Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers.
Asexuals are an important test case for theories of why species exist. If asexual clades displayed the same pattern of discrete variation as sexual clades, this would challenge the traditional view that sex is necessary for diversification into species. However, critical evidence has been lacking: a...
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2007-04-01
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doaj-193f83fc285f4c3ebd7bee934a9cde442021-07-02T13:59:40ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Biology1544-91731545-78852007-04-0154e8710.1371/journal.pbio.0050087Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers.Diego FontanetoElisabeth A HerniouChiara BoschettiManuela CaprioliGiulio MeloneClaudia RicciTimothy G BarracloughAsexuals are an important test case for theories of why species exist. If asexual clades displayed the same pattern of discrete variation as sexual clades, this would challenge the traditional view that sex is necessary for diversification into species. However, critical evidence has been lacking: all putative examples have involved organisms with recent or ongoing histories of recombination and have relied on visual interpretation of patterns of genetic and phenotypic variation rather than on formal tests of alternative evolutionary scenarios. Here we show that a classic asexual clade, the bdelloid rotifers, has diversified into distinct evolutionary species. Intensive sampling of the genus Rotaria reveals the presence of well-separated genetic clusters indicative of independent evolution. Moreover, combined genetic and morphological analyses reveal divergent selection in feeding morphology, indicative of niche divergence. Some of the morphologically coherent groups experiencing divergent selection contain several genetic clusters, in common with findings of cryptic species in sexual organisms. Our results show that the main causes of speciation in sexual organisms, population isolation and divergent selection, have the same qualitative effects in an asexual clade. The study also demonstrates how combined molecular and morphological analyses can shed new light on the evolutionary nature of species.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC1828144?pdf=render |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Diego Fontaneto Elisabeth A Herniou Chiara Boschetti Manuela Caprioli Giulio Melone Claudia Ricci Timothy G Barraclough |
spellingShingle |
Diego Fontaneto Elisabeth A Herniou Chiara Boschetti Manuela Caprioli Giulio Melone Claudia Ricci Timothy G Barraclough Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers. PLoS Biology |
author_facet |
Diego Fontaneto Elisabeth A Herniou Chiara Boschetti Manuela Caprioli Giulio Melone Claudia Ricci Timothy G Barraclough |
author_sort |
Diego Fontaneto |
title |
Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers. |
title_short |
Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers. |
title_full |
Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers. |
title_fullStr |
Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers. |
title_sort |
independently evolving species in asexual bdelloid rotifers. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
series |
PLoS Biology |
issn |
1544-9173 1545-7885 |
publishDate |
2007-04-01 |
description |
Asexuals are an important test case for theories of why species exist. If asexual clades displayed the same pattern of discrete variation as sexual clades, this would challenge the traditional view that sex is necessary for diversification into species. However, critical evidence has been lacking: all putative examples have involved organisms with recent or ongoing histories of recombination and have relied on visual interpretation of patterns of genetic and phenotypic variation rather than on formal tests of alternative evolutionary scenarios. Here we show that a classic asexual clade, the bdelloid rotifers, has diversified into distinct evolutionary species. Intensive sampling of the genus Rotaria reveals the presence of well-separated genetic clusters indicative of independent evolution. Moreover, combined genetic and morphological analyses reveal divergent selection in feeding morphology, indicative of niche divergence. Some of the morphologically coherent groups experiencing divergent selection contain several genetic clusters, in common with findings of cryptic species in sexual organisms. Our results show that the main causes of speciation in sexual organisms, population isolation and divergent selection, have the same qualitative effects in an asexual clade. The study also demonstrates how combined molecular and morphological analyses can shed new light on the evolutionary nature of species. |
url |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC1828144?pdf=render |
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