Suchergebnisse

The IUCN Red List assessments are essentially based on population trends and range, namely Area of Occupancy (AOO) and Extent of Occupancy (EOO). Range estimations are based on fixed grids, but this is likely inappropriate for species living in river networks. Furthermore, AOO and EOO are measured using the whole hydrographic network, therefore disregarding temporary sections, which is particularly problematic in arid and semi-arid regions. Here we mapped the permanent hydrographic network of Morocco using satellite imagery, complemented with field surveys to collect samples for molecular analyses of the five freshwater mussel species present and assess their distribution. The phylogeographic patterns are described for each species and used to identify priority areas and evolutionary significant units for conservation. Permanent hydrographic river sections represent only 18.3% of the whole hydrographic network. A north-to-south gradient of genetic diversity, species richness and distribution range was found, being coherent with water availability and river intermittence. Isolated evolutionary units were detected in southern basins that should also receive particular attention in conservation planning. We propose the mean river width multiplied by the extent of the river network as the best and the most adequate way to estimate both EOO and AOO. Given the worldwide degradation of freshwater systems and biodiversity, an accurate (re)assessment of species conservation status supported with maps of intermittent water bodies will be essential for prioritizing and guiding conservation actions and management plans, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. ; This work was partially supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under grant SFRH/BD/115728/2016 (MLL) and grant SFRH/BD/137935/2018 (AGS). This research was developed under ConBiomics: the missing approach for the Conservation of freshwater Bivalves Project N° NORTE-01-0145- FEDER-030286, co-financed by COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the ERDF, and by FCT through national funds. This study was additionally conducted within the scope of project "Biodiversity and conservation of the critically endangered freshwater mussels in Morocco: ecogeographic, genetic and physiological information", funded by Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (Reference 15256799) and project "Breeding the most endangered bivalve on Earth: Margaritifera marocana", funded by IUCN SOS save our species fund (Reference 2015B-015). Official capture and sampling licenses were issued by the Université Cadi Ayyad (Faculté des Sciences, Semlalia, Marrakech, Maroc). ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Freshwater mussels are a critically imperiled group of mollusks that play key ecological roles and provide important services to humans. The Ambleminae is the only subfamily of these mussels, endemic to North America. Complete mitogenomes have only been sequenced for two of five tribes of the subfamily. Pleurobema oviforme, Amblema plicata, and Popenaias popeii each belong to tribes Pleurobemini, Amblemini, and Popenaidini, respectively, and have not had published mitogenomes. Thus, this study aims to present the complete mitogenomes for these species, to provide a phylogeny of the Ambleminae and confirm the gene arrangements with representation from each of its tribes. The newly sequenced mitogenomes range from 15,852 to 15,993 nucleotides, are composed of 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs and all share the same (UF1) gene order. ; This work was supported by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [grant number ConBioMics/BI-Lic/2019-037 (JTT), grant number SFRH/BD/137935/2018 (AGS)]; COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the ERDF, and by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through national funds [UID/Multi/04423/2019] under project ConBiomics: the missing approach for the Conservation of Bivalves Project, and [project number NORTE-01- 0145-FEDER-030286]. Fieldwork in Texas was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) as a Joint Traditional Section 6 Project 407348. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Since historical times, the inherent human fascination with pearls turned the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) into a highly valuable cultural and economic resource. Although pearl harvesting in M. margaritifera is nowadays residual, other human threats have aggravated the species conservation status, especially in Europe. This mussel presents a myriad of rare biological features, e.g. high longevity coupled with low senescence and Doubly Uniparental Inheritance of mitochondrial DNA, for which the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly known. Here, the first draft genome assembly of M. margaritifera was produced using a combination of Illumina Paired-end and Mate-pair approaches. The genome assembly was 2.4 Gb long, possessing 105,185 scaffolds and a scaffold N50 length of 288,726 bp. The ab initio gene prediction allowed the identification of 35,119 protein-coding genes. This genome represents an essential resource for studying this species' unique biological and evolutionary features and ultimately will help to develop new tools to promote its conservation. ; A.G.-d.-S. was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the grants SFRH/BD/137935/2018, EF (CEECIND/00627/2017) and MLL (2020.03608.CEECIND). This research was developed under ConBiomics: the missing approach for the Conservation of freshwater Bivalves Project No. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER- 030286, co-financed by COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the ERDF, and by FCT through national funds. Additional strategic funding was provided by FCT UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020. Authors' interaction and writing of the article was promoted and facilitated by the COST Action CA18239: CONFREMU—Conservation of freshwater mussels: a pan- European approach. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The complete mitogenomes of one (M-)ale (North America), one Hermaphroditic (Europe), and two (F-)emale (North America and Europe) individuals of the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera were sequenced. The M-type and F-type (Female and Hermaphroditic) mitogenomes have 17,421 and 16,122 nucleotides, respectively. All with the same content: 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA, two ribosomal RNA genes, and one sex-related ORF. The M-type is highly divergent (37.6% uncorrected p-distance) from the F-type mitogenomes. North American and European F-type mitogenomes exhibit low genetic divergence (68 nt substitutions), and the Female and Hermaphroditic European mitogenomes are almost identical, and matching sex-related ORFs. ; This work was supported by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [grant number SFRH/BD/115728/2016 (MLL), grant number SFRH/BD/137935/2018 (AGS)]; Russian Foundation for Basic Research [grant number 18-34-20033 (IVV)]; Dawson Fellowship at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge (DCA); Life Margal Ulla [number LIFE09 NAT/ES/000514 (RA and PO)]; COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the ERDF, and by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through national funds [UID/Multi/04423/2019] under project ConBiomics: the missing approach for the Conservation of freshwater Bivalves Project, and [project number NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-030286]; Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations under Grants [grant number 0409-2015-0143 (INB and IVV)] ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The complete mitogenomes of one (M-)ale (North America), one Hermaphroditic (Europe), and two (F-)emale (North America and Europe) individuals of the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera were sequenced. The M-type and F-type (Female and Hermaphroditic) mitogenomes have 17,421 and 16,122 nucleotides, respectively. All with the same content: 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA, two ribosomal RNA genes, and one sex-related ORF. The M-type is highly divergent (37.6% uncorrected p-distance) from the F-type mitogenomes. North American and European F-type mitogenomes exhibit low genetic divergence (68 nt substitutions), and the Female and Hermaphroditic European mitogenomes are almost identical, and matching sex-related ORFs. ; This work was supported by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [grant number SFRH/BD/115728/2016 (MLL), grant number SFRH/BD/137935/2018 (AGS)]; Russian Foundation for Basic Research [grant number 18-34-20033 (IVV)]; Dawson Fellowship at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge (DCA); Life Margal Ulla [number LIFE09 NAT/ES/000514 (RA and PO)]; COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the ERDF, and by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through national funds [UID/Multi/04423/2019] under project ConBiomics: the missing approach for the Conservation of freshwater Bivalves Project, and [project number NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-030286]; Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations under Grants [grant number 0409-2015-0143 (INB and ...