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Grupstra CGB, Gómez-Corrales M, Fifer JE, Aichelman HE, Meyer-Kaiser KS, Prada C, Davies SW. Integrating cryptic diversity into coral evolution, symbiosis and conservation. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:622-636. [PMID: 38351091 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02319-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how diversity evolves and is maintained is critical to predicting the future trajectories of ecosystems under climate change; however, our understanding of these processes is limited in marine systems. Corals, which engineer reef ecosystems, are critically threatened by climate change, and global efforts are underway to conserve and restore populations as attempts to mitigate ocean warming continue. Recently, sequencing efforts have uncovered widespread undescribed coral diversity, including 'cryptic lineages'-genetically distinct but morphologically similar coral taxa. Such cryptic lineages have been identified in at least 24 coral genera spanning the anthozoan phylogeny and across ocean basins. These cryptic lineages co-occur in many reef systems, but their distributions often differ among habitats. Research suggests that cryptic lineages are ecologically specialized and several examples demonstrate differences in thermal tolerance, highlighting the critical implications of this diversity for predicting coral responses to future warming. Here, we draw attention to recent discoveries, discuss how cryptic diversity affects the study of coral adaptation and acclimation to future environments, explore how it shapes symbiotic partnerships, and highlight challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James E Fifer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Randolph Quek ZB, Jain SS, Richards ZT, Arrigoni R, Benzoni F, Hoeksema BW, Carvajal JI, Wilson NG, Baird AH, Kitahara MV, Seiblitz IGL, Vaga CF, Huang D. A hybrid-capture approach to reconstruct the phylogeny of Scleractinia (Cnidaria: Hexacorallia). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023:107867. [PMID: 37348770 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
A well-supported evolutionary tree representing most major lineages of scleractinian corals is in sight with the development and application of phylogenomic approaches. Specifically, hybrid-capture techniques are shedding light on the evolution and systematics of corals. Here, we reconstructed a broad phylogeny of Scleractinia to test previous phylogenetic hypotheses inferred from a few molecular markers, in particular, the relationships among major scleractinian families and genera, and to identify clades that require further research. We analysed 449 nuclear loci from 422 corals, comprising 266 species spanning 26 families, combining data across whole genomes, transcriptomes, hybrid capture and low-coverage sequencing to reconstruct the largest phylogenomic tree of scleractinians to date. Due to the large number of loci and data completeness (<38% missing data), node supports were high across shallow and deep nodes with incongruences observed in only a few shallow nodes. The "Robust" and "Complex" clades were recovered unequivocally, and our analyses confirmed that Micrabaciidae Vaughan, 1905 is sister to the "Robust" clade, transforming our understanding of the "Basal" clade. Several families remain polyphyletic in our phylogeny, including Deltocyathiidae Kitahara, Cairns, Stolarski & Miller, 2012, Caryophylliidae Dana, 1846, and Coscinaraeidae Benzoni, Arrigoni, Stefani & Stolarski, 2012, and we hereby formally proposed the family name Pachyseridae Benzoni & Hoeksema to accommodate Pachyseris Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849, which is phylogenetically distinct from Agariciidae Gray, 1847. Results also revealed species misidentifications and inconsistencies within morphologically complex clades, such as Acropora Oken, 1815 and Platygyra Ehrenberg, 1834, underscoring the need for reference skeletal material and topotypes, as well as the importance of detailed taxonomic work. The approach and findings here provide much promise for further stabilising the topology of the scleractinian tree of life and advancing our understanding of coral evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z B Randolph Quek
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore; Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, Singapore 138527, Singapore.
| | - Sudhanshi S Jain
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Zoe T Richards
- Coral Conservation and Research Group, Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia; Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Western Australia 6106, Australia
| | - Roberto Arrigoni
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Genoa Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn-National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, 16126 Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Benzoni
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bert W Hoeksema
- Taxonomy, Systematics and Geodiversity Group, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jose I Carvajal
- Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Western Australia 6106, Australia
| | - Nerida G Wilson
- Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Western Australia 6106, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Andrew H Baird
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Marcelo V Kitahara
- Centre for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo, 11612-109 São Sebastião, Brazil; Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, United States of America
| | - Isabela G L Seiblitz
- Centre for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo, 11612-109 São Sebastião, Brazil; Graduate Program in Zoology, Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudia F Vaga
- Centre for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo, 11612-109 São Sebastião, Brazil; Graduate Program in Zoology, Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117377, Singapore; Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119227, Singapore; Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore.
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Titus BM, Daly M. Population genomics for symbiotic anthozoans: can reduced representation approaches be used for taxa without reference genomes? Heredity (Edinb) 2022; 128:338-351. [PMID: 35418670 PMCID: PMC9076904 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-022-00531-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Population genetic studies of symbiotic anthozoans have been historically challenging because their endosymbioses with dinoflagellates have impeded marker development. Genomic approaches like reduced representation sequencing alleviate marker development issues but produce anonymous loci, and without a reference genome, it is unknown which organism is contributing to the observed patterns. Alternative methods such as bait-capture sequencing targeting Ultra-Conserved Elements are now possible but costly. Thus, RADseq remains attractive, but how useful are these methods for symbiotic anthozoan taxa without a reference genome to separate anthozoan from algal sequences? We explore this through a case-study using a double-digest RADseq dataset for the sea anemone Bartholomea annulata. We assembled a holobiont dataset (3854 loci) for 101 individuals, then used a reference genome to create an aposymbiotic dataset (1402 loci). For both datasets, we investigated population structure and used coalescent simulations to estimate demography and population parameters. We demonstrate complete overlap in the spatial patterns of genetic diversity, demographic histories, and population parameter estimates for holobiont and aposymbiotic datasets. We hypothesize that the unique combination of anthozoan biology, diversity of the endosymbionts, and the manner in which assembly programs identify orthologous loci alleviates the need for reference genomes in some circumstances. We explore this hypothesis by assembling an additional 21 datasets using the assembly programs pyRAD and Stacks. We conclude that RADseq methods are more tractable for symbiotic anthozoans without reference genomes than previously realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Titus
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA.
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Marymegan Daly
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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