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Genetic evidence for the occurrence of a cryptic species with the littoral nemerteans Lineus ruber and L. viridis (Nemertea: Anopla)

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Abstract

Lineus ruber and L. viridis are common intertidal heteronemerteans found on the coasts of northern Europe and the east coast of North America. The two species resemble each other morphologically and were synonymised for many years prior to being separated on the basis of larval development. In this study, specimens of L. ruber and L. viridis were collected from sites along the west and southwest coast of Britain, northern France and the east coast of North America. The external morphology and allele frequencies of isozymes of the two species were compared from all sites. The external morphology of L. ruber and L. viridis was similar but they could generally be separated by colour. Allele frequencies for up to 13 enzyme loci between sympatric populations of L. ruber and L. viridis indicated that these two species are genetically very different (Nei's genetic identity=0.090 to 0.083). Allele-frequency data also indicated the presence of a third genetic type occurring sympatrically with populations of both L. ruber and L. viridis on the coasts of Britain and France but not on the coast of North America. Fixed differences in allele frequencies between populations of the third genetic type and sympatric populations of L. ruber and L. viridis were observed across multiple loci. Genetic identity between the third genetic type and sympatric populations of L. ruber and L. viridis were extremely low (Nei's genetic identity =<0.078). Such large genetic differences between populations indicate a barrier to gene flow and reproductive isolation. The aberrant type, which exhibits sufficient morphological variation to prevent individuals being distinguished from those of both L. ruber and L. viridis, therefore represents a separate species. The low genetic identities found in intrageneric comparisons of species found in this study have been found in other studies on nemerteans. They may indicate systematic problems within these groups or other phenomena such as morphological stasis.

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  1. A. D. Rogers

    Present address: The Laboratory, The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Citadel Hill, PL1 2PB, Plymouth, Devon, England

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Port Erin Marine Laboratory, University of Liverpool, 1M9 6JA, Port Erin, Isle of Man

    A. D. Rogers & J. P. Thorpe

  2. School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, L3 3AF, Liverpool, Lancashire, England

    R. Gibson

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  1. A. D. Rogers
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  2. J. P. Thorpe
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Communicated by J. Mauchline, Oban

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Rogers, A.D., Thorpe, J.P. & Gibson, R. Genetic evidence for the occurrence of a cryptic species with the littoral nemerteans Lineus ruber and L. viridis (Nemertea: Anopla). Marine Biology 122, 305–316 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348944

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