk Cepaea vindobonensis (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Pulmonata) in a north-eastern part of the modern area

“…Наши исследования в основном проводились на южном макросклоне Среднерусской возвышен-ности (Белгородская и Харьковская области), где проходит северо-восточная граница естественного ареала этого вида. На данной территории улитки оби-тают в реликтовых сообществах доледникового и послеледникового перио-дов, таких как меловые боры и нагорные дубравы, а также они встречаются 1 В ряде работ по молекулярной таксономии данный вид относят к роду Caucasotachea [16,17]. …”

Unparalleled disjunction or unexpected relationships? Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of Melanopsidae (Caenogastropoda: Cerithioidea), with the description of a new family and a new genus from the ancient continent Zealandia

“…Additionally, partial sequences of the nuclear ribosomal RNA‐coding cluster were amplified: (i) a fragment of the 5′ end of the 18S rRNA gene and (ii) a fragment spanning the 3′ end of the 18S rRNA gene, the complete internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), the complete 5.8S rRNA gene, the complete ITS2 and the 5′ end of the 28S rRNA gene. The first fragment was amplified using the primer pair SWAM_18SF and SWAM_18SR (Attwood et al., ) and the second fragment was assembled from overlapping fragments that were amplified using the primer pairs 18S2093 (Neiber et al., ) plus 5.8S_MNR1 (this study), LSU1 plus LSU3 (Wade and Mordan, ), LSU 2 plus LSU4 (Wade and Mordan, ), 28S_2F plus 28S_1145R (Uit de Weerd, ) and 28S_1128F plus 28S_2119R (Uit de Weerd, ), respectively. For information on primers, see Table .…”