Geographical distribution and evolutionary divergence times of Asian populations of the brine shrimp Artemia (Crustacea, Anostraca). (3rd March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Eimanifar, Amin; Van Stappen, Gilbert; Wink, Michael
• Is Part Of: Zoological journal of the Linnean Society. Volume 174:Number 3(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 447
• Page End: 458
• Publication Date: 2015-03-03
• Subjects: Zoology -- Periodicals; 590
• DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12242
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0024-4082

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>The brine shrimp <italic>Artemia</italic> represents a widespread genus of microcrustaceans adapted to hypersaline environments. The species of this genus have been the subject of numerous phylogenetic studies, but many open questions remain, especially for Eurasian <italic>Artemia</italic> lineages. <italic>Artemia sinica</italic> Cai, 1989 and <italic>Artemia tibetiana</italic> have a restricted geographical distribution, whereas the Eurasian haplotype complex (EHC) and especially <italic>Artemia urmiana</italic> Günther, 1899 show wider ranges. We examined the geographic distribution, evolutionary age, and historical demography of the Asian <italic>Artemia</italic> lineages (<italic>A. urmiana</italic>, <italic>A. sinica</italic>, <italic>A. tibetiana</italic>, and the Eurasian haplotype complex) using samples from 39 geographical localities and based on the nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome <italic>c</italic> oxidase subunit I (<italic>COI</italic>) gene. Asian <italic>Artemia</italic> taxa clusters into four distinctive clades with high nodal support, consisting of 69 unique haplotypes. A star‐like haplotype pattern was visible in EHC lineages (comprising pathenogenetic populations), which were genetically close to two sexual species, <italic>A. urmiana</italic> and <italic>A. tibetiana</italic>. The Bayesian approach of molecular clock estimation indicated that <italic>A. sinica</italic> had already diverged in the late Miocene (19.99 Mya), whereas <italic>A. urmiana</italic>, <italic>A. tibetiana</italic>, and EHC shared a common ancestor in the late Pliocene (5.41 Mya). Neutrality tests indicated a recent population expansion in <italic>A. urmiana</italic> and EHC lineages. The diversification within <italic>A. urmiana</italic> and EHC lineages occurred in the Pleistocene (1.72 Mya) and Holocene (0.84 Mya), respectively. Overall, these results suggest a much longer evolutionary history of <italic>A. sinica</italic> and the possible evolutionary origin of EHC lineages from Asian sexual ancestors. Our findings point to the importance of species structure and divergence time variations of Asian <italic>Artemia</italic>, highlighting interspecific diversification and range expansion of local species in Asia. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London</p> </abstract>