Geographical isolation and restricted gene flow drive Aegla singularis (Decapoda. Anomura. Aeglidae) speciation in southern South America

CABRERA, JUAN MANUEL; GIRI, FEDERICO; RUEDA, EVA CAROLINA; COLLINS, PABLO AGUSTÍN; LORETÁN, GISELA; PÉREZ-LOSADA, MARCOS

BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2019 vol. 129 p. 177 - 189

0024-4066

Geographical isolation is a key element in allopatric speciation. If gene flow is interrupted long enough by geographic barriers, populations can evolve independently and eventually form distinct species. Aegla singularis is an ideal model to study this process due to the characteristics of the geographical area that it occupies and its limited dispersal ability. Aegla singularis inhabits streams of the Uruguay and Paraná River basins in the Neotropical region of South America. Both basins are separated by the Sierra Central Mountains. Here we studied the speciation of A. singularis by geographic isolation using molecular and morphometric data. Individuals of A. singularis were analysed using geometric morphometrics and genetic data (COII and EFα1). We found significant differences in shape and genetics between A. singularis populations from the two basins. These differences suggest ongoing divergence due to restricted gene flow caused by the Sierra Central geographic barrier, which would indicate that the populations of the Parana and Uruguay River slopes would be in a divergent process.