Taxonomy of Stilbonematinae (Nematoda: Desmodoridae): description of two new and three known species and phylogenetic relationships within the family

A novel three-part pharynx and its parallel evolution within symbiotic marine nematodes (Desmodoroidea, Stilbonematinae)

Stilbonematinae are nematodes commonly found in shallow marine sands. They are overgrown by a genus- and species-specific coat of chemoautotrophic sulphur-oxidizing ectosymbiotic bacteria which profit from the vertical migration of their hosts through the chemocline by alternately gaining access to oxidizing and reducing chemical species, while in return, the host feeds on its symbionts. The subfamily exhibits a large morphological variability; e.g. the anterior pharynx is cylindrical in genera possessing a voluminous coat, but species with a bacterial monolayer possess a distinctly swollen corpus and therefore a tripartite pharynx. Since 18S-based phylogenetic analyses do not show close relationships between corpus-bearing species, we investigated the pharynx morphology using phalloidin staining in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy in order to assess an independent evolution. The class-wide stable position of the subventral pharynx ampullae was used as a morphological marker. Ampullae are positioned at the anterior-most end of the isthmus in Cyathorobbea, further posterior in Catanema and Robbea and inside the corpus in Laxus oneistus. We therefore conclude an independent evolution of corpus enlargements within Stilbonematinae. This further suggests that pharynx morphology is driven by the volume of the symbiotic bacterial coat rather than phylogeny. Based on an existing mathematical model, an enlarged corpus should enable its bearer to ingest food in smaller quantities, in gourmet style, whereas a cylindrical pharynx would restrict its bearer to ancestral gourmand feeding. A review of pharynx types of Nematoda showed that the Stilbonematinae pharynx is substantially different compared to other tripartite pharynges. The lack of pharyngeal tubes and valves, the undivided corpus and evenly distributed nuclei in the isthmus warrant the definition of the "stilbonematoid" three-part pharynx.

Circumtropical distribution and cryptic species of the meiofaunal enteropneust Meioglossus (Harrimaniidae, Hemichordata)

Hemichordata has always played a central role in evolutionary studies of Chordata due to their close phylogenetic affinity and shared morphological characteristics. Hemichordates had no meiofaunal representatives until the surprising discovery of a microscopic, paedomorphic enteropneust Meioglossus psammophilus (Harrimaniidae, Hemichordata) from the Caribbean in 2012. No additional species have been described since, questioning the broader distribution and significance of this genus. However, being less than a millimeter long and superficially resembling an early juvenile acorn worm, Meioglossus may easily be overlooked in both macrofauna and meiofauna surveys. We here present the discovery of 11 additional populations of Meioglossus from shallow subtropical and tropical coralline sands of the Caribbean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and East China Sea. These geographically separated populations show identical morphology but differ genetically. Our phylogenetic reconstructions include four gene markers and support the monophyly of Meioglossus. Species delineation analyses revealed eight new cryptic species, which we herein describe using DNA taxonomy. This study reveals a broad circumtropical distribution, supporting the validity and ecological importance of this enigmatic meiobenthic genus. The high cryptic diversity and apparent morphological stasis of Meioglossus may exemplify a potentially common evolutionary 'dead-end' scenario, where groups with highly miniaturized and simplified body plan lose their ability to diversify morphologically.

Taxonomic and functional nematode diversity in Maldivian coral degradation zones: patterns across reef typologies and depths

The intensification of dredging and infilling activities in lagoons and on coral reefs are common practices in the Maldivian archipelago, and these activities alter the biodiversity of the bioconstructors and the functioning of the ecosystem. The alteration of environmental factors can also affect inconspicuous fauna, such as free-living nematodes. The implications of a reduction in biodiversity may transcend decreased taxonomic diversity, resulting in changes in functional diversity and redundancy; however, how the environmental conditions and human pressure affects the functionality of nematodes in Maldivian coral degradation zones (CDZs) remain poorly understood. In this paper, we examined changes in the taxonomic and functional diversity and the functional redundancy in nematode communities regarding the geographic location (atolls with various levels of human pressure), the exposure and topography of the reef (lagoon and ocean), the slope of the reef, and the depth. The functional diversity and redundancy were evaluated by considering two main biological traits of nematodes: i) the trophic strategy, and ii) the life strategy. The extremely high number of nematode genera observed in the Maldives is supported by the high complexity of the carbonate sediments. The reef exposure and depth were the most relevant environmental factors that influenced the taxonomic and functional diversity. The functional diversity, according to the trophic strategies, mirrored the taxonomic diversity because the adaptive plasticity of nematode buccal cavity structures is closely associated with the high biodiversity of the phylum. The high abundance of k-strategists in ocean reefs may indicate a higher ecological quality when compared to lagoon reefs; however, the absence of significant differences in life strategy functional diversity and functional redundancy indicates that a recovery process is underway. Analyses of nematode communities should be combined with standard investigations of reef bioconstructors during monitoring activities to assess the vulnerability of CDZ systems to future disturbances and facilitate the adoption of the most appropriate preventative actions.

Morphology of obligate ectosymbionts reveals Paralaxus gen. nov.: A new circumtropical genus of marine stilbonematine nematodes

Stilbonematinae are a subfamily of conspicuous marine nematodes, distinguished by a coat of sulphur-oxidizing bacterial ectosymbionts on their cuticle. As most nematodes, the worm hosts have a relatively simple anatomy and few taxonomically informative characters, and this has resulted in numerous taxonomic reassignments and synonymizations. Recent studies using a combination of morphological and molecular traits have helped to improve the taxonomy of Stilbonematinae but also raised questions on the validity of several genera. Here, we describe a new circumtropically distributed genus Paralaxus (Stilbonematinae) with three species: Paralaxus cocos sp. nov., P. bermudensis sp. nov. and P. columbae sp. nov. We used single worm metagenomes to generate host 18S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) as well as symbiont 16S rRNA gene sequences. Intriguingly, COI alignments and primer matching analyses suggest that the COI is not suitable for PCR-based barcoding approaches in Stilbonematinae as the genera have a highly diverse base composition and no conserved primer sites. The phylogenetic analyses of all three gene sets, however, confirm the morphological assignments and support the erection of the new genus Paralaxus as well as corroborate the status of the other stilbonematine genera. Paralaxus most closely resembles the stilbonematine genus Laxus in overlapping sets of diagnostic features but can be distinguished from Laxus by the morphology of the genus-specific symbiont coat. Our re-analyses of key parameters of the symbiont coat morphology as character for all Stilbonematinae genera show that with amended descriptions, including the coat, highly reliable genus assignments can be obtained.

Combining morphological and molecular data to classify Laxus sakihariiae sp. n., a new stilbonematine nematode (Nematoda: Desmodoridae) from the coast of Sesoko Island, Japan

Because of their relatively simple body plan, the number of morphological characters used to differentiate between closely related nematode genera is often limited. In addition, boundaries among genera sometimes become blurred due to the appearance of new trait combinations as more new species are described. Molecular phylogenetic analyses can address the shortcomings of morphological taxonomy by clarifying relationships among closely related species and genera and can help identify which morphological characters are taxonomically informative. Here, we describeLaxus sakihariiaesp. n. from shallow subtidal sands on Sesoko Island in the Okinawa prefecture, investigate phylogenetic relationships with other stilbonematine species and genera based on SSU rDNA sequences, and provide the first LSU rDNA sequence for the subfamily. The new species can be easily distinguished from all other species of the genus by the presence in the male of subventral and ventral rows of stout and spine-like setae in the pre- and postcloacal regions. This feature suggests affinities with the closely related genusLeptonemella, although the SSU consensus tree clearly shows that the new species forms a monophyletic clade together with the otherLaxusspecies for which sequences are available. The structure of the cephalic capsule inL. sakihariiaesp. n., which consists of a block layer between the median and basal zones of the cephalic cuticle, is consistent with the placement of this species. This trait is not currently used as a diagnostic feature, but our finding suggests that the structure of the cephalic capsule may be taxonomically useful for differentiating between some stilbonematine genera.

The identification of sympatric cryptic free-living nematode species in the Antarctic intertidal

The diversity of free-living nematodes in the beaches of two Antarctic islands, King George and Deception islands was investigated. We used morphological and molecular (LSU, and two fragments of SSU sequences) approaches to evaluate 236 nematodes. Specimens were assigned to at least genera using morphology and were assessed for the presence of cryptic speciation. The following genera were identified: Halomonhystera, Litoditis, Enoploides, Chromadorita, Theristus, Oncholaimus, Viscosia, Gammanema, Bathylaimus, Choanolaimus, and Paracanthonchus; along with specimens from the families Anticomidae and Linhomoeidae. Cryptic speciation was identified within the genera Halomonhystera and Litoditis. All of the cryptic species identified live sympatrically. The two cryptic species of Halomonhystera exhibited no significant morphological differences. However, Litoditis species 2 was significantly larger than Litoditis species 1. The utility of molecular data in confirming the identifications of some of the morphologically more challenging families of nematodes was demonstrated. In terms of which molecular sequences to use for the identification of free-living nematodes, the SSU sequences were more variable than the LSU sequences, and thus provided more resolution in the identification of cryptic speciation. Finally, despite the considerable amount of time and effort required to put together genetic and morphological data, the resulting advance in our understanding of diversity and ecology of free-living marine nematodes, makes that effort worthwhile.

Systematics and DNA barcoding of free-living marine nematodes with emphasis on tropical desmodorids using nuclear SSU rDNA and mitochondrial COI sequences

The diversity and phylogenetic relationships of the Desmodoridae, a widespread tropical family of free-living marine nematodes, is hitherto poorly known both from molecular and taxonomic points of view. We performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis of marine nematodes to: i) disentangle relationships among tropical desmodorid species; and ii) compare the performance of the nuclear SSU rDNA and mitochondrial COI nucleotide sequences in 42 and 45 nominal species, respectively, to identify species. We generated 27 new sequences of SSU rDNA belonging to five genera not previously sequenced, and 34 new sequences of COI belonging to six genera and four families not previously sequenced. The SSU rDNA tree confirmed the Enoplida to be a monophyletic sister group to the Chromadorida. The family Comesomatidae is a sister group of the Xyalidae within the Monhysterida. Both DNA markers confirmed the congruence between the morphology- and molecular-based phylogenetic inferences for most of the families. Desmodoridae was a monophyletic group, but the relationships within the family could not be recovered; the subfamilies Desmodorinae and Spiriniinae were not monophyletic meanwhile the monophyly of Stilbonematinae was not fully supported due to a few specimens of questionable identity. COI performed better than SSU rDNA to disentangle relationships among closely related species and suggested the presence of cryptic diversity within Desmodoridae. COI is effective to explore cryptic diversity and barcode species within Nematoda, with a possible threshold of genetic distance of 5% between conspecific and interspecific sequences, but DNA barcoding is limited by the poor knowledge of the diversity and taxonomy of the group and the lack of a good reference database of vouchered COI sequences.