Community structure and biogeography of shore fishes in the Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea

Shore fish community structure off the Jordanian Red Sea coast was determined on fringing coral reefs and in a seagrass-dominated bay at 6 m and 12 m depths. A total of 198 fish species belonging to 121 genera and 43 families was recorded. Labridae and Pomacentridae dominated the ichthyofauna in terms of species richness and Pomacentridae were most abundant. Neither diversity nor species richness was correlated to depth. The abundance of fishes was higher at the deep reef slope, due to schooling planktivorous fishes. At 12 m depth abundance of fishes at the seagrass-dominated site was higher than on the coral reefs. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a strong influence on the fish assemblages by depth and benthic habitat. Fish species richness was positively correlated with hard substrate cover and habitat diversity. Abundance of corallivores was positively linked with live hard coral cover. The assemblages of fishes were different on the shallow reef slope, deep reef slope and seagrass meadows. An analysis of the fish fauna showed that the Gulf of Aqaba harbours a higher species richness than previously reported. The comparison with fish communities on other reefs around the Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean supported the recognition of an Arabian subprovince within the Indian Ocean. The affinity of the Arabian Gulf ichthyofauna to the Red Sea is not clear. Received in revised form: 2 November 2001 Electronic Publication     

TEMPERATURE THRESHOLD AS A BIOGEOGRAPHIC BARRIER IN NORTHERN INDIAN OCEAN MACROALGAE1

The most eastern point of the Arabian Peninsula, Ras Al Hadd, marks the boundary between the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. This geographic landmark coincides with an abrupt floristic turnover, probably one of the sharpest biotic transitions known in marine biogeography. The floras of different Arabian localities across this floristic break were compared using macrophyte distribution data throughout the Indian Ocean and seasonal sea‐surface temperature (SST) data. The localities from the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman differ significantly from those of the Arabian Sea based on their species richness, species composition, average distribution range per species, general temperature affinity of the composing species, and seasonal temperature data of the coastal waters. Pooling the temperature data into two groups (SST_3avg, average SST of the three warmest seasons; SST_min, minimum of the seasonal SSTs) revealed a temperature limit at 28°C using both the temperature affinity data of the floras and the seasonal temperatures recorded for the specific Arabian localities, which significantly separates the Arabian Sea from localities of both Gulfs. Finally, SST data of the Indian Ocean were analyzed using this upper temperature threshold of macrophytes at 28°C and the lower temperature limit of corals at 25°C, revealing general macrophyte diversity patterns.     

The determinants of species richness of a relatively young coral-reef ichthyofauna

Aim Unique topographic features left the Red Sea and its north‐eastern extension into the Gulf of Aqaba practically devoid of coral‐reef‐based organisms during the last glacial maximum. The current ichthyofauna in these two ‘regions’ thus represents the product of relatively recent colonization by species found in the Arabian Sea, which adjoins the Red Sea at its southern tip. We used this system to test why some marine species seemingly fail to extend their geographic range, thereby generating spatial heterogeneity in biodiversity. Location The Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba. Methods A list of coral‐reef‐associated fish species, belonging to the 10 most speciose families, was compiled for each region using published sources. The data were analysed (major axis regression, randomization tests) for taxonomic and body‐size‐dependent biases in colonization probabilities. A simple probabilistic model was used to examine the potential contribution of local (within‐region) extinctions to determining species composition in the Red Sea. Results Of the 462 reef‐associated species that inhabit the Arabian Sea, 69% have crossed successfully into the Red Sea; of these, 55% have crossed into the Gulf of Aqaba. A species’ probability of being found in either ‘target’ was independent of presumed innate differences, i.e. ecological correlates of taxonomic affiliation and body size. Similarly, local extinctions were found unlikely to have been of consequence over the past several thousand years. Main conclusions Present‐day differences in the species richness of reef‐associated fish species among the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba appear to be the product of external, non‐selective constraints on colonization. The random nature of the colonization process is suggestive of ecological redundancy among coral‐reef fish species. Importantly, the study places a time frame on the processes that determine spatial patterns of biodiversity in reef fish.     

Environmental gradients shape the genetic structure of two medicinal Salvia species in Jordan

• Environmental gradients, and particularly climatic variables, exert a strong influence on plant distribution and, potentially, population genetic diversity and differentiation. Differences in water availability can cause among‐population variation in ecological processes and can thus interrupt populations’ connectivity and isolate them environmentally. The present study examines the effect of environmental heterogeneity on plant populations due to environmental isolation unrelated to geographic distance.
• Using AFLP markers, we analyzed genetic diversity and differentiation among 12 Salvia spinosa populations and 13 Salvia syriaca populations from three phytogeographical regions (Mediterranean, Irano‐Turanian and Saharo‐Arabian) representing the extent of the species’ geographic range in Jordan. Differences in geographic location and climate were considered in the analyses.
• For both species, flowering phenology varied among populations and regions. Irano‐Turanian and Saharo‐Arabian populations had higher genetic diversity than Mediterranean populations, and genetic diversity increased significantly with increasing temperature. Genetic diversity in Salvia syriaca was affected by population size, while genetic diversity responded to drought in S. spinosa. For both species, high levels of genetic differentiation were found as well as two well‐supported phytogeographical groups of populations, with Mediterranean populations clustering in one group and the Irano‐Turanian and Saharo‐Arabian populations in another. Genetic distance was significantly correlated to environmental distance, but not to geographic distance.
• Our data indicate that populations from moist vs. arid environments are environmentally isolated, where environmental gradients affect their flowering phenology, limit gene flow and shape their genetic structure. We conclude that environmental heterogeneity may act as driver for the observed variation in genetic diversity.

     

Population genomic response to geographic gradients by widespread and endemic fishes of the Arabian Peninsula

Genetic structure within marine species may be driven by local adaptation to their environment, or alternatively by historical processes, such as geographic isolation. The gulfs and seas bordering the Arabian Peninsula offer an ideal setting to examine connectivity patterns in coral reef fishes with respect to environmental gradients and vicariance. The Red Sea is characterized by a unique marine fauna, historical periods of desiccation and isolation, as well as environmental gradients in salinity, temperature, and primary productivity that vary both by latitude and by season. The adjacent Arabian Sea is characterized by a sharper environmental gradient, ranging from extensive coral cover and warm temperatures in the southwest, to sparse coral cover, cooler temperatures, and seasonal upwelling in the northeast. Reef fish, however, are not confined to these seas, with some Red Sea fishes extending varying distances into the northern Arabian Sea, while their pelagic larvae are presumably capable of much greater dispersal. These species must therefore cope with a diversity of conditions that invoke the possibility of steep clines in natural selection. Here, we test for genetic structure in two widespread reef fish species (a butterflyfish and surgeonfish) and eight range‐restricted butterflyfishes across the Red Sea and Arabian Sea using genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. We performed multiple matrix regression with randomization analyses on genetic distances for all species, as well as reconstructed scenarios for population subdivision in the species with signatures of isolation. We found that (a) widespread species displayed more genetic subdivision than regional endemics and (b) this genetic structure was not correlated with contemporary environmental parameters but instead may reflect historical events. We propose that the endemic species may be adapted to a diversity of local conditions, but the widespread species are instead subject to ecological filtering where different combinations of genotypes persist under divergent ecological regimes.     

Using a butterflyfish genome as a general tool for RAD‐Seq studies in specialized reef fish

Data from a large‐scale restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐Seq) study of nine butterflyfish species in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea provided a means to test the utility of a recently published draft genome (Chaetodon austriacus) and assess apparent bias in this method of isolating nuclear loci. We here processed double‐digest restriction site‐associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing data to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and their associated function with and without our reference genome to see whether it improves the quality of RAD‐Seq. Our analyses indicate (i) a modest gap between the number of nonannotated versus annotated SNPs across all species, (ii) an advantage of using genomic resources for closely related but not distantly related butterflyfish species based on the ability to assign putative gene function to SNPs and (iii) an enrichment of genes among sister butterflyfish taxa related to calcium transmembrane transport and binding. The latter result highlights the potential for this approach to reveal insights into adaptive mechanisms in populations inhabiting challenging coral reef environments such as the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Arabian Gulf with further study.     

Population genetics of four heavily exploited shark species around the Arabian Peninsula

The northwestern Indian Ocean harbors a number of larger marine vertebrate taxa that warrant the investigation of genetic population structure given remarkable spatial heterogeneity in biological characteristics such as distribution, behavior, and morphology. Here, we investigate the genetic population structure of four commercially exploited shark species with different biological characteristics (Carcharhinus limbatus, Carcharhinus sorrah, Rhizoprionodon acutus, and Sphyrna lewini) between the Red Sea and all other water bodies surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. To assess intraspecific patterns of connectivity, we constructed statistical parsimony networks among haplotypes and estimated (1) population structure; and (2) time of most recent population expansion, based on mitochondrial control region DNA and a total of 20 microsatellites. Our analysis indicates that, even in smaller, less vagile shark species, there are no contemporary barriers to gene flow across the study region, while historical events, for example, Pleistocene glacial cycles, may have affected connectivity in C. sorrah and R. acutus. A parsimony network analysis provided evidence that Arabian S. lewini may represent a population segment that is distinct from other known stocks in the Indian Ocean, raising a new layer of conservation concern. Our results call for urgent regional cooperation to ensure the sustainable exploitation of sharks in the Arabian region.     

Comparative phylogeography of reef fishes from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Sea reveals two cryptic lineages

The Arabian Sea is a heterogeneous region with high coral cover and warm stable conditions at the western end (Djibouti), in contrast to sparse coral cover, cooler temperatures, and upwelling at the eastern end (southern Oman). We tested for barriers to dispersal across this region (including the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Oman), using mitochondrial DNA surveys of 11 reef fishes. Study species included seven taxa from six families with broad distributions across the Indo-Pacific and four species restricted to the Arabian Sea (and adjacent areas). Nine species showed no significant genetic partitions, indicating connectivity among contrasting environments spread across 2000 km. One butterflyfish (Chaetodon melannotus) and a snapper (Lutjanus kasmira) showed phylogenetic divergences of d = 0.008 and 0.048, respectively, possibly indicating cryptic species within these broadly distributed taxa. These genetic partitions at the western periphery of the Indo-Pacific reflect similar partitions recently discovered at the eastern periphery of the Indo-Pacific (the Hawaiian and the Marquesan Archipelagos), indicating that these disjunctive habitats at the ends of the range may serve as evolutionary incubators for coral reef organisms.

     

Phylogeography of Padina boryana (Dictyotales,Phaeophyceae) around the Thai-Malay Peninsula

The Indo-Pacific Ocean is a biodiversity hotspot for marine organisms. In this area, most of the research has focused on marine animals, such as reef fish, molluscs and other associated coral fauna, but very little has been done on macroalgae. The Thai-Malay Peninsula is an important north–south barrier in this area, which faces two different oceans – the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. This study aims to investigate genetic distribution patterns of Padina boryana Thivy around the Thai-Malay Peninsula, where it is common. Three DNA marker regions, the mitochondrion-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 gene (cox3); the plastid rbcL, and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) were used to evaluate genetic diversity and the relationships within and between populations. Samples were collected from both the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand sides of the peninsula. Parsimony networks and maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses showed clearly that there are two separated P. boryana lineages, one restricted to the Gulf of Thailand and the other to the Andaman Sea and other areas of the Indo-Pacific. The effect of different ocean currents along the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand may have shaped these populations of P. boryana. This phylogeographic separation, based on persistent currents in the area, may affect other marine organisms along the Thai peninsula.     

Migration and isolation during the turbulent Ponto‐Caspian Pleistocene create high diversity in the crustacean Paramysis lacustris

The Ponto‐Caspian brackish‐water fauna inhabits estuaries and rivers of the Black, Azov and Caspian seas and is fragmented by higher salinity waters and a major interbasin watershed. The fauna is known for the high levels of endemism, complex zoogeographic histories, and as a recent source of successful invasive species. It remains debated whether the Black and Azov Sea brackish‐water populations survived unfavourable Pleistocene conditions in multiple separate refugia or whether the two seas were (repeatedly) recolonized from the Caspian. Using microsatellite and mtDNA markers, we demonstrate deep among‐ and within‐basin subdivisions in a widespread Ponto‐Caspian mysid crustacean Paramysis lacustris. Five genetic clusters were identified, but their relationships did not reflect the geography of the region. The Azov cluster was the most distinct (4–5% COI divergence), despite its geographic position in the corridor between Black and Caspian seas, and may represent a new species. In the northern Black Sea area, the Dnieper cluster was closer to the Caspian cluster than to the neighbouring Danube–Dniester–Bug populations, suggesting separate colonizations of the Black Sea. Overall, the data implied a predominant gene flow from the east to the Black Sea and highlight the importance of Caspian Sea transgressions in facilitating dispersal. Yet, the presence of distinct lineages in the Black Sea points to the persistence of isolated refugial populations that have gained diagnostic differences under presumably high mutation rates and large population sizes. The unfavourable Pleistocene periods in the Black Sea therefore appear to have promoted diversification of the brackish‐water lineages, rather than extirpated them.     

The curious case of Hermodice carunculata (Annelida: Amphinomidae): evidence for genetic homogeneity throughout the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent basins

Over the last few decades, advances in molecular techniques have led to the detection of strong geographic population structure and cryptic speciation in many benthic marine taxa, even those with long‐lived pelagic larval stages. Polychaete annelids, in particular, generally show a high degree of population divergence, especially in mitochondrial genes. Rarely have molecular studies confirmed the presence of ‘cosmopolitan’ species. The amphinomid polychaete Hermodice carunculata was long considered the sole species within its genus, with a reported distribution throughout the Atlantic and adjacent basins. However, recent studies have indicated morphological differences, primarily in the number of branchial filaments, between the East and West Atlantic populations; these differences were invoked to re‐instate Hermodice nigrolineata, formerly considered a junior synonym of H. carunculata. We utilized sequence data from two mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, 16S rDNA) markers and one nuclear (internal transcribed spacer) marker to examine the genetic diversity of Hermodice throughout its distribution range in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of Guinea. Our analyses revealed generally low genetic divergences among collecting localities and between the East and West Atlantic, although phylogenetic trees based on mitochondrial data indicate the presence of a private lineage in the Mediterranean Sea. A re‐evaluation of the number of branchial filaments confirmed differences between East and West Atlantic populations; however, the differences were not diagnostic and did not reflect the observed genetic population structure. Rather, we suspect that the number of branchial filaments is a function of oxygen saturation in the environment. Our results do not support the distinction between H. carunculata in the West Atlantic and H. nigrolineata in the East Atlantic. Instead, they re‐affirm the older notion that H. carunculata is a cohesive species with a broad distribution across the Atlantic Ocean.     

Host adaptation and unexpected symbiont partners enable reef‐building corals to tolerate extreme temperatures

Understanding the potential for coral adaptation to warming seas is complicated by interactions between symbiotic partners that define stress responses and the difficulties of tracking selection in natural populations. To overcome these challenges, we characterized the contribution of both animal host and symbiotic algae to thermal tolerance in corals that have already experienced considerable warming on par with end‐of‐century projections for most coral reefs. Thermal responses in Platygyra daedalea corals from the hot Persian Gulf where summer temperatures reach 36°C were compared with conspecifics from the milder Sea of Oman. Persian Gulf corals had higher rates of survival at elevated temperatures (33 and 36°C) in both the nonsymbiotic larval stage (32–49% higher) and the symbiotic adult life stage (51% higher). Additionally, Persian Gulf hosts had fixed greater potential to mitigate oxidative stress (31–49% higher) and their Symbiodinium partners had better retention of photosynthetic performance under elevated temperature (up to 161% higher). Superior thermal tolerance of Persian Gulf vs. Sea of Oman corals was maintained after 6‐month acclimatization to a common ambient environment and was underpinned by genetic divergence in both the coral host and symbiotic algae. In P. daedalea host samples, genomewide SNP variation clustered into two discrete groups corresponding with Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman sites. Symbiodinium within host tissues predominantly belonged to ITS2 rDNA type C3 in the Persian Gulf and type D1a in the Sea of Oman contradicting patterns of Symbiodinium thermal tolerance from other regions. Our findings provide evidence that genetic adaptation of both host and Symbiodinium has enabled corals to cope with extreme temperatures in the Persian Gulf. Thus, the persistence of coral populations under continued warming will likely be determined by evolutionary rates in both, rather than single, symbiotic partners.     

Long‐standing environmental conditions,geographic isolation and host–symbiont specificity influence the relative ecological dominance and genetic diversification of coral endosymbionts in the genus Symbiodinium

Aim This study examines the importance of geographic proximity, host life history and regional and local differences in environment (temperature and water clarity) in driving the ecological and evolutionary processes underpinning the global patterns of diversity and distribution of symbiotic dinoflagellates. By comparing and contrasting coral–algal symbioses from isolated regions with differing environmental conditions, we may assess the potential of coral communities to respond to significant changes in climate. Location Indian Ocean. Methods Community assemblages of obligate symbiotic invertebrates were sampled at numerous sites from two regions, the north‐eastern Indian Ocean (Andaman Sea, western Thailand) and the western Indian Ocean (Zanzibar, Tanzania). Molecular genetic methods, including denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacers, DNA sequencing and microsatellite genotyping, were used to characterize the ‘species’ diversity and evolutionary relationships of symbiotic dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodinium). Host–symbiont specificity, geographic isolation and local and regional environmental factors were evaluated in terms of their importance in governing the distribution and prevalence of certain symbiont taxa. Results Host‐generalist symbionts (C3u and D1‐4, formerly D1a now designated Symbiodinium trenchi) frequently occurred alone and sometimes together in hosts with horizontal modes of symbiont acquisition. However, the majority of Symbiodinium diversity consisted of apparently host‐specific ‘species’. Clade C Symbiodinium were diverse and dominated host assemblages from sites sampled in the western Indian Ocean, a pattern analogous to symbiont communities on the Great Barrier Reef with similar environmental conditions. Clade D Symbiodinium were diverse and occurred frequently in hosts from the north‐eastern Indian Ocean, especially at inshore locations, where temperatures are warmer, water turbidity is high and large tidal exchanges commonly expose coral populations to aerial desiccation. Main conclusions Regional and local differences in cnidarian–algal combinations indicate that these symbioses are ecologically and evolutionarily responsive and can thrive under various environmental conditions. The high temperatures and turbid conditions of the north‐eastern Indian Ocean partly explain the ecological success of Clade D Symbiodinium relative to Clade C. Phylogenetic, ecological and population genetic data further indicate that Clade D has undergone an adaptive radiation, especially in regions around Southeast Asia, during the Pleistocene.     

Zoogeography of the coral reef fishes of the Socotra Archipelago

Fish communities and habitats were studied at the Socotra archipelago (Gulf of Aden, ≈12°N 54°E). Extensive and unexpected hermatypic coral communities were recorded, at the centre of a 2200 km gap in knowledge of species and habitat distributions which coincides with a change from a western Indian Ocean coral reef fauna to an Arabian one. The fish assemblage associated with the Socotra archipelago corals is predominantly south Arabian. An east African influence, minimal on the mainland coasts of Arabia, is more evident here, and results in previously unrecorded sympatry between Arabian endemic species and their Indian Ocean sister taxa. A study of distributions of Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes) in the north-western Indian Ocean reveals a number of distinct patterns, with a trend for species replacement along a track from the northern Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. A major feature of the reef fish zoogeography of the region is found to be a distinct south Arabian area, characterized by a 'pseudo-high latitude effect' which results from seasonal cold water upwelling along the Arabian sea coasts of Yemen and Oman and the Indian Ocean coast of Somalia. This south Arabian feature is consistent across a wide range of fish families. It is most pronounced in Oman and Yemen, and although it is the dominant influence at Socotra it is slightly 'diluted' here by the east African influence. The south Arabian area wholly or partly accounts for most of the major marine zoogeographic features around Arabia, and is the principal feature fragmenting Arabian coastal fish assemblages, and separating them from those of the wider Indo-west Pacific.     

Length–weight relationships of three fish species of coral reef fishes from the northeastern of the Persian Gulf

The investigation presents length–weight relationships for three coral reef fish species: Cephalopholis formosa (Shaw, 1812); Chaetodon nigropunctatus Sauvage, 1880; and Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775). The specimens were captured between April to August 2015 by spear‐gun and wire trap (mesh size: 35 mm) in coral reefs of the northeastern areas of the Persian Gulf.     

Connecting the dots: Bridging genetic and spatial differentiation of the genus Eumerus (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Mediterranean Basin and Balkans

In this study, we explored intraspecific genetic differentiation of hoverfly species of the genus Eumerus with regard to landscape discontinuities (due to paleogeological events), isolation‐by‐distance, evolutionary processes, and Quaternary climatic oscillations. We unveil genetically diverging regions and discuss the potential driving forces that gave rise to these spatial genetic patterns. We generated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) barcodes for 274 individuals of nine Eumerus species, sampled from 58 localities in the Mediterranean and Balkans. Spatially explicit Bayesian clustering, correlation tests between geographic and genetic distances (presence of isolation‐by‐distance), median neighbor‐joining haplotype networks, and landscape shape interpolation analyses were employed to investigate spatial genetic patterns. Bayesian clustering generated one to three genetic clusters with high posterior probability values. We also observed high mtDNA haplotype diversity consisting of unique and shared haplotypes, as well as starlike mtDNA haplotype patterns. The mtDNA haplotype network was consistent with species distributions and Bayesian clustering for four tested species. The Mantel tests confirmed the absence of isolation‐by‐distance in seven species. We identified genetically diverging areas through our landscape shape interpolation analyses. Five species displayed neither spatial genetic patterns nor evidence of isolation‐by‐distance, indicative of relict taxa. Our study is the first broad‐ and large‐scale study of Eumerus species in the Mediterranean and Balkans; it reveals spatial genetic clusters in four species and identifies the potential factors driving those patterns.     

Highly differentiated population structure of a Mangrove species, Bruguiera gymnorhiza (Rhizophoraceae) revealed by one nuclear GapCp and one chloroplast intergenic spacer trnF–trnL

To evaluate the genetic diversity of a mangrove species and clarify the genetic structure of its populations, we studied nucleotide polymorphism in two DNA regions of Bruguiera gymnorhiza collected from the southern islands of Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Micronesia, and India. The two DNA sequences were the chloroplast (cp) intergenic spacer between trnL and trnF genes (ca. 300 bp), and a part (ca. 550 bp) of the nuclear gene coding for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GapCp). Little polymorphism was found within each of the three geographical regions, Pacific Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Throughout the vast regions east of the Malay peninsula including Indonesia, Thailand, Micronesia and the southern islands of Japan (Pacific Ocean), essentially only one haplotype (apart from variation in number of a T repeat) was present. A second haplotype was present on the western coast of Malay Peninsula and the eastern coast of India (Bay of Bengal). On the southwest of Malay Peninsula both of these haplotypes were present. Finally a third haplotype was found only on the western coast of India (Arabian Sea). When taken over all geographic populations, total nucleotide variation within the species was large (μ = 0.006, average of the two genes). Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that this low genetic diversity within any local population and differentiation between the different oceans or regions are caused by very low gene flow between each of the different oceans coupled with frequent fluctuation of population sizes due to the change in sea level. The significance of these results is discussed from evolutionary point of the mangrove forests.     

Phylogenetic affinities of the Iraqi populations of Saw-scaled vipers of the genus Echis (Serpentes: Viperidae), revealed by sequences of mtDNA genes

The Saw-scaled vipers of the species Echis carinatus range from Sri Lanka and India westwards to Iraq, including the eastern Arabian Peninsula. We collected the species in southern Iraq and compared two mtDNA genes (16S and Cyt b) with other populations of this species and with other species of the genus. Analyses of both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference confirmed E. carinatus as a monophyletic species. The samples from Iraq cluster with populations of the species from Pakistan and UAE. Populations from India, however, are situated in a separate phylogenetic lineage. This can be explained by the geographic barriers between western (Iraq, Pakistan and UAE) and eastern (India) populations of the species. Soleyman Mountain in southern Pakistan is the main barrier between them and its role is reflected in the genetic distance between populations.     

A reappraisal of the systematic affinities of Socotran,Arabian and East African scops owls (Otus,Strigidae) using a combination of molecular,biometric and acoustic data

We investigated phylogenetic relationships among Otus scops owls from Socotra Island, the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa using molecular, vocalization and biometric data. The Socotra Scops Owl Otus senegalensis socotranus, currently treated as a subspecies of the African Scops Owl Otus senegalensis, is more closely related to the Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia and to the endemic Seychelles Scops Owl Otus insularis. Considerable mitochondrial genetic distance and significant morphological differentiation from its two closest relatives, as well as its distinctive vocalizations compared with O. insularis, strongly support recognition of Socotra Scops Owl as a full species. Unexpectedly, two taxa from the Arabian Peninsula, Pallid Scops Owl Otus brucei and African Scops Owl Otus senegalensis pamelae, represent very distinct lineages; O. brucei is basal to a clade that includes taxa found in the Indo‐Malayan region and on Indian Ocean islands. In contrast, O. s. pamelae occupies a well‐supported basal position within a clade of continental Afro‐Palaearctic taxa. The uncorrected‐p genetic distance between O. s. pamelae and its closest relatives (other populations of senegalensis from mainland Africa) is c. 4%. As O. s. pamelae is also well differentiated phylogenetically, morphologically and vocally from O. s. senegalensis, we recommend its elevation to species status, as Otus pamelae. Among mainland African O. senegalensis subspecies, Ethiopian populations appear to represent the most divergent lineage, whereas other lineages from Somalia, Kenya and South Africa are poorly differentiated. The large genetic distance between the Ethiopian haplotype and other African haplotypes (3.2%) suggests that the Ethiopian Otus may represent a cryptic taxon, and we recommend that more individuals be sampled to assess the taxonomic status of this population.     

Molecular phylogenetics of slit‐faced bats (Chiroptera: Nycteridae) reveal deeply divergent African lineages

The bat family Nycteridae contains only the genus Nycteris, which comprises 13 currently recognized species from Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, one species from Madagascar, and two species restricted to Malaysia and Indonesia in South‐East Asia. We investigated genetic variation, clade membership, and phylogenetic relationships in Nycteridae with broad sampling across Africa for most clades. We sequenced mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) and four independent nuclear introns (2,166 bp) from 253 individuals. Although our samples did not include all recognized species, we recovered at least 16 deeply divergent monophyletic lineages using independent mitochondrial and multilocus nuclear datasets in both gene tree and species tree analyses. Mean pairwise uncorrected genetic distances among species‐ranked Nycteris clades (17% for cytb and 4% for concatenated introns) suggest high levels of phylogenetic diversity in Nycteridae. We found a large number of designated clades whose members are distributed wholly or partly in East Africa (10 of 16 clades), indicating that Nycteris diversity has been historically underestimated and raising the possibility that additional unsampled and/or undescribed Nycteris species occur in more poorly sampled Central and West Africa. Well‐resolved mitochondrial, concatenated nuclear, and species trees strongly supported African ancestry for SE Asian species. Species tree analyses strongly support two deeply diverged subclades that have not previously been recognized, and these clades may warrant recognition as subgenera. Our analyses also strongly support four traditionally recognized species groups of Nycteris. Mitonuclear discordance regarding geographic population structure in Nycteris thebaica appears to result from male‐biased dispersal in this species. Our analyses, almost wholly based on museum voucher specimens, serve to identify species‐rank clades that can be tested with independent datasets, such as morphology, vocalizations, distributions, and ectoparasites. Our analyses highlight the need for a comprehensive revision of Nycteridae.