Systematic assessment of the brown tree frog (Anura: Pelodryadidae: Litoria ewingii) reveals two endemic species in South Australia

Zootaxa, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5406(1), P. 1 - 36

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

The brown tree frog (Litoria ewingii) is a relatively widespread, commonly encountered pelodryadid from south-eastern Australia, known for its characteristic whistling call. distribution of Litoria ewingii spans over more than 350,000 km2, encompassing range moist temperate habitats, and fragmented by well-known biogeographic barriers. A preliminary analysis mitochondrial DNA sequences revealed evidence deep phylogenetic structure between some these populations. In this study, we sought to re-evaluate the systematics taxonomy sensu lato analysing variation in nuclear DNA, adult morphology male advertisement calls throughout species range. Our analyses reveal two additional, deeply divergent allopatric lineages South Australia. We herein re-describe Tasmania, southern New Wales, Victoria resurrect name calliscelis occurring Mount Lofty Ranges Fleurieu Peninsula describe new species, sibilus sp. nov., endemic Kangaroo Island.

Language: Английский

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Cold, creeping things: deep phylogeographic structure in a naturally fragmented cool-adapted skink (Scincidae; Anepischetosia) from south-eastern Australia

Conservation Genetics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 24, 2025

Abstract The temperate forests of eastern Australia have been extensively fragmented over the last 200 years and are now increasingly threatened by fire climate change. To understand manage impacts these threats, there is a need to patterns endemism diversity across an array ecologically divergent taxa. Anepischetosia monotypic genus scincid lizards that adapted cool, wet forest habitats in far south-eastern mainland Australia. Here we use reduced representation genomic data sequencing mitochondrial ND4 locus from museum tissue samples characterise phylogeographic structure population-level genetic this taxon. These reveal novel deep geographically localised structuring, including at least six ESUs spanning several candidate species. Many lineages associated with patches mesic habitat, especially north range, suggesting long histories persistence through major environmental change Plio-Pleistocene, similar observed some taxa non-glaciated landscapes northern hemisphere. Two putative ESUs, whose ranges overlap areas impacted recent high-intensity bushfires, low may be conservation concern. Additional seemingly isolated populations western Victoria remain poorly sampled comprise yet further or results highlight how analyses can overlooked concern leveraging collections – as well-sampled accessible even considered comparatively “well known”.

Language: Английский

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Population genomics of decline and local extinction in the endangered Australian Pookila

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 284, P. 110183 - 110183

Published: June 30, 2023

Modern sequencing approaches, especially museum genomics, have unlocked the potential to integrate genome-scale data from across decades of collections reconstruct population decline and extinction. Understanding species declines, both pre- post-anthropogenic impact, is critical for data-driven approaches conservation genetic management endangered worldwide. This important in Australia, where ecological consequences European invasion resulted highest rate mammal extinction world. Using historical specimens, cryopreserved cell cultures, field tissue collections, we generate genomic (1298 nuclear exons whole mitogenomes) extinct surviving populations Australian Pookila (Pseudomys novaehollandiae), a that has suffered severe declines since 1788. Our results reveal 23.2–35.3 % unique diversity been lost local Victoria past 50 years, with ongoing inbreeding exacerbated by natural barriers dispersal. We show small, isolated remnant are vulnerable extinction, reinforced seven out 12 historically recorded Victoria. Future any one three Victorian examined here will result loss 15–46 remaining alleles. recommend rescue within as intervention, combination continuation monitoring adaptive habitat management, save P. novaehollandiae Broadly, demonstrate how integrating contemporary can provide crucial guidance threatened species.

Language: Английский

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Lineage diversity within a widespread endemic Australian skink to better inform conservation in response to regional‐scale disturbance

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(3)

Published: March 1, 2022

Abstract Much attention is paid in conservation planning to the concept of a species, ensure comparability across studies and regions when classifying taxa against criteria endangerment setting priorities for action. However, various jurisdictions now allow taxonomic ranks below level species nontaxonomic intraspecific divisions be factored into planning—subspecies, key populations, evolutionarily significant units, or designatable units. Understanding patterns genetic diversity its distribution landscape component identification boundaries determination substantial geographic structure within species. A total 12,532 reliable polymorphic SNP loci were generated from 63 populations (286 individuals) covering Australian eastern three‐lined skink, Bassiana duperreyi , assess population form diagnosable lineages their landscape, with particular reference recent catastrophic bushfires Australia. Five well‐supported operational units (OTUs) existed B . Low levels divergence between mainland Australia Tasmania (no fixed allelic differences) support notion episodic exchange alleles Bass Strait ( ca 60 m, 25 Kya) during periods low sea Upper Pleistocene rather than much longer period isolation (1.7 My) indicated by earlier using mitochondrial sequence variation. Our study provides foundational work detailed re‐evaluation this complex need biodiversity assessment include an examination cryptic and/or Such information on lineage context disturbance at regional scale can regardless whether decision made formally diagnose new taxonomically nomenclaturally.

Language: Английский

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Strong Population Genetic Structure for the Endangered Micro-Trapdoor Spider Moggridgea rainbowi (Mygalomorphae, Migidae) in Unburnt Habitat after Catastrophic Bushfires

Diversity, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(7), P. 827 - 827

Published: June 30, 2023

Catastrophic wildfires impacted large areas of western Kangaroo Island (KI), South Australia in 2019–2020, burning habitat for many species, including proportions the distributional range KI micro-trapdoor spider Moggridgea rainbowi, which led to it being listed as Endangered under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). In order assess population genetic structure M. rainbowi detect diagnosable lineages their patterns across KI, 28 individuals were genotyped 2495 loci, sampling from all known populations species. Population phylogenetic analyses nuclear mitochondrial sequence data provided strong support three Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) within rainbowi; two on eastern a heavily fire-impacted population. High levels divergence fixed allelic differences between 5 16% indicate lack gene flow ESUs long periods isolation. Distributional these match likely locations isolation events caused by successive changes sea level during Quaternary (2.58 million years ago present), intermittently connected mainland or separated into one more islands. Our findings have conservation implications highlight importance inclusion inform strategies conserve lineage biodiversity at species below.

Language: Английский

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Determining the generation length and level of morphological and genetic differentiation in the Data Deficient glossy grass skink (Pseudemoia rawlinsoni)

Pacific Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 30(2)

Published: March 21, 2024

Context Human activities are having a significant impact on biodiversity worldwide, to the extent that we in midst of sixth mass extinction event. Although substantial proportion species globally have an elevated risk extinction, some poorly known and there is insufficient information available adequately assess their extinction. Aims methods One such glossy grass skink (Pseudemoia rawlinsoni), widespread but enigmatic lizard south-eastern Australia. In order improve our knowledge its life history, particularly generation length, examined museum specimens collected from across range species, supplemented with measurements field-caught individuals. Key results We estimated reaches sexual maturity 3 years, at approximately 40 mm snout–vent length. Its length was as 5 years. Sexual dimorphism evident, female body size positively related litter size. no evidence for variation morphology skink, phylogeographic analysis using mitochondrial DNA sequence data (ND4) revealed presence seven genetic sublineages (up 5.1% divergence) within species. Conclusions The appears be single, genetically variable, Implications Our study demonstrates how targeted, multifaceted can effective rapidly gathering used contribute vital assessment Data Deficient

Language: Английский

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Cold, creeping things: Deep phylogeographic structure in a naturally fragmented cool-adapted skink (Scincidae; Anepischetosia) from south-eastern Australia

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 8, 2024

The temperate forests of eastern Australia have been extensively fragmented over the last 200 years and are now increasingly threatened by fire climate change. To understand manage impacts these threats, there is a need to patterns endemism diversity across an array ecologically divergent taxa. Anepischetosia monotypic genus scincid lizards that adapted cool, wet forest habitats in far south-eastern mainland Australia. Here we use reduced representation genomic data sequencing mitochondrial ND4 locus from museum tissue samples characterise phylogeographic structure population-level genetic this taxon. These reveal novel deep geographically localised structuring, including at least six ESUs spanning several candidate species. depth divergences between lineages greater than previously observed within morphospecies south-east Australian herpetofauna. Many associated with patches mesic habitat, especially north range, suggesting long histories persistence through major environmental change Plio-Pleistocene, similar some taxa non-glaciated landscapes northern hemisphere. Two putative ESUs, whose ranges overlap areas impacted recent high-intensity bushfires, low may be conservation concern. Additional seemingly isolated populations western Victoria remain poorly sampled comprise yet further or species, highlighting for surveys, taxonomic research assessment lizard genus.

Language: Английский

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Unrecognized lineages transform our understanding of diversification in a clade of lizards

Published: Nov. 21, 2024

Evolutionary lineages at the tip of tree life can be genetically diverged yet phenotypically similar and therefore unrecognized by traditional morphology-based taxonomy. Such lineages, spanning “grey zone speciation” 1, are increasingly uncovered using genomic analyses. Here we show that incorporating this lineage diversity into macro-evolutionary analyses yields novel insights speciation process. Examining a major clade Australian skinks with extensive sampling both unrecognised described species (199 across 124 species) find group have been forming constant net rate over time. In contrast, when including only see slow-down in diversification. Simulations formation via protracted model, extended to include multivariate trait evolution, indicate phenotypic conservatism explain dynamics taxonomically recognized Including intraspecific macroevolutionary has provided new about diversification case, it points higher rates than formation, role for constraint generating cryptic diversity.

Language: Английский

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A genome assembly and annotation for the Australian alpine skink Bassiana duperreyi using long-read technologies

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 5, 2024

Abstract The eastern three-lined skink ( Bassiana duperreyi ) inhabits the Australian high country in southwest of continent including Tasmania. It is an oviparous species that distinctive because it undergoes sex reversal (from XX genotypic females to phenotypic males) at low incubation temperatures. We present a chromosome-scale genome assembly XY male individual, constructed using combination PacBio HiFi and ONT long reads scaffolded Illumina HiC data. length 1.57 Gb with scaffold N50 222 Mbp, N90 26 200 gaps 43.10% GC content. Most (95%) into 6 macrochromosomes, 8 microchromosomes X chromosome, corresponding karyotype. Fragmented Y chromosome scaffolds (n=11 > 1 Mbp) were identified Y-specific contigs generated by subtraction. two novel alpha-satellite repeats 187 bp 199 putative centromeres did not form higher order repeats. exceeds standard recommended Earth Biogenome Project; 0.02% false expansions, 99.63% kmer completeness, 94.66% complete single copy BUSCO genes average 98.42% transcriptome data mappable assembly. mitochondrial (17,506 bp) model rDNA repeat unit (15,154 assembled. B. has one highest completeness levels for will provide resource research focused on determination thermolabile reversal, as foundation studies evolution viviparity, other comparative genomics Scincidae. Species Taxonomy Eukaryota; Animalia; Chordata; Reptilia; Squamata; Scincidae; Lygosominae; Eugongylini; (= Acritoscincus ); (Gray, 1838) (NCBI: txid316450).

Language: Английский

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Both phenotypic and genotypic sex influence sex chromosome dosage compensation in a sex reversing lizard

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 26, 2023

Abstract Studies of sex chromosome dosage compensation have historically focussed on therian mammals which a conserved XY determination system. In contrast, lizards systems that can differ between even closely related species include and ZW thermolabile where genetic temperature interact to various degrees determine sex. The eastern three-lined skink ( Bassiana duperreyi ) has differentiated system, in low incubation during development cause female male reversal, producing XX males. This provides unique opportunity investigate how genotype phenotype affect compensation. We generated transcriptomes from brain heart tissue normal adult males females, along with sex-reversed observed partial females both heart, median gene expression the X being 0.7 times females. Surprisingly, reversed output did not match either or but instead was 0.89 level. suggests just genotype, also sexual phenotype, influences chromosome. profound implications for our understanding evolution

Language: Английский

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