Testing the applicability of DNA barcoding for Mediterranean species of top-shells (Gastropoda, Trochidae, Gibbula s.l.)

Abstract

We employed the COI sequences from specimens of top-shells to: (a) test the applicability of COI as a barcode marker for the trochid genus Gibbula s.l.; (b) provide a first taxonomically reliable data set of COI sequences useful for future studies; and (c) detect evidence of suspect intraspecific variability over a large geographical scale. We analysed a data set of 150 sequences from specimens morphologically ascribed to 17 putative species of Gibbula from the Mediterranean Sea and northeastern Atlantic, including the type species of 9 taxa traditionally considered as subgenera of Gibbula and representing over 50% of the roughly two dozen Mediterranean species, and also provided the DNA barcode for the endangered Maltese top-shell Gibbula nivosa. The analysis of the data set revealed that the COI is an effective barcode for the identification of the northeastern Atlantic top-shells, and also provides a tool to detect cryptic diversity.

Keywords:

• Trochidae
• Gibbula
• DNA barcoding
• endangered species

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

The present study conforms fully to the laws of Malta and Italy; we thank the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for granting the necessary permits which enabled us to study the protected Maltese top-shell. Three anonymous reviewers are thanked for their constructive suggestions. The research leading to these results has received partial funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement No. 287844 for the project ‘Towards COast to COast NETworks of marine protected areas (from the shore to the high and deep sea), coupled with sea-based wind energy potential’ (COCONET). The phylogenetic analyses were performed on the freely available computational resource Bioportal at the University of Oslo (http://www.bioportal.uio.no). This is ISMAR-CNR, Bologna scientific contribution no. 1760.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark