Molecular phylogeny suggests synonymy of Sandalia bridgesi within Sandalia triticea (Gastropoda: Ovulidae)

Abstract

The Ovulidae are the most ecologically diverse family of the order Littorinimorpha. And the Sandalia is a small genus containing only three species. In the present study, we collected 44 specimens of Ovulidae (Gastropoda: Cypraeacea), belonging to six genera and eight species, including 20 Sandalia bridgesi and 2 Sandalia triticea individuals. The cytochrome c oxidase I gene (COI), 16S rRNA, and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences were obtained from the specimens and compared with sequences downloaded from GenBank to calculate genetic distances and construct phylogenetic trees. The sequences of S. bridgesi and S. triticea exhibited a high degree of similarity, and the S. bridgesi does not formed a separate clade, supporting the proposition that S. bridgesi should be considered a synonym of S. triticea.