1
|
Jaramillo KB, Guillén PO, Abad R, Rodríguez León JA, McCormack G. Contribution of metabolomics to the taxonomy and systematics of octocorals from the Tropical Eastern Pacific. PeerJ 2025; 13:e19009. [PMID: 40093409 PMCID: PMC11910152 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.19009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2025] [Indexed: 03/19/2025] Open
Abstract
Octocorals are sessile invertebrates that play a key role in marine habitats, with significant diversity in the Tropical Eastern Pacific, especially in Ecuador's shallow waters. This study focuses on the most representative octocorals within the Marine Protected Area El Pelado, Santa Elena, Ecuador, as a part of a marine biodiscovery project employing an integrative approach. While molecular techniques have advanced, challenges persist in distinguishing closely related species. Octocorals produce a wide range of compounds, characterized by unique chemical structures and diverse biological properties. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the potential of metabolomics and advanced analytical techniques to analyze the metabolome of these organisms, aiming to refine species classification and improve understanding of octocoral systematics in this region. Untargeted metabolomics effectively discriminates 12 octocoral species across five genera: Muricea, Leptogorgia, Pacifigorgia, Psammogorgia, and Heterogorgia, with notable differentiation between species within the genus Muricea, reinforcing its utility as an additional data set for species characterization. Secondary metabolites such as sterols, steroids, and terpenes (furanocembranolides and sesquiterpenes), were identified in Leptogorgia and Muricea. Overall, this method enabled the identification of 11 known species and a potentially new one, Leptogorgia cf. alba, confirming the extreme diversity of this group in the Tropical Eastern Pacific and within the Ecuadorian marine ecosystem. The study highlights the value of metabolomics in octocoral systematics and encourages for its broader application in marine biodiversity research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karla B. Jaramillo
- Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Zoology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Paúl O. Guillén
- Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Rubén Abad
- Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Jenny Antonia Rodríguez León
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Grace McCormack
- Zoology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vergara-Florez DC, Abad R, Jaramillo KB, Rodríguez J, Sarmiento A, Sánchez JA. New octocoral records for the Ecuadorian Tropical Eastern Pacific. J NAT HIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2022.2063081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Carolina Vergara-Florez
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rubén Abad
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra y Agua, Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM, Napo, Ecuador
| | - Karla. B Jaramillo
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Jenny Rodríguez
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Adriana Sarmiento
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan Armando Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Steiner SCC, Martínez P, Rivera F, Johnston M, Riegl BM. Octocoral populations and connectivity in continental Ecuador and Galápagos, Eastern Pacific. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2020; 87:411-441. [PMID: 33293018 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Octocorals are important zoobenthic organisms, contributing to structural heterogeneity and species diversity on hardgrounds. Their persistence amidst global coral reef degradation and ocean acidification, has prompted renewed interest in this taxon. Octocoral assemblages at 52 sites in continental Ecuador and Galápagos (23 species, 3742 colonies) were examined for composition, size distributions within and among populations, and connectivity patterns based on ocean current models. Species richness varied from 1 to 14 species per site, with the richest sites on the continent. Three assemblage clusters were recognised based on species richness and population size, one with a mix of sites from the mainland and Galápagos (defined by Muricea fruticosa and Leptogorgia alba, Muricea plantaginea and Pacifigorgia darwinii), the second from Santa Elena in southern Ecuador (defined by M. plantaginea and L. alba) and the third from the northernmost sites on the continent, in Esmeraldas (defined by Muricea fruticosa, Heterogorgia hickmani, Leptogorgia manabiensis). Based on biophysical larval flow models with 30, 60, 90-day Pelagic Larval Duration, good connectivity existed along the South American mainland, and from the continent to Galápagos. Connectivity between Galápagos, Cocos, Malpelo and the Colombian mainland may explain the wide distribution of L. alba. Muricea plantaginea had the densest populations with the largest colonies and therewith was an important habitat provider both in continental Ecuador and Galápagos. Continental Ecuador harbours the most speciose populations of octocorals so far recorded in the southern Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Most species were uncommon and possibly vulnerable to local extirpation. The present study may serve as a base line to determine local and regional impacts of future disturbances on ETP octocorals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sascha C C Steiner
- Cooperación Alemana al Desarrollo (GIZ), Quito, Ecuador; Institute for Tropical Marine Ecology (ITME) Inc., Roseau, Dominica.
| | | | - Fernando Rivera
- Instituto Nazca de Investigaciones Marinas, Salinas, Ecuador
| | - Matthew Johnston
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, United States
| | - Bernhard M Riegl
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Agurto G, Andrade E, Tomalá C, Domínguez C, Guillén P, Jaramillo K, Lavorato A, Condor-Lujan B, Chalén B, Avellaneda K, Thomas O, Sonnenholzner S, Sánchez-Rodríguez A, Pacheco D, Choez F, Rodríguez J. Database and WebGIS: tools for integration and access to biodiversity information of invertebrates of the marine reserve ‘El Pelado’ (REMAPE). NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2018.1553380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Agurto
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Elizabeth Andrade
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Cecilia Tomalá
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Cristóbal Domínguez
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Paúl Guillén
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway), University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Karla Jaramillo
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Zoology, School of Natural Science and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway), University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Antonella Lavorato
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Báslavi Condor-Lujan
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Bolívar Chalén
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Karen Avellaneda
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Olivier Thomas
- Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway), University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Stanislaus Sonnenholzner
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Aminael Sánchez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Instituto de Estudios de Régimen Seccional del Ecuador (IERSE), Universidad del Azuay Cuenca, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Diego Pacheco
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Instituto de Estudios de Régimen Seccional del Ecuador (IERSE), Universidad del Azuay Cuenca, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Francisco Choez
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Jenny Rodríguez
- Programa de Biodiversidad, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Centro Nacional de Acuicultura e Investigaciones Marinas (CENAIM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| |
Collapse
|