Molecular analysis of five controversial Balkanic species of Allolobophora (sensu lato) Eisen, 1873 (Lumbricidae, Clitellata) with emendation of the genus Cernosvitovia Omodeo, 1956

Abstract

Allolobophora (sensu lato) is one of the most controversial genera in the taxonomy of Lumbricidae. Due to its poor definition, this genus is plagued by extensive taxonomic confusion, and its generic composition and internal relationships have remained uncertain, especially in species of the Balkan Peninsula. In this study, we have combined the study of morphological data and molecular phylogenetics based on five genetic markers, regions of the nuclear 28S rRNA and mitochondrial 16S rRNA, 12S rRNA, NADH dehydrogenase (ND1) and cytochrome oxidase C subunit 1 (COI), to delimit the taxonomic status of five controversial Balkanic endemic species, Allolobophora (s.l.) dofleini, Allolobophora (s.l.) serbica, Allolobophora (s.l.) strumicae, Allolobophora (s.l.) paratuleskovi and Allolobophora (s.l.) treskavicensis, sampled in the Kopaonik Mountain. Phylogenetic analyses based on our sampling of these five species recovered a well-supported clade containing the species Allolobophora (s.l.) robusta, Allolobophora (s.l.) mehadiensis mehadiensis, Allolobophora (s.l.) sturanyi dacica, Cernosvitovia rebeli and Cernosvitovia dudichi. Based on these results and previous evidence, the aforementioned Balkanic species are transferred to a redefined Cernosvitovia. We further present a revised list of all species currently included in Cernosvitovia., which includes now 21 species and subspecies taxa, 13 of them newly combined here. Serbiona Mršić & Šapkarev, 1988 is considered a junior synonym of Cernosvitovia Omodeo, 1956.

Resampling Bouché's historical localities reveals three new species and helps identifying a new genus of earthworms (Oligochaeta, Hormogastridae and Lumbricidae) in Southeastern France

“…Some authors proposed to divide it into Allolobophora sensu stricto and Allolobophora sensu lato (Bouché 1972; Easton 1983; Csuzdi & Zicsi 2003) . Marchán et al (2021) elevated the subgenus Gatesona proposed by Qiu & Bouché (1998a) to the genus level, and Popović et al (2022) assigned several Balkanic Allolobophora species to a redefined Cernosvitovia Omodeo, 1956. Later, Martínez Navarro et al (2023) separated the genus Allolobophora into four distinct genera and synonymised the genus Heraclescolex with Allolobophora .…”

“…These taxonomic acts and the phylogenetic analyses that support them highlight the artificial character of the “catch-all” group Allolobophora ( sensu lato ), which is progressively split into several smaller monophyletic genera generally comprising species of restricted geographical distribution. There are still several Balkanic species of Allolobophora which likely belong to Cernosvitovia due to their morphological and biogeographic affinities (see Popović et al 2022), but others such as Allolobophora asconensis Bretscher, 1900, Allolobophora festae Rosa, 1892, Allolobophora marcuzzii Omodeo, 1952 or Allolobophora schneideri Michaelsen, 1900 (which are Italian species) or the Caucasian Allolobophora pseudonematogena Perel, 1967, Allolobophora brunnecephala Kvavadze, 1985 and Allolobophora immaculata Omodeo & Rota, 1989 are more controversial: a strong effort to include these species in molecular phylogenetic analyses would allow to revise Allolobophora ( sensu lato ) once and for all.…”