Chase H. Smith
John M. Pfeiffer
Chalres R. Randklev
James D. Williams
James D. Austin
Nathan A. Johnson
2018
<p><span>Objectively delimiting species boundaries remains an important challenge in systematics and becomes urgent when unresolved taxonomy complicates conservation and recovery efforts. We examined species boundaries in the imperiled freshwater mussel genus </span><i>Cyclonaias</i><span>(Bivalvia: Unionidae) using morphometrics, molecular phylogenetics, and multispecies coalescent models to help guide pending conservation assessments and legislative decisions. Congruence across multiple lines of evidence indicated that current taxonomy overestimates diversity in the </span><i>C. pustulosa</i><span> species complex. The only genetically and morphologically diagnosable species in the </span><i>C. pustulosa</i><span> species complex were </span><i>C. pustulosa</i><span> and </span><i>C. succissa</i><span> and we consider </span><i>C. aurea</i><span>, </span><i>C. houstonensis, C. mortoni</i><span>, and </span><i>C. refulgens</i><span> to be synonyms of </span><i>C. pustulosa</i><span>. In contrast, all three species in the </span><i>C. nodulata</i><span> complex (</span><i>C. necki</i><span>, </span><i>C. nodulata</i><span>, and </span><i>C. petrina</i><span>) were genetically, geographically, and morphologically diagnosable. Our findings have important conservation and management implications, as three nominal species (</span><i>C. aurea</i><span>, </span><i>C. houstonensis</i><span>, and </span><i>C. petrina</i><span>) are being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act.</span></p>
application/pdf
10.1038/s41598-018-33806-z
en
Nature
Integrative taxonomy resolves taxonomic uncertainty for freshwater mussels being considered for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
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