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Isoperla riverae sp. n. is described from the southeastern USA. The new species is proposed based on details of the adult habitus, male aedeagus, vesicle, female subgenital plate, ovum chorion, and larval habitus. Supporting data includes color images, scanning electron micrographs, genetic analysis of DNA barcodes, and comparative morphology of cognate species. The larva of Isoperla lenati Szczytko & Kondratieff, 2015 is also described supported by color images.

Two new species of stream-dwelling crayfish, Cambarus lapidosus, the Stony Fork Crayfish, and Cambarus burchfielae, the Falls Crayfish, are described from the Yadkin River basin in western North Carolina, USA, using an integrative taxonomic approach consisting of morphological, genetic, and biogeographic data. Both species were previously considered to be members of the widely distributed Cambarus species C complex, which occurs throughout mid-Atlantic Slope river basins; however, they are in fact morphologically and genetically more similar to the Cambarus robustus species complex from interior basins in the south-central Appalachians, indicating Atlantic basin stream capture of an Interior basin faunal group has occurred in this region. Both new species described herein can be differentiated from these two complexes, and each other, by several morphological characteristics. Cambarus lapidosus and C. burchfielae are differentiated from C. species C by the absence of cervical spines and the presence of 1–2 subpalmar tubercles on the chelae in most specimens; both species are less-punctate across the areola than C. aff. robustus. Cambarus burchfielae is further differentiated from C. lapidosus, C. species C, and C. aff. robustus by the presence of a narrower and sparsely punctate areola, a single weak row of tubercles on the mesial margin of the palm, and the absence of tubercles on the dorsal surface of the dactyl. The newly described species are genetically sister taxa and together are most similar by genetic distance to undescribed members of the C. robustus species complex from the nearby (~30 km) Watauga River basin and most phylogenetically similar to C. aff. robustus from the adjacent New River basin; both are interior basin drainages. The newly-described species are endemic to the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina and have restricted distributions (

Species reintroductions are successful when established populations maintain both demographic stability and genetic diversity. Such a result may be obtained by ensuring both structural habitat connectivity and genetic connectivity among reintroduced and remnant populations. Nevertheless, prezygotic barriers such as assortative mating can prevent the flow of genetic material between populations, even when migration between populations is high. Limited gene flow may be particularly relevant for reintroductions that were sourced either from captive-bred populations or from disparate locations in the wild. American martens (Martes americana) have been reintroduced repeatedly in the Upper Midwestern United States in an effort to establish self-sustaining populations. We quantified levels of genetic diversity within and spatial genetic variance among four marten populations during two time periods separated by 10 years. Spatially informed and naïve discriminant analysis of principal components were used to assign individuals to populations. Results indicate that heterozygosity declined and inbreeding coefficients increased between the two collection periods, while genetic structure among populations also increased. Data are consistent with assortative mating contributing to reapportioning of genetic variation. Population assignment tests show that migration among populations is apparent, but admixture (based on cluster membership probabilities) is low and declined over time. Specifically, martens may be successfully dispersing between populations but a lack of admixture indicates a lack of reproductive contributions to genetic diversity by migrants. Because marten reintroductions in this region are well-documented and well-monitored, lessons can be derived from results to inform future reintroductions. We encourage a careful balance of supplementing genetic diversity via augmentation while avoiding translocation of animals from disparate populations that may result in reproductive isolation of migrants. In combination with the maintenance of a functionally connected landscape, this strategy would maximize the likelihood of a successful reintroduction in terms both of demography and genetics.

A new species of branchiobdellidan, Pterodrilus leiteri n. sp., is described from the anterior cephalothorax of the crayfish Cambarus longulus from north-western North Carolina, USA. Like its 10 co...

Rapid environmental change is reshaping ecosystems and driving species loss globally. Carnivore populations have declined and retracted rapidly and have been the target of numerous translocation projects. Success, however, is complicated when these efforts occur in novel ecosystems. Identifying refuges, locations that are resistant to environmental change, within a translocation framework should improve population recovery and persistence. American martens (Martes americana) are the most frequently translocated carnivore in North America. As elsewhere, martens were extirpated across much of the Great Lakes region by the 1930s and, despite multiple translocations beginning in the 1950s, martens remain of regional conservation concern. Surprisingly, martens were rediscovered in 2014 on the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior after a putative absence of >40 yr. To identify the source of martens to the islands and understand connectivity of the reintroduction network, we collected genetic data on martens from the archipelago and from all regional reintroduction sites. In total, we genotyped 483 individual martens, 43 of which inhabited the Apostle Islands (densities 0.42-1.46 km-2 ). Coalescent analyses supported the contemporary recolonization of the Apostle Islands with progenitors likely originating from Michigan, which were sourced from Ontario. We also identified movements by a first-order relative between the Apostle Islands and the recovery network. We detected some regional gene flow, but in an unexpected direction: individuals moving from the islands to the mainland. Our findings suggest that the Apostle Islands were naturally recolonized by progeny of translocated individuals and now act as a source back to the reintroduction sites on the mainland. We suggest that the Apostle Islands, given its protection from disturbance, complex forest structure, and reduced carnivore competition, will act as a potential refuge for marten along their trailing range boundary and a central node for regional recovery. Our work reveals that translocations, even those occurring along southern range boundaries, can create recovery networks that function like natural metapopulations. Identifying refuges, locations that are resistant to environmental change, within these recovery networks can further improve species recovery, even within novel environments. Future translocation planning should a priori identify potential refuges and sources to improve short-term recovery and long-term persistence.

The biological changes caused by autotriploidy are poorly studied in animals. To investigate this issue in depth, we compared genetics, morphology, life history, ecology and behaviour of the triploid marbled crayfish and its diploid parent, slough crayfish Procambarus fallax. We performed a meta-analysis of our data and literature data. Our COI based molecular tree, consisting of 27 species of Cambaridae, confirmed the close taxonomic relationship between marbled crayfish and P. fallax. Comparison of both crayfish revealed similarities in mitochondrial gene sequences, morphological characters, colouration, body proportions and behaviours. Considerable differences were recorded with respect to chromosome number in somatic cells, haploid genome size, DNA methylation level, body size, fecundity, longevity, population size structure, invasiveness, and the range of inhabited biomes. These differences have dimensions that are otherwise only observed between species supporting earlier proposed raising of marbled crayfish from P. fallax forma virginalis to a new species named Procambarus virginalis. Particularly noteworthy is the enhancement of the fitness traits that probably resulted from evolutionary changes in gene expression. These alterations and the transition from sexual reproduction to parthenogenesis are likely responsible for the increased invasiveness of marbled crayfish in tropical to cold-temperate biomes.

Leeches (Hirudinida) comprise a charismatic, yet often maligned group of organisms. Despite their ecological, economic, and medical importance, a general consensus on the phylogenetic relationships of major hirudinidan lineages is lacking. This absence of a consistent, robust phylogeny of early-diverging lineages has hindered our understanding of the underlying processes that enabled evolutionary diversification of this clade. Here, we used an anchored hybrid enrichment-based phylogenomic approach, capturing hundreds of loci to investigate phylogenetic relationships among major hirudinidan lineages and their closest living relatives. Our results suggest that a dramatic reinterpretation of early leech evolution is warranted. We recovered Branchiobdellida as sister to a clade that includes all major lineages of hirudinidans, but found Acanthobdella to be nested within Oceanobdelliformes. These results cast doubt on the utility of Acanthobdella as a “missing link” used to explain the origin of blood-feeding in hirudineans. Further, our results support a deep divergence between predominantly marine and freshwater lineages, while not supporting the reciprocal monophyly of jawed and proboscis-bearing leeches. To sum up, our phylogenomic resolution of early-diverging leeches provides a necessary foundation for illuminating the evolution of host–symbiont associations and key adaptations that have allowed leeches to colonize a wide diversity of habitats worldwide.

Xironogiton, a genus of crayfish worm (order Branchiobdellida), is historically endemic to North America. To date, six species of Xironogiton have been described, including five and one from areas ...

Crayfishes are among the most imperiled freshwater taxa in North America with nearly 50% of US species at some level of conservation concern. The southern Appalachian Mountains of the US are home to the greatest crayfish diversity in the world. In the fall of 2019, the West Liberty University Crayfish Conservation Laboratory conducted surveys in the Lower Tennessee-Beech subbasin. Within the Indian Creek watershed, Faxonius sp. was found which we believe is an evolutionary significant unit (ESU) based on genetic and morphological data. Data is currently being compiled and analyzed with NatureServe’s Conservation Rank Calculator to determine the degree of imperilment of Faxonius sp. However, field surveys of the Indian Creek watershed and surrounding areas indicate Faxonius sp. has a narrow range and is not locally abundant. We believe that habitat competition from F. compressus and F. durelli has forced Faxonius sp. into headwaters of the Indian Creek watershed. Thus, Faxonius sp. is a punitive taxon in need of immediate conservation attention.

The Snake River Pilose Crayfish, Pacifastacus connectens (Faxon 1914), previously known only from the middle Snake River drainage in south-central Idaho west to the Harney Basin in southeastern Oregon, was discovered in the lower Deschutes River in north-central Oregon co-occurring with Signal Crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana 1852). Two groups of obligate ectosymbionts (i.e., entocytherid ostracods and branchiobdellidans) associated with these 2 Pacifastacus species displayed asymmetrical patterns of host switching, with host exchange primarily occurring from P. leniusculus onto P. connectens. Our results have implications for understanding patterns of host specificity over short ecological timescales but also raise questions about the persistence of these patterns over time.

An understanding of host-parasite interactions represents an important, but often overlooked, axis for predicting how marine biodiversity may be impacted by continued environmental change over the next century. For host and parasite communities in the Southern Ocean, investigations of many major groups of parasites have largely been limited to taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, creating an urgent need for the collection of baseline ecological data if we are to detect changes in host-parasite interactions in the future. Here, we survey three species of Crocodile icefish (Notothenioidei: Channichthyidae) collected from two island archipelagos in Antarctica’s South Scotia Arc region for evidence of leech infestations. Specifically, we report on infestation prevalence and intensity of three leech species (Trulliobdella bacilliformis, Trulliobdella capitis, and Nototheniobdella sawyeri) on the host fish species Chaenocephalus aceratus, Champsocephalus gunnari, and Chionodraco rastrospinosus. Additionally, we characterize spatial patterns of relative abundances of each leech species across the Elephant and South Orkney Islands, size distribution of parasitized fish, and patterns of host and attachment site specificity. Our results reveal high levels of attachment area fidelity for each leech species. These results suggest skin thickness and density of the vascular network constrain leech attachment sites and further suggest trophic transmission to be an important axis of parasitization. We also demonstrate that, while leech species appear to be clustered spatially, this clustering does not appear to be correlated with fish biomass. This study illuminates the complex interactions among fish hosts and leech parasites in the Southern Ocean and lays the groundwork for future studies of Antarctic marine leech ecology that can aid in forecasting how host-parasite interactions may shift in the face of ongoing climate change., Sí

International audience; Clitellata is a major clade of Annelida comprising nearly all freshwater and terrestrial annelids as well as several marine species. We investigated clitellate phylogenetic relationships using transcriptomes sampled from 74 taxa (64 clitellates and 10 poly- chaetes), including multiple representatives of nearly all major clitellate higher taxa (Branchiobdellida, Capilloventridae, Crassiclitellata, Enchytraeidae, Haplotaxidae, Hirudinida, Lumbriculida, Moniligastridae, Naididae, Parvidrilidae, Phreodrilidae, Propappidae and Randiellidae). We used a number of filtered data matrices and phylogenetic analyses to examine the effects of data partitioning, missing data and compositional and branch-length heterogeneity and used the resulting phylogenies for divergence time estimation and ancestral habitat reconstructions. All analyses and filtering methods produced a consistent, strongly supported topology in which (a) Enchytraeidae, Hirudinida, Hirudinea (here, Branchiobdellida plus Hirudinida), Lumbriculida, Lumbriculata (Lumbriculida plus Hirudinea), Phreodrilidae and Naididae are monophyletic, (b) a Parvidrilidae + Randiellidae clade is sister to the rest of Clitellata, (c) Phreodrilidae is sister to Naididae, (d) Haplotaxidae is non-mono- phyletic, with some haplotaxids grouping with Crassiclitellata + Moniligastridae, (e) the Phreodrilidae + Naididae clade is sister to all other clitellates except Parvidrilidae + Randiellidae and Capilloventridae, and (f) Lumbriculata is sister to the Crassiclitellata + Moniligastridae + Haplotaxidae (in part) clade. Ancestral habitat reconstructions and divergence time analysis suggested that the most recent common ancestor of Clitellata lived in freshwater during the Devonian (419–359 million years ago) and that all major extant clitellate lineages arose over the next ~150 million years, with multiple lineages subsequently returning to marine habitats or invading land. This study provides a phylogenetic framework for further investi- gation of the geological, environmental and biotic forces and genomic changes that may have impacted clitellate evolution and enabled several major habitat transitions within this group.

Rhynobrissus cuneus, a small, irregular sea urchin, was originally described from 5 tests washed onto the beach at Fort Macon, NC, and it has been reported only once since, from 7 specimens collected from Playa Jicacal, Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Here we record R. cuneus from Buxton Beach, Dare County, NC, ∼124 km (77 mi) directly northeast of the 1957 record. This is only the third report of R. cuneus and represents the northernmost record of the species. Specimens were found as empty tests washed ashore, most likely a result of recent beach-restoration activities.

Major habitat transitions, such as those from marine to freshwater habitats or from aquatic to terrestrial habitats, have occurred infrequently in animal evolution and may represent a barrier to diversification. Identifying genomic events associated with these transitions can help us better understand mechanisms that allow animals to cross these barriers and diversify in new habitats. Study of the Capitella telata and Helobdella robusta genomes allows examination of one such habitat transition (marine to freshwater) in Annelida. Initial examination of these genomes indicated that the freshwater leech H. robusta contains many more copies (12) of the sodium–potassium pump alpha-subunit (Na + /K + -ATPase) gene than does the marine polychaete C. telata (2). The sodium–potassium pump plays a key role in maintenance of cellular ionic balance and osmoregulation, and Na + /K + -ATPase duplications may have helped annelids invade and diversify in freshwater habitats. To assess whether the timing of Na + /K + -ATPase duplications coincided with the marine-to-freshwater transition in Clitellata, we used transcriptomic data from 18 annelid taxa, along with the two genomes, to infer a species phylogeny and identified Na + /K + -ATPase gene transcripts in order to infer the timing of gene duplication events using tree-based methods. The inferred timing of Na + /K + -ATPase duplication events is consistent with the timing of the initial marine-to-freshwater transition early in the history of clitellate annelids, supporting the hypothesis that gene duplications may have played a role in the annelid diversification into freshwater habitats. © 2019 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2019 European Society For Evolutionary Biology

A new species of stream-dwelling crayfish, Cambarus franklini, the South Mountains crayfish, is described from the upper South Fork Catawba River basin in western North Carolina, USA using morphological and genetic data. Cambarus franklini was previously considered a member of the widespread and morphologically variable Cambarus species C complex and is morphologically most similar to an undiagnosed member of the group native to the upper Catawba River basin in NC. Cambarus franklini can be differentiated from this species group by several morphological characteristics including: lacking a well-defined double row of tubercles along the mesial margin of the palm, possessing a more weakly convergent and longer acumen, and conspicuous blue-green and red coloration, particularly throughout the telson and along the distal margins of the rami. This species is phylogenetically most similar to Cambarus johni, Cooper, 2006, another former member of the Cambarus species C group. Cambarus franklini has a limited geographic range (

Cambarus acuminatus was described by Walter Faxon in 1884 from three specimens collected in the Saluda River in northwestern South Carolina, USA; a form II male and two females. The types have since disappeared or deteriorated so as to be taxonomically useless. Cambarus acuminatus sensu lato has been acknowledged to comprise a species complex known as Cambarus sp. C. This complex ranges across much of the Piedmont Plateau and Coastal Plain from central South Carolina to Maryland and southeastern Pennsylvania. Because C. acuminatus lacks taxonomically useful type material and a detailed description, taxonomic reassessment and revision of this species complex has been problematic. For these reasons, we redescribed C. acuminatus based on modern standards for astacoidean crayfishes and provide a revised circumscription of the species. This lays the groundwork necessary for future taxonomic and phylogenetic work involving the C. sp. C complex.

Entocythere cambaria was described by William S. Marshall in 1903 as the first species in what would later become family Entocytheridae. Designated as the type species of Entocythere both by original designation and monotypy, E. cambaria is integral to understanding relationships within the genus. Yet, a type series for E. cambaria was not designated, and specimens used by Marshall to describe the species have since been deemed no longer extant. C.W. Hart Jr. and Dabney Hart assigned a neotype for E. cambaria in 1974, but this specimen was not catalogued into the Invertebrate Zoology Collection at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, and subsequently disappeared. A specimen, which we believe to be Hart and Hart’s intended neotype, was recently discovered, giving us the opportunity to clarify the neotype designation of E. cambaria, and provide a complete description based on modern standards for podocopid ostracods. In addition, based on careful scrutiny of numerous specimens, including the types, we synonymize Entocythere illinoisensis with E. cambaria, and describe in full for the time the adult female of the species.

Cambarus acuminatus was described by Walter Faxon in 1884 from three specimens collected from the Saluda River in northwestern South Carolina, USA. Cambarus acuminatus sensu lato has since been acknowledged to comprise a species complex. This complex, also known as Cambarus sp. C, spans a range across much of the Piedmont Plateau and Coastal Plain from central South Carolina north to Maryland and southeastern Pennsylvania. A primary impediment to a much-needed thorough taxonomic assessment and revision of C. sp. C is the absence of taxonomically useful type material of C. acuminatus coupled with the lack of a detailed description of the species. Here we provide a redescription of C. acuminatus based on modern standards for astacoidean crayfishes in the genus Cambarus and emend the circumscription of the species, thereby laying the groundwork necessary for future taxonomic and phylogenetic work within, and involving, the C. sp. C complex.

Ostracods of the family Entocytheridae are obligate ectosymbionts, primarily of crayfishes. Although the distribution and diversity of crayfishes is well known in the northeastern US, little is known about entocytherids in this region. In this study, we examined 5 species of crayfishes—Procambarus acutus (White River Crayfish), Orconectes limosus (Spinycheek Crayfish), Orconectes propinquus (Northern Clearwater Crayfish), Cambarus bartonii (Common Crayfish), and Cambarus robustus (Big Water Crayfish)—from 3 counties in New York (Saratoga, Orange, and Tompkins) and 8 counties in New Jersey (Essex, Sussex, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean). We recovered 2 species of entocytherid ostracods: Donnaldsoncythere cayugaensis and Donnaldsoncythere donnaldsonensis. Records from our study expand the known range of D. cayuagensis and fill in gaps in the known range of D. donnaldsonensis.

Five male entocytherid ostracods of four different species recovered from signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus were observed exhibiting false mating behaviors with either another adult male, an A1 sub-adult male, or an A3 juvenile of indeterminate species and sex. In all five instances, the ostracod being mated was not sclerotized, indicating recent molt. In one case, a male of Uncinocythere thektura was observed in false copulation with an A1 male of a different species, U. occidentalis, suggesting that taxonomic designations of females in mixed populations of Uncinocythere can be problematic. Possible reasons for false mating behavior include stress of being confined post-collection, lack of available females, or possibly males mistaking non-sclerotized partners for A1 females.

Barriers to dispersal influence the ability of individuals to expand into new areas and can ultimately define success of reintroduction programs. American marten (Martes americana) were reintroduced to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, from multiple, genetically differentiated source populations from 1955 to 1992. Previous research found multiple genetic clusters near release sites with little admixing, suggesting barriers to dispersal exist. We sought to identify whether the contact zones between genetic clusters coincided with landscape features hypothesized to influence M. americana dispersal. We also investigated whether the degree of landscape contiguity within each genetic cluster differed among clusters. We mapped cluster boundaries in M. americana genetic assignment probabilities and used correlation length as a measure of landscape contiguity between genetic clusters. We then evaluated the effects of land cover and roads on spatial genetic structure using a spatial autoregressive model. We found that gene flow was facilitated by contiguous coniferous forest and low incidence of roads. However, the strength of those relationships varied by genetic cluster. Contact zones among some genetic clusters spatially coincided with areas of high road and low conifer contiguity, compared to within-clusters. In contrast to landscape genetic analyses focused on identifying barriers to gene flow, we incorporated methods that are relatively novel in landscape genetics to quantify how landscape contiguity influences spatial genetic structure. Using this method we were able to identify landscape barriers to dispersal at the genetic cluster boundaries for a reintroduced species distributed continuously across the landscape.

The obligately parthenogenetic marbled crayfish, Procambarus virginalis, is the first formally described asexual species of the Crustacea Decapoda. It is a triploid descendant of the sexually reproducing slough crayfish, Procambarus fallax. Here we describe the morphology of cultured and wild marbled crayfish of wide size ranges in detail and photodocument all taxonomically relevant characters. Some morphological traits and coloration showed considerable variation within populations despite the monoclonal nature of marbled crayfish. There were also significant differences between wild and laboratory populations with respect to body proportions, coloration and spination. Comparison with Procambarus fallax revealed no qualitative morphological characters that unambiguously identify the marbled crayfish. Analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) and nuclear microsatellites of marbled crayfish and Procambarus fallax from different sources indicated that the tri-allelic microsatellite PclG-02 is better suitable than COI to identify the marbled crayfish. A respective identification key is provided. The COI and microsatellites of Procambarus fallax from different areas of Florida and southern Georgia suggest that the parents of the first marbled crayfish may have come from northern Union County, northern Florida.

Ostracods of the family Entocytheridae are obligate ectosymbionts of other crustaceans, including crayfishes, isopods, amphipods, and a species of freshwater crab. Entocytheridae, with five subfamilies, 35 genera, and 213 currently accepted species, represents one the most diverse groups of extant freshwater ostracods. Here, we present the results of an extensive literature review, documenting the often complex historical taxonomic activity and resulting classification of Entocytheridae. This overview highlights inconsistencies, errors, and additional sources of confusion that have been inadvertently introduced into the literature, a number of which have remained uncorrected for decades. Also provided is a comprehensive checklist of taxonomic nomenclature and a list of currently accepted names in Entocytheridae.

The marbled crayfish is the only obligately parthenogenetic decapod crustacean and a novel research model and invasive animal on three continents. It is regarded either as a parthenogenetic form of slough crayfishProcambarus fallaxor as a separate species namedProcambarus virginalis.In order to investigate the species question of this unusual crayfish in detail we have identified the similarities and differences in morphology, life history, genetics, behaviour, ecology and biogeography between marbled crayfish and its most likely parent speciesP. fallax.We have investigated specimens from natural habitats, laboratory colonies and museum collections and performed a meta-analysis of our data and published data. OurCOIbased molecular tree with 27 Cambaridae confirms closest relationship of marbled crayfish withP. fallax.Marbled crayfish andP. fallaxare similar with respect to morphological characters, coloration and body proportions, but differ considerably with respect to body size, fertility and longevity. The mitochondrial genes of both crayfish are similar, but ploidy level and haploid genome size are markedly different. Both crayfish are eurytopic and have two major annual recruitment periods, but marbled crayfish show different population structure and higher invasiveness. Marbled crayfish occur in tropical to cold temperate habitats of the old world, butP. fallaxis confined to subtropical and warm-temperate habitats of the southeastern USA. Cross-breeding experiments with both crayfish revealed reproductive isolation. The application of the Evolutionary Genetic Species Concept for asexuals to all available data supports raising marbled crayfish from “forma” to species rank. A determination key is provided to discriminateProcambarus virginalis, the first asexual decapod species, from its parent speciesP. fallax.

Cambarus polypilosus sp. nov. is a stream-dwelling crayfish endemic to tributaries in the Buffalo and lower Duck River drainage, and a reach of the lower Tennessee River in the Western Highland Rim of West-Central Tennessee, U.S.A. The new species is closely allied to the three members of the former subgenus Glareocola, but can be differentiated from each by a combination of characters, including body size, coloration, spination, setation, and form I male gonopod morphology. Several meristic measurements and ratios also differentiate C. polypilosus sp. nov. from Cambarus friaufi, to which it is morphologically most similar. Cambarus polypilosus sp. nov. appears to be common in cherty gravel and cobble habitats, where it is typically found in interstices at depths of 0.3 m or more below the substrate surface.

International audience; Pontoscolex corethrurus is the most widespread earthworm species in tropical and sub-tropical zones and one of the most studied in soil science. Although, ecological interactions of P. corethrurus with its environment are well documented, the taxonomic status of the species remains unclear. In this study, we investigated phylogenetic relationships within the genus Pontoscolex, in particular focusing on morphologically indistinguishable (i.e., cryptic) lineages. A total of 792 specimens collected from 25 different countries and islands all over the world were analyzed using two mitochondrial (COI and 16S rDNA) and two nuclear (internal transcribed spacers 2 and 28S rDNA) markers, and a total of 11 morphological characters both internal and external were investigated in all genetically characterized lineages. A large-scale multilocus sequence data matrix was also obtained for Pontoscolex spp. specimens using the Anchored Hybrid Enrichment (AHE) method. Multilocus phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses, combined with species delimitation methods; including single locus (mPTP, ABGD) and multilocus (BPP) approaches, revealed congruent results. Four cryptic species were supported within the P. corethrurus species complex, and four potentially new species within the genus Pontoscolex. One widespread lineage (L1), within P. corethrurus complex was observed in the current population of Fritz Muller's garden where P. corethrurus was first described in 1856. Cryptic lineages were observed in sympatry at several localities. This, in combination with observed heteroplasmy in COI gene in one population raises an important question of reproductive isolation between these species.

Philobdella floridana, a species of leech in the family Macrobdellidae, occupies a broad, yet seemingly patchy, distribution in the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions of the southeastern US. A recent collection of an adult P. floridana from North Carolina gave us a unique opportunity to observe several poorly understood, and previously mischaracterized, aspects of the ecology of the species, including cocoon deposition, emergence of young from cocoons, and feeding behavior. In addition, we provide new records of P. floridana, extending its known distribution northward in both the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Our observations provide important insight into the reproduction, diet, and habitat of a widespread yet little understood leech species.

Major habitat transitions, such as those from marine to freshwater habitats or from aquatic to terrestrial habitats, have occurred infrequently in animal evolution and may represent a barrier to diversification. Identifying genomic events associated with these transitions can help us better understand mechanisms that allow animals to cross these barriers and diversify in new habitats. Study of the Capitella telata and Helobdella robusta genomes allows examination of one such habitat transition (marine to freshwater) in Annelida. Initial examination of these genomes indicated that the freshwater leech H. robusta contains many more copies (12) of the sodium-potassium pump alpha-subunit (Na

Targeted sampling efforts by the authors for the signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus, from its native range in the John Day River Basin, Oregon, U.S.A. yielded entocytherid ostracods with a male copulatory complex so clearly different from other entocytherines that a new genus, Aurumcythere gen. nov. is proposed to receive them. This newly proposed, apparently nonsclerotized, genus with hook and spur-like prominences of the posteroventral end of the peniferum is the first new genus of the subfamily Entocytherinae named since Hobbs & Peters described Aphelocythere (= Waltoncythere) in 1977. Aurumcythere gen. nov. represents only the second genus of entocytherid known from the Pacific Northwest. Lack of sclerotization in Aurumcythere gen. nov. provides new insight into poorly understood mating behaviors of entocytherid ostracods.

Background Earthworms (Crassiclitellata) are a diverse group of annelids of substantial ecological and economic importance. Earthworms are primarily terrestrial infaunal animals, and as such are probably rather poor natural dispersers. Therefore, the near global distribution of earthworms reflects an old and likely complex evolutionary history. Despite a long-standing interest in Crassiclitellata, relationships among and within major clades remain unresolved. Methods In this study, we evaluate crassiclitellate phylogenetic relationships using 38 new transcriptomes in combination with publicly available transcriptome data. Our data include representatives of nearly all extant earthworm families and a representative of Moniligastridae, another terrestrial annelid group thought to be closely related to Crassiclitellata. We use a series of differentially filtered data matrices and analyses to examine the effects of data partitioning, missing data, compositional and branch-length heterogeneity, and outgroup inclusion. Results and discussion We recover a consistent, strongly supported ingroup topology irrespective of differences in methodology. The topology supports two major earthworm clades, each of which consists of a Northern Hemisphere subclade and a Southern Hemisphere subclade. Divergence time analysis results are concordant with the hypothesis that these north-south splits are the result of the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. Conclusions These results support several recently proposed revisions to the classical understanding of earthworm phylogeny, reveal two major clades that seem to reflect Pangaean distributions, and raise new questions about earthworm evolutionary relationships.

Leeches (Hirudinida) comprise a charismatic, yet often maligned group of organisms. Despite their ecological, economic, and medical importance, a general consensus on the phylogenetic relationships of major hirudinidan lineages is lacking. This absence of a consistent, robust phylogeny of early-diverging lineages has hindered our understanding of the underlying processes that enabled evolutionary diversification of this clade. Here, we used an anchored hybrid enrichment-based phylogenomic approach, capturing hundreds of loci to investigate phylogenetic relationships among major hirudinidan lineages and their closest living relatives. Our results suggest that a dramatic reinterpretation of early leech evolution is warranted. We recovered Branchiobdellida as sister to a clade that includes all major lineages of hirudinidans, but found Acanthobdella to be nested within Oceanobdelliformes. These results cast doubt on the utility of Acanthobdella as a "missing link" used to explain the origin of blood-feeding in hirudineans. Further, our results support a deep divergence between predominantly marine and freshwater lineages, while not supporting the reciprocal monophyly of jawed and proboscis-bearing leeches. To sum up, our phylogenomic resolution of early-diverging leeches provides a necessary foundation for illuminating the evolution of host-symbiont associations and key adaptations that have allowed leeches to colonize a wide diversity of habitats worldwide.

North American crayfishes are hosts for 2 major groups of obligate ectosymbionts, namely annelids of the order Branchiobdellida and ostracods of the family Entocytheridae. These symbionts are widely distributed across the continent, coincident with their typical hosts; however, the diversity and distribution of both groups are poorly known in much of the northeastern US. We examined 93 crayfishes collected from 30 sites across New England for the presence of branchiobdellidans and entocytherids. We recovered 4 branchiobdellidan and 3 entocytherid species, with both groups displaying curiously dissimilar distributions. We present here the first published records of the branchiobdellidan Cambarincola vitreus in New England, the first record of the Procambarus acutus (White River Crayfish) from New Hampshire, and begin to fill substantial gaps in the known distribution of 2 major groups of obligate crayfish ectosymbionts.

Astacoidean crayfishes serve as hosts to obligate ectosymbiotic annelids called branchiobdellidans. Branchiobdellidans can act either as mutualistic cleaners or as ectoparasites and can have strong effects on crayfish growth and survivorship. This potentially vital aspect of crayfish biology has gone largely unexplored until recently. We reviewed the current state of knowledge regarding this symbiosis and examined factors that contribute to variability in the effects of branchiobdellidans on crayfish. We show that branchiobdellidans affect crayfish in various ways depending on branchiobdellidan species, abundance, and ecological context. We also discuss evidence for regulatory controls that crayfish exert over their symbionts and symbiont–host preferences. Last, we evaluate the utility and challenges of using the crayfish–branchiobdellidan association as a model system for ecological and evolutionary research and point to promising areas for future study. Further investigations of the complex inte...

Despite the importance of aquatic symbionts in community organization, often little is known about the relative role of host and environmental characteristics on symbiont abundance. We investigated the importance of environmental and host physical characteristics on the abundance of the branchiobdellidan, Branchiobdella kozarovi , on a population of narrow-clawed crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus , in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Crayfish from four sites in the Aras Dam Reservoir were sampled on 12 occasions during 2009. Abundance of B. kozarovi was modeled against water temperature, crayfish length, mass, and sex after controlling for temporal and spatial effects. The most parsimonious model indicates that B. kozarovi abundance was primarily related to water temperature but also increased linearly with host body length. We found that omitting water temperature dramatically decreased model performance while omitting host physical characteristics decreased model performance marginally. We recommend that ecologists consider both environmental and host physical characteristics when monitoring aquatic symbionts such as branchiobdellidans, as both types of factors will provide insight into community dynamics and guide future management strategies.

Northern crayfish, Orconectes virilis (Hagen, 1870), were collected from 89 sites across Alberta, Saskatche - wan, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The entocytherid ostracod Thermastrocythere riojai (Hoff, 1943) was found on O. virilis at 45 of the 89 sites, distributed primarily in the eastern and southern portion of the study area. These observations of T. riojai greatly extend the known range of the species. The widespread distribution of T. riojai suggests that the dearth of entocytherid records from other parts of Canada is a result of nontargeted sampling rather than true absence. In addition, we report on observations of 3 noteworthy associations of oligochaetes with their crayfish hosts. RESUMEN.—Se colectaron especimenes del acocil Orconectes virilis (Hagen, 1870) en 89 sitios a lo largo de Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota y Minnesota. Encontramos el ostracodo entociterido Thermastrocythere riojai (Hoff, 1943) en O. virilis en 45 de los 89 sitios, distribuidos principalmente en la parte sur y la parte este del area de estudio. Estas observaciones de T. riojai amplian considerablemente el area de distribucion conocida de esta especie. La distribucion extensa de T. riojai sugiere que la escasez de registros de entociteridos en otras partes de Canada es el resul- tado del muestreo inespecifico y no de una ausencia verdadera. Ademas, reportamos observaciones de 3 asociaciones sobre- salientes entre los oligoquetos y los acociles huespedes.

Considerable uncertainty often exists in estimates of demographic parameters based on data collected from harvested furbearer species. We used molecular genetic techniques to estimate rates of error in 2 methods of sex determination of harvested bobcats (Lynx rufus): manual examination of the carcass (field sex) and laboratory-based maximum canine root area (MRA sex). Error rates were high for both sexing techniques, and were associated with age and an age—sex interaction for the field and MRA sexing methods, respectively. These findings do not support the use of the field methods for identifying sex of harvested bobcats. The MRA method may be effective for determining sex of older bobcats but is limited by considerable overlap between sexes in juveniles and yearlings. If critical demographic parameters are estimated from harvest data, efforts should be made to identify and reduce rates of error before data are used to assess population status.

Branchiobdellidans, or crayfish worms, are species-rich in the Appalachian area of the southeastern United States. Even so, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) in the southern Appalachians has only one record of a branchiobdellidan species. As part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, we undertook a general survey of the branchiobdellidans in the GSMNP. Crayfish were collected from a total of 15 sites distributed across 11 watersheds in the GSMNP We identified a total of 10 species of branchiobdellidans: 1 species of Bdellodrilus, 1 species of Oedipodrilus, 2 species of Pterodrilus, 1 species of Xironodrilus, and 5 species of Cambarincola. The composition and number of species per site ranged from 0 to 6, and individual branchiobdellidan species occurrence ranged from 1 to 11 sites. Our results suggest that multiple factors affect distribution and occurrence on certain hosts. Study of specimens of Cambarincola holostomus Hoffman, 1963 enabled us to add new morphological characters ...

A re-description of Cambarincola bobbi Holt, 1988 is provided based on observations made during recent collections in the Cumberland River Watershed in Tennessee. The branchiobdellidan Pterodrilus robinae, a new species, is described, along with a refinement for identification of five additional Pterodrilus species. Diversity, sympatry, and range extensions of branchiobdellidans from three areas of the Cumberland River Watershed are reported.

Accurate determination of sex in harvested species is critical for understanding demography and developing population models for management. We used genetic-based sex identification to assess accuracy of external carcass and pelt examination at registration and maximum canine root area (MRA) to determine sex of American martens (Martes americana) trapped in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, 2000–2004. Overall percent similarity between MRA and genetic-based sex determination was 98.4% (n = 188). In contrast, only 84.6% (n = 421) of martens were similarly classified using external examination. For external examination, percent similarity to genetic-based sex determination for juveniles (

Reintroductions and translocations are increasingly used to repatriate or increase probabilities of persistence for animal and plant species. Genetic and demographic characteristics of founding individuals and suitability of habitat at release sites are commonly believed to affect the success of these conservation programs. Genetic divergence among multiple source populations of American martens (Martes americana) and well documented introduction histories permitted analyses of post-introduction dispersion from release sites and development of genetic clusters in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan

Orconectes virilis (northern crayfish) were collected from 67 sites in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and far-western Ontario, Canada, and yielded 2 species of branchiobdellidans, Cambarincola vitreus and Cambarincola chirocephalus. This is the first report of branchiobdellidans in the Prairie Provinces. Cambarincola vitreus was distributed across the study area, but C. chirocephalus appeared to be restricted to southeastern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, and the site in western Ontario. Neither branchiobdellidan species was observed on crayfish in the Beaver River or the South Saskatchewan River and associated tributaries upstream (west) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, despite multiple sampling at these locations.

Estimation of abundance is important for assessing population responses to management actions. Accurate abundance estimates are particularly critical for monitoring temporal variation following reintroductions when the management goal is to attain population sizes capable of sustaining harvest. Numerous reintroductions have taken place in the Great Lakes region of North America, including efforts to restore extirpated fishers (Martes pennanti) and American martens (M. americana). We used a DNA-based noninvasive hair-snaring method based on one trap design and trapping -grid configuration, and evaluated capture–mark–recapture (CMR) analytical approaches to simultaneously estimate population size for co-distributed fishers and American martens in a 671-km2 area of the Ottawa National Forest in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA. We included harvest as a final recapture period to increase probability of recapture and to evaluate potential violations of geographic closure assumptions. We us...

Molecular genetic techniques have been widely used to evaluate management actions, including the success of species reintroductions. However, conclusions drawn from genetic characterizations must be interpreted in the context of the sampling design and degree of uncertainty underlying genetic parameter estimation and assumptions of analyses performed. For example, failure to correctly identify and sample appropriate groups of individuals for comparative analyses will bias estimates of summary measures of genetic diversity, intersample variance in gene frequency, and derivations of effective population size or degree of reduction or bottlenecks in numerical abundance. We critically evaluate the foundational assumptions underlying the sampling design and analytical methods employed by Swanson and colleagues. Inaccuracies in reporting the founding population history of American marten (Martes americana) in Michigan and high levels of uncertainty underlying estimates of effective population size, bottleneck history, and demographic sustainability suggest that the authors' genetic data are misrepresented.

Symbionts are well known to have benefi cial and/or pathogenic effects on crayfi sh health, and as such assert direct impacts on freshwater ecosystems and commercial astaciculture. Several reviews (e.g., Vogt 1999, Evans and Edgerton 2002, Edgerton et al. 2002, Longshaw 2011, citations therein) provide valuable resources of information on crayfi sh symbionts ranging from viruses to arthropods. Although a useful starting point for interested researchers, these reviews may no longer accurately refl ect many recent shifts in our understanding of branchiobdellidan taxonomy, biology and hostsymbiont interactions. Branchiobdellidans, or crayfi sh worms (Fig. 23.1), comprise an order in which all known species are obligate ectosymbionts of freshwater crustaceans, primarily astacoidean crayfi shes. No free-living members are known (although see Holt 1973a, Timm 1991). Consequently, our understanding of branchiobdellidan ecology and evolution is inextricably intertwined with that of their crayfi sh hosts. Recent studies on branchiobdellidans have illuminated several errors and inaccuracies in earlier works. Consequently, our aim for this chapter is to provide an overview of current knowledge of branchiobdellidans, with a particular focus on aspects that are of interest to astacologists. For additional detail we direct readers to Gelder and Williams (2015).