Brachionus paranguensis sp. nov. (Rotifera, Monogononta), a member of the L group of the Brachionus plicatilis complex

By

Guerrero Jimenez, Gerardo
Vannucchi, Patrizia
Silva-Briano, Marcelo
Adabache Ortiz, Araceli
Rico Martine, Roberto
Roberts, David
Neilson, Roy
Elías-Gutiérrez, Manuel

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

880

Pages

1--23

Subjects

COI gene , Ecology , ITS1 , morphometry , rotifers , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.880.28992

 

Abstract

TheBrachionus plicatiliscomplex represents the most studied group of rotifers, although the systematics of the species complex has not been completely clarified. Many studies have been conducted trying to explore the diversity within the complex, leading to the recognition of three major morphotypes: large (L), small-medium (SM), and small (SS). Currently six species have been described and classified under these types and another nine taxa have been identified but not formally described. Within the L group, three species have been officially described [B. plicatiliss.s. (L1),B. manjavacas(L2), andB. asplanchnoidis(L3)], while a formal description of L4, unofficially known asB.‘Nevada’, is still lacking. In the present study, a new species,Brachionus paranguensissp. nov., is formally described and presented as a representative of the L4 clade. The species has been named after a high altitude saline crater lake from Central Mexico, where the specimens were collected. An integrated approach using DNA taxonomy through COI and ITS1 markers, morphology, and ecology was used to confirm the identity of the new species.