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Tropical Range Extension for the Temperate, Endemic South-Eastern Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus splendidus (Angas, 1864)

Tropical Range Extension for the Temperate, Endemic South-Eastern Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus splendidus (Angas, 1864)

Authors :
Anne E. Winters
Nerida G. Wilson
Karen L. Cheney
Source :
Diversity; Volume 8; Issue 3; Pages: 16, Diversity, Vol 8, Iss 3, p 16 (2016)
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2016.

Abstract

In contrast to many tropical animals expanding southwards on the Australian coast concomitant with climate change, here we report a temperate endemic newly found in the tropics. Chromodorid nudibranchs are bright, colourful animals that rarely go unnoticed by divers and underwater photographers. The discovery of a new population, with divergent colouration is therefore significant. DNA sequencing confirms that despite departures from the known phenotypic variation, the specimen represents northern Goniobranchus splendidus and not an unknown close relative. Goniobranchus tinctorius represents the sister taxa to G. splendidus. With regard to secondary defences, the oxygenated terpenes found previously in this specimen are partially unique but also overlap with other G. splendidus from southern Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW). The tropical specimen from Mackay contains extracapsular yolk like other G. splendidus. This previously unknown tropical population may contribute selectively advantageous genes to cold-water species threatened by climate change. Competitive exclusion may explain why G. splendidus does not strongly overlap with its widespread sister taxon.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14242818
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Diversity; Volume 8; Issue 3; Pages: 16
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....ea612f14122acc8629710a45b37a3a65
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/d8030016