Molecular and morphological evidence reveals a hidden new taxon in the endemic genus Pseudocuneopsis (Bivalvia, Unionidae) from China

By

Liu, Lili
Zhang, Liping
Jin, Dandong
Wang, Hao-Tian
Liu, Xiongjun
Wu, Rui-Wen

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1179

Pages

219--229

Subjects

Bivalves , COI , freshwater mussel , Morphology , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1179.109817

 

Abstract

A new species of freshwater mussel belonging to the genus Pseudocuneopsis, namely Pseudocuneopsis wuanasp. nov., is diagnosed and described from Guangxi Province, China. This paper provides a detailed shell morphological description, soft-body anatomical characteristics, and partial sequences of mitochondrial COI as DNA barcode data for the novel species. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners (Pseudocuneopsis sichuanensis, P. yangshuoensis, and P. capitata) by shell shape, beak position, and surface sculpture. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial COI gene reveal that Pseudocuneopsis wuanasp. nov. forms a sister group with P. yangshuoensis and exhibits an interspecific genetic distance of 5.1%. Therefore, we provide robust morphological and molecular evidence to support the validity of this new species.