Not as clear as expected: what genetic data tell about Southern Hemisphere corellids (Ascidiacea: Phlebobranchia)

ALURRALDE, GASTON; DE ARANZAMENDI, MARÍA CARLA; TAVERNA, ANABELA; MAGGIONI, TAMARA ; TATIÁN, MARCOS

JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018 vol. 58 p. 2823 - 2831

0022-2933

The morphology of corellids (Ascidiacea) has led to numerous misidentificationsand wrong taxonomic decisions over the last century.Paradoxically, the morphology has also enabled new species to beidentified and ancient entities to be re-established in the SouthernHemisphere. There aremany examples of the integration of morphologicaland molecular data leading to the same taxonomic conclusions,and therefore we aimed to analyse DNA sequences of the genecytochrome oxidase subunit I of currently accepted species withinCorellidae occurring in the Southern Hemisphere. Haplotype networksalong with phylogenetic trees and genetic distances not onlycorroborate the distinction between Corella eumyota and Corellaantarctica, but also separate the latter into two potential groups,one located in Terre Adélie and the other in the Antarctic Peninsula(AP). Furthermore, the C. antarctica group from the AP was closelyrelated to the allied abyssal species, Corynascidia suhmi fromTerre Adélie. Although the number of new sequences is reduced,our results are congruent with a long record of suspicion on thematter and stress the need for deeper and more extensive investigationof this ascidian family.