Systematics, phylogeny, and natural history of Bullacta exarata (Philippi, 1849): an endemic cephalaspidean gastropod from the China Sea

Abstract

In this paper new data on the systematics, phylogeny, and trophic ecology of Bullacta exarata (Philippi, 1849) are presented. B. exarata is a cephalaspidean gastropod endemic to the China Sea that lives in estuaries along the north-eastern Chinese and western South Korean coastlines. The systematic position of this species is controversial and has been a matter of continuous debate. Therefore, in order to produce new insights into the phylogenetic position of this species, morphological and anatomical features have been analysed through fine dissection work and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), together with DNA sequence data. Bayesian phylogenetic inference based on concatenated sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and nuclear genes 18SrRNA and 28SrRNA, suggests the inclusion of B. exarata in the family Haminoeidae. SEM analysis of gut contents revealed that B. exarata feeds upon diatoms.

Keywords:

• Bullacta exarata
• Mollusca
• phylogeny
• systematics
• ecology
• China

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to P. Bouchet (MNHN, Paris) and T. Haga (University of Tsukuba, Japan) for providing the material that made this contribution possible; to E. Erichsen (Electron Microscopy Unit, University of Bergen) and J. Kongsrud (Bergen Museum, Invertebrate Collections technician) for help with imaging; to A. McLennan and A. Salvador (NHM, London) for geographical data; to M. Glauberth (Museum für Naturkunde Berlin) for help tracing Philippi's type material; to P. Mikkelsen (Paleontological Research Institution, USA) and D. Reid (NHM, London) for help assembling literature; and to D. Rees (Bergen Museum, Natural History Collections) for help with molecular work.

This research received support from the SYNTHESYS Project http://www.synthesys.info/, which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP6 “Structuring the European Research Area” programme and from Norwegian Meltzer's Foundation Project number 803108.

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