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One survey was done with SCUBA diving in Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Northern Vietnam (December 2013) and another one at Nha Trang Bay Marine Protected Area, Nha Trang city, Central Vietnam and Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area, Kien Giang Province, Southern Vietnam (November 2014). Sixteen species of the genus Loxoconcha and fourteen species of the genus Xestoleberis were found and identified. Eight species of the genus Loxoconcha were identified in group A, three species in group B, two in group C and three unidentified. Meanwhile, twelve species of the genus Xestoleberis were classified in group A and two in group B according to phylogenetic groups. From geographical distribution of the pore groups of the species in two genera Loxoconcha and Xestoleberis showed that the fauna of these genera in Vietnam is close to those of southern part of Japanese Island Arc, i.e., from Amami Island to the Philippines and Australia rather than Japanese Island Arc faunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ostracod crustaceans are among the most abundant microfossil animals. Understanding intra- and interspecific variability of their shell is of pivotal importance for the interpretation of paleontological data. In comparison to appendages, ostracod shell displays more intraspecific variability (in shape, size, and ornamentation), often as a response to environmental conditions. Shell variability has been studied with sophisticated methods, such as geometric morphometrics (GM), but the conspecificity of examined specimens and populations was never tested. In addition, there are no GM studies of appendages. We build on previously published high cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) divergence rates among populations of a brackish water species, Ishizakiella miurensis (Hanai, 1957). With landmark-based GM analyses of its shell and appendages, and additional genetic markers (ITS, 28S, 18S), we test if the genetic variability is structured in morphospace. This approach is the core of integrative taxonomy paradigm which has been proposed to bring the gap between traditional taxonomy and other disciplines such as evolutionary biology. The results show that it is the shell shape, and not the shape of appendages, that mirrors the molecular phylogeny, and we describe a new species. Our results suggest that the landmark-based GM studies may be useful in paleontological datasets for closely related species delineation. We implement molecular clock and population statistics to discuss speciation processes and phylogeography of the two congeners in Korea and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ostracod crustaceans are among the most abundant microfossil animals. Understanding intra- and interspecific variability of their shell is of pivotal importance for the interpretation of paleontological data. In comparison to appendages, ostracod shell displays more intraspecific variability (in shape, size, and ornamentation), often as a response to environmental conditions. Shell variability has been studied with sophisticated methods, such as geometric morphometrics (GM), but the conspecificity of examined specimens and populations was never tested. In addition, there are no GM studies of appendages. We build on previously published high cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) divergence rates among populations of a brackish water species, Ishizakiella miurensis (Hanai, 1957). With landmark-based GM analyses of its shell and appendages, and additional genetic markers (ITS, 28S, 18S), we test if the genetic variability is structured in morphospace. This approach is the core of integrative taxonomy paradigm which has been proposed to bring the gap between traditional taxonomy and other disciplines such as evolutionary biology. The results show that it is the shell shape, and not the shape of appendages, that mirrors the molecular phylogeny, and we describe a new species. Our results suggest that the landmark-based GM studies may be useful in paleontological datasets for closely related species delineation. We implement molecular clock and population statistics to discuss speciation processes and phylogeography of the two congeners in Korea and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]