Papers by Fernando Ángel Fernández-Álvarez
One of the major mechanisms responsible for the animals’ fitness dynamics is fecundity. Fecundity... more One of the major mechanisms responsible for the animals’ fitness dynamics is fecundity. Fecundity as a trait does not evolve independently, and rather interacts with other traits such as body and egg size. Here, our aim was to correctly infer the macroevolutionary trade-offs between body length, egg length, and potential fecundity, using cephalopods as study model. The correlated evolution among those traits was inferred by comparative phylogenetic methods. Literature data on biological and reproductive traits (body length, egg length, and potential fecundity) was obtained for 90 cephalopod species, and comparative phylogenetic methods based on a previous molecular phylogeny were used to test the correlated evolution hypothesis. Additionally, we estimated the phylogenetic signal and fitted five different evolutionary models to each trait. All traits showed high phylogenetic signal, and the selected model suggested an evolutionary trend toward increasing body length, egg length, and fecundity in relation to the ancestral state. Evidence of correlated evolution between body length and fecundity was observed, although this relationship was not detected between body length and egg length. The robust inverse relationship between fecundity and egg length indicates that cephalopods evolved a directional selection that favored an increase of fecundity and a reduction of egg length in larger species, or an increase in egg length with the concomitant reduction of fecundity and body length in order to benefit offspring survival. The use of phylogenetic comparative methods allowed us to properly detect macroevolutionary trade-offs.
Oceanic squids of the order Oegopsida are ecologically and economically important members of the ... more Oceanic squids of the order Oegopsida are ecologically and economically important members of the pelagic environment. They are the most diverse group of cephalopods, with 24 families that are divergent morphologically. Despite their importance, knowledge of phylogenetic relationships among oegopsids is less than that among neritic cephalopods. Here, we provide the complete mitogenomes and the nuclear 18S and 28S ribosomal genes for 35 selected oceanic squids, which were generated using genome skimming. We performed maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses that included 21 of the 24 oegopsid families. In our analyses, the architeuthid, chiroteuthid and enoploteuthid family groups, which have been proposed previously based on morphological and natural history characteristics, were retrieved as monophyletic. The morphologically divergent Cranchiidae formed a well-supported clade with families Ommastrephidae and Thysanoteuthidae, with a unique mitochondrial gene order. The family Lycoteuthidae was revealed as paraphyletic and contained Pyroteuthidae. Thus, the two lycoteuthid subfamilies are herein elevated to family level, increasing the number of oegopsid squid families to 25. In order to describe the diversity and evolutionary trends of oegopsid squids accurately, the superfamilies Architeuthoidea, Chiroteuthoidea, Cranchioidea and Enoploteuthoidea are resurrected from the literature, and the superfamilies Cycloteuthoidea, Octopoteuthoidea and Pholidoteuthoidea are proposed. The phylogenetic positions of Gonatidae, Histioteuthidae and Onychoteuthidae were not stable in our phylogenetic analyses and are not assigned to a superfamily. This study supports the utility of genome skimming to solve the phylogenetic relationships of oceanic squids.
Bobtail and bottletail squid are small cephalopods with striking anti-predatory defensive mechani... more Bobtail and bottletail squid are small cephalopods with striking anti-predatory defensive mechanisms, bioluminescence, and complex morphology; that inhabit nektobenthic and pelagic environments around the world's oceans. Yet, the evolution and diversification of these animals remain unclear. Here, we used shallow genome sequencing of thirty-two bobtail and bottletail squids to estimate their evolutionary relationships and divergence time. Our phylogenetic analyses show that each of Sepiadariidae, Sepiolidae, and the three subfamilies of the Sepiolidae are monophyletic. We found that the ancestor of the Sepiolinae very likely possessed a bilobed light organ with bacteriogenic luminescence. Sepiolinae forms a sister group to Rossinae and Heteroteuthinae, and split into Indo-Pacific and Atlantic-Mediterranean lineages. The origin of these lineages coincides with the end of the Tethys Sea and the separation of these regions during the Eocene and the beginning of the Oligocene. We demonstrated that sepiolids radiated after the Late Cretaceous and that major biogeographic events might have shaped their distribution and speciation.
The entire skin surface of octopus embryos, hatchlings and juveniles bears scattered tufts of tin... more The entire skin surface of octopus embryos, hatchlings and juveniles bears scattered tufts of tiny chitinous setae within small pockets, from which they can be everted and retracted. Known as Kölliker’s organs (KO), they disappear before the subadult stage. The function of these structures during the early life of the octopus is unknown, despite having been first described nearly two centuries ago. To investigate these organs further, general trends in size of KO distribution and density were analyzed in hatchlings and juveniles of 17 octopod species from all oceans, representing holobenthic, holopelagic and meropelagic modes of life. The size of the KO is fairly constant across species, unrelated to mode of life or hatchling size. The density of KO is similar on ventral and dorsal body surfaces, but hatchlings of smaller size tend to have a higher density of KO on the aboral surface of the arms. Analysis of a series of post-hatching Octopus vulgaris shows KO size to be constant throughout ontogeny; it is therefore a consistent structure during the octopus early life from planktonic hatchling to benthic juvenile. New KO are generated on the skin of the arm tips during the planktonic period and initial benthic lives of juveniles. Their density, on both the mantle and arms, gradually decreases as the octopus grows. In older benthic juveniles, the KO degrades, losing its setae and the base of its follicle becomes exposed as a nearly circular stump of muscle. It is estimated that fully everted KO increase the body surface area by around two-thirds compared to when the KO are retracted. This modular mechanism of body surface extension and roughness probably influences flow-related forces such as drag and propulsion of the moving surface of the young octopus while it is of small size with a relatively large surface area. In addition, the distribution of these organs on the aboral surface of the arms of the octopus and their birefringent properties suggest a role in camouflage. Further research is needed to test these hypotheses of KO function in live animals.
The diamondback squid Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857 is a large and elusive oceanic squid ... more The diamondback squid Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857 is a large and elusive oceanic squid species. Here, we provide the first record of the species for the Catalan coast and integrate this finding in the current knowledge of the species in close areas. RESUMEN Primera cita del elusivo calamar oceánico Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857 (Cephalopoda: Thysanoteuthidae) en la costa catalana El chipirón volantín (Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857) es una especie de calamar oceánico grande y elusivo. En este trabajo se proporciona el primer registro de la especie para la costa catalana y se discute en el contexto de registros de la especie en zonas cercanas.
Historically, marine oceanic open environments have been considered without barriers to dispersal... more Historically, marine oceanic open environments have been considered without barriers to dispersal, and the subsequent speciation of lineages from distant areas. As a consequence, many marine pelagic marine invertebrates are considered as monotypic cosmopolitan taxa, sometimes even including divergent geographic morphotypes. However, this view has been consistently challenged in the last decades by the discovery of many cryptic species complexes among pelagic marine "cosmopolitan" invertebrates. Despite their vast ecological importance, oceanic squids of the order Oegopsida Orbigny, 1845 and the superfamily Bathyteuthoidea Vecchione, Young and Sweeney, 2004 are seldomly molecularly tested for cryptic biodiversity covering wide areas. Here, we barcoded specimens belonging to 12 oceanic squid species sampled during several Atlantic oceanic cruises covering Atlantic waters from Brazil to Iceland, and the Mediterranean Sea. For assessing the presence of cryptic lineages, we studied the uncorrected p-distances at the intra-and interclade level and performed molecular species delimitation methods, such as the Poisson Tree Processes and the Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent approach. Within Atlantic waters, we found cryptic biodiversity in five species: Abraliopsis morisii (Verany, 1839), Ancistrocheirus lessueuri (Orbigny 1842), Chtenopteryx sicula (Verany 1851), Galiteuthis armata Joubin, 1898 and Helicocranchia pfefferi Massy 1907. Atlantic individuals of Pterygioteuthis gemmata Chun, 1908 represent a divergent lineage of those from New Zealand. The divergence values among cryptic lineages of individuals of the same nominal species range from 2.2 to 17%, likely representing different stages of divergence since each putative speciation phenomena. In total, 50% of the tested species revealed cryptic lineages, which indicates that oceanic squid biodiversity is underestimated and it is necessary to develop more studies to assess the diversity of these animals at a global scale.
Assessing the distribution and diversity of cephalopods using traditional approaches (standard fi... more Assessing the distribution and diversity of cephalopods using traditional approaches (standard fishing, market collection, and DNA barcoding) is time-consuming. Environmental DNA (eDNA) assays are non-invasive, fast, and can capture the diversity of the species of interest using a specific primer-set. For Cephalopods, standardization of such primers has been challenging because of a poor database of several markers, and the absence of complete mitochondrial genomes for its design. In this fast-talk, I will briefly talk about our new 87 complete mitochondrial genomes from specimens correctly identify and with museum vouchers, and how these mitogenomes promise to resolve the database limitation for eDNA assays in decapodiform cephalopods.
Molecular species delimitation assists taxonomic decisions for challenging species, like cryptic ... more Molecular species delimitation assists taxonomic decisions for challenging species, like cryptic species complexes. Bobtail squids (Family Sepiolidae Leach, 1817) are a very diverse group of benthic and nektonic small to medium size cephalopods with many taxonomic questions to solve. In this study we provided new sequence data for 12 out 17 Mediterranean bobtail squid species including all the genera present in the area. Other relevant species from other parts of the world were used as comparison. The combined use of several molecular species delimitation methods consistently showed a picture of hidden biodiversity within this family which hinders the use of molecular data isolated from morphological characters. On the one hand, those methods consistently failed to accurately assessprovided contrasting results for the number of recognized species the actual biodiversity of some morphologically different specieswell-defined species. We suggest this can be an effect of a recent speciation phenomenon phenomena followed by an intense morphological drift. On the other hand, cryptic biodiversity was detected among members of several monophyletic clades assigned to the same nominal species, pointing to recent speciation phenomena without a parallel morphological evolution. Although Mediterranean bobtail biodiversity has been extensively studied for more than a century, a new species of Stoloteuthis Verrill, 1881 was discovered and described here, both using molecular and morphological methods. This new research stresses the necessity of combined morphological and molecular studies to correctly assess cephalopod biodiversity.
Larval mortality is a keystone ecological factor for many benthic octopus since it mostly occurs ... more Larval mortality is a keystone ecological factor for many benthic octopus since it mostly occurs before their settlement in the sea bottom as benthic juveniles. The literature had revealed that records of adult animals with morphological abnormalities (teratologies) are fewer in species with complex life cycle than in those with direct development. This is a direct consequence of the morphological, physiological, and development challenges that the transition from the larval to the adult morphology represents. During a routine fishing sample, we found an immature female horned octopus with additional buccal structures in two suckers of its ventral arms, likely rendering these suckers as inefficient. Based on the literature about the natural history of octopus, we provide evidence that these abnormalities were present at the moment of hatch. We evaluated the impact of the teratologies by comparing the shape of the buccal beaks and the trophic niche of the individual with five normal conspecifics. Although the beaks showed a different shape than normal individuals, the trophic niche was similar. Surprisingly, the teratological condition of the individual likely had no severe impacts on its life, even though it likely represents a handicap for its survival during its planktonic life. We also comment on other previous records from the literature of teratological adult octopus to highlight the amazing adaptive capacity of octopus to deal with challenging morphologies.
Planktonic stages of benthic octopuses can reach relatively large sizes in some species, usually ... more Planktonic stages of benthic octopuses can reach relatively large sizes in some species, usually in oceanic, epipelagic waters while living as part of the macroplankton. These young octopuses appear to delay settlement on the seabed for an undetermined period of time that is probably longer than for those octopus paralarvae living in coastal, neritic waters. The reason for this delay is unknown and existing information about their biology is very scarce. Here we report on the presence of juvenile and subadult forms of the bathybenthic octopus Pteroctopus tetracirrhus in oceanic waters of the South and North Atlantic and its association with the pyrosomid species Pyrosoma atlanticum, apparently used by the octopus as a refuge or shelter. The relatively large size of the P. tetracirrhus living in oceanic waters as the individuals reported here, together with the morphological characteristics of this bathybenthic species including its gelatinous body, minute suckers embedded in swollen skin and the deep interbrachial web, indicates that P. tetracirrhus may be considered a model of a transitional octopus species that is colonizing the pelagic environment by avoiding descending to the bathyal benthos. This process seems to occur in the same way as in the supposed origin of the ctenoglossan holopelagic octopods of the families Amphitretidae, Bolitaenidae, and Vitreledonellidae, which have arisen via neoteny from the planktonic paralarval stages of benthic octopuses.
We report a new finding of the invasive land flatworm Obama nungara Carbayo et al., 2016 in a nat... more We report a new finding of the invasive land flatworm Obama nungara Carbayo et al., 2016 in a natural reserve of the oceanic island of São Miguel (Açores, Portugal) at 947 meters of altitude. This is the first record for this oceanic archipelago and the highest ever reported, representing the sixth island invaded by the species. O. nungara is a top predator of soil fauna, representing a new threat to the fauna of this isolated archipelago.
Cryptic speciation among morphologically homogeneous species is a phenomenon increasingly reporte... more Cryptic speciation among morphologically homogeneous species is a phenomenon increasingly reported in cosmopolitan marine invertebrates. This situation usually leads to the discovery of new species, each of which occupies a smaller fraction of the original distributional range. The resolution of the taxonomic status of species complexes is essential because species are used as the unit of action for conservation and natural resource management politics. Before the present study, Ommastrephes bartramii was considered a monotypic cosmopolitan species with a discontinuous distribution. Here, individuals from nearly its entire distributional range were evaluated with mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA). Four distinct species were consistently identified using four molecular species delimitation methods. These results, in combination with morphological and metabolic information from the literature, were used to resurrect three formerly synonymized names (Ommastrephes brevimanus, Ommastrephes caroli and Ommastrephes cylindraceus) and to propose revised distributional ranges for each species. In addition, diagnostic characters from the molecular sequences were incorporated in the species description. At present, only one of the four newly recognized species (Ommastrephes bartramii) is commercially exploited by fisheries in the North Pacific, but it now appears that the distributional range of this species is far smaller than previously believed, which is an essential consideration for effective fisheries management.
Recent studies have shown that coastal and shelf cephalopod populations have increased globally o... more Recent studies have shown that coastal and shelf cephalopod populations have increased globally over the last six decades. Although cephalopod landings are dominated by the squid fishery, which represents nearly 80% of the worldwide cephalopod catches, octopuses and cuttlefishes represent 10% each. Total reported global production of octopuses over the past three decades indicates a relatively steady increase in catch, almost doubling from 179,042 t in 1980 to 355,239 t in 2014. Octopus fisheries are likely to continue to grow in importance and magnitude as many finfish stocks are either fully or over-exploited. More than twenty described octopus species are harvested from some 90 countries worldwide. The current review describes the major octopus fisheries around the globe, providing an overview of species targeted, ecological and biological features of exploited stocks, catches and the key aspects of management.
Animals varywidelyintheirabilitytoregenerate,suggestingthatregenera-
tiveabilityhasarichevolution... more Animals varywidelyintheirabilitytoregenerate,suggestingthatregenera-
tiveabilityhasarichevolutionaryhistory.However,ourunderstandingof
this historyremainslimitedbecauseregenerativeabilityhasonlybeeneval-
uatedinatinyfractionofspecies.Availablecomparativeregeneration
studieshaveidentifiedlossesofregenerativeability,yetcleardocumentation
of gainsislacking.Weassessedabilitytoregenerateheadsandtailseither
throughourownexperimentsorfromliteraturereportsfor35speciesof
Nemertea spanningthediversityofthephylum,includingrepresentatives
of 10familiesandallthreeorders.Wegeneratedaphylogeneticframework
using sequencedatatoreconstructtheevolutionaryhistoryofheadandtail
regenerativeabilityacrossthephylumandfoundthatallevaluatedspecies
can remakeaposteriorendbutsurprisinglyfewcouldregenerateacomplete
head. Ouranalysisreconstructsanemerteanancestorunabletoregeneratea
head andindicatesindependentgainsofheadregenerativeabilityinatleast
four separatelineages,withoneofthesegainstakingplaceasrecentlyasthe
last10–15Myr.Ourstudyhighlightsnemerteansasavaluablegroupfor
studyingevolutionofregenerationandidentifyingmechanismsassociated
with repeatedgainsofregenerativeability.
Among other factors, globalization has promoted the spread of alien organisms, posing a great ris... more Among other factors, globalization has promoted the spread of alien organisms, posing a great risk to Earth’s biodiversity. Land planarians of the family Geoplanidae especially benefit from human mediated transport. Many species become established in new areas, where they represent threats to the native soil fauna. Obama nungara is a species described from Brazil, but with many well-established populations in Europe. In this study, specimens from Argentina, Brazil, Portugal and Spain were morphologically and molecularly studied to establish the potential origin of the invasive events within the Iberian Peninsula. Analyses of the mitochondrial lineages (haplotype networks) of these populations revealed previously unknown relationships and biogeographical patterns that suggest an Argentine origin for the Iberian populations. Furthermore, comparative analysis of Argentine, Iberian and Brazilian populations revealed three well-defined and distinct O. nungara clades. Our findings suggest two independent introductions of different populations from Argentina that gave rise to the different Iberian populations. This population diversity suggests hidden biodiversity of alien land planarians in invaded areas and their invasive and adaptive potential.
Cephalopods are primarily active predators throughout life. Flying squids (family Ommastrephidae)... more Cephalopods are primarily active predators throughout life. Flying squids (family Ommastrephidae) represents the most widely distributed and ecologically important family of cephalopods. While the diets of adult flying squids have been extensively studied, the first feeding diet of early paralarvae remains a mystery. The morphology of this ontogenetic stage notably differs from other cephalopod paralarvae, suggesting a different feeding strategy. Here, a combination of Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) and DNA metabarcoding of wild-collected paralarvae gut contents for eukaryotic 18S v9 and prokaryotic 16S rRNA was applied, covering almost every life domain. The gut contents were mainly composed by fungus, plants, algae and animals of marine and terrestrial origin, as well as eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms commonly found in fecal pellets and particulate organic matter. This assemblage of gut contents is consistent with a diet based on detritus. The ontogenetic shift of diet from detritivore suspension feeding to active predation represents a unique life strategy among cephalopods and allows ommastrephid squids to take advantage of an almost ubiquitous and accessible food resource during their early stages. LCM was successfully applied for the first time to tiny, wild-collected marine organisms, proving its utility in combination with DNA metabarcoding for dietary studies.
Sperm storage is common in internally fertilizing animals, but is also present in several externa... more Sperm storage is common in internally fertilizing animals, but is also present in several external fertilizers, such as many cephalopods. Cephalopod males attach sperm packets (spermatangia) to female conspecifics during mating. Females of eight externally fertilizing families comprising 25% of cephalopod biodiversity have sperm-storage organs (seminal receptacles) in their buccal area, which are not in direct physical contact with the deposited spermatangia. The mechanism of sperm transmission between the implantation site and the storage organ has remained a major mystery in cephalopod reproductive biology. Here, jumbo squid females covering almost the entire life cycle, from immature to a laboratory spawned female, were used to describe the internal structure of the seminal receptacles and the process of sperm storage. Seminal fluid was present between the spermatangia and seminal receptacles, but absent in regions devoid of seminal receptacles. The sperm cellular component was formed by spermatozoa and round cells. Although spermatozoa were tracked over the buccal membrane of the females to the inner chambers of the seminal receptacles, round cells were not found inside the seminal receptacles, suggesting that spermatozoa are not sucked up by the muscular action of the seminal receptacles. This finding supports the hypothesis that spermatozoa are able to actively migrate over the female skin. Although further experimental support is needed to fully confirm this hypothesis, our findings shed light on the elusive process of sperm storage in many cephalopods, a process that is fundamental for understanding sexual selection in the sea.
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Papers by Fernando Ángel Fernández-Álvarez
tiveabilityhasarichevolutionaryhistory.However,ourunderstandingof
this historyremainslimitedbecauseregenerativeabilityhasonlybeeneval-
uatedinatinyfractionofspecies.Availablecomparativeregeneration
studieshaveidentifiedlossesofregenerativeability,yetcleardocumentation
of gainsislacking.Weassessedabilitytoregenerateheadsandtailseither
throughourownexperimentsorfromliteraturereportsfor35speciesof
Nemertea spanningthediversityofthephylum,includingrepresentatives
of 10familiesandallthreeorders.Wegeneratedaphylogeneticframework
using sequencedatatoreconstructtheevolutionaryhistoryofheadandtail
regenerativeabilityacrossthephylumandfoundthatallevaluatedspecies
can remakeaposteriorendbutsurprisinglyfewcouldregenerateacomplete
head. Ouranalysisreconstructsanemerteanancestorunabletoregeneratea
head andindicatesindependentgainsofheadregenerativeabilityinatleast
four separatelineages,withoneofthesegainstakingplaceasrecentlyasthe
last10–15Myr.Ourstudyhighlightsnemerteansasavaluablegroupfor
studyingevolutionofregenerationandidentifyingmechanismsassociated
with repeatedgainsofregenerativeability.
tiveabilityhasarichevolutionaryhistory.However,ourunderstandingof
this historyremainslimitedbecauseregenerativeabilityhasonlybeeneval-
uatedinatinyfractionofspecies.Availablecomparativeregeneration
studieshaveidentifiedlossesofregenerativeability,yetcleardocumentation
of gainsislacking.Weassessedabilitytoregenerateheadsandtailseither
throughourownexperimentsorfromliteraturereportsfor35speciesof
Nemertea spanningthediversityofthephylum,includingrepresentatives
of 10familiesandallthreeorders.Wegeneratedaphylogeneticframework
using sequencedatatoreconstructtheevolutionaryhistoryofheadandtail
regenerativeabilityacrossthephylumandfoundthatallevaluatedspecies
can remakeaposteriorendbutsurprisinglyfewcouldregenerateacomplete
head. Ouranalysisreconstructsanemerteanancestorunabletoregeneratea
head andindicatesindependentgainsofheadregenerativeabilityinatleast
four separatelineages,withoneofthesegainstakingplaceasrecentlyasthe
last10–15Myr.Ourstudyhighlightsnemerteansasavaluablegroupfor
studyingevolutionofregenerationandidentifyingmechanismsassociated
with repeatedgainsofregenerativeability.
Tubulanus mawsoni (Wheeler 1940) comb. nov. es redescrito en base al material colectado durante la Expedición Antártida Española Bentart-03 a través del Mar de Bellingshausen (Antártida). Previamente asignada al género Carinina Hubrecht 1885, la especie es transferida al género Tubulanus Renier 1804, basándose en la situación del cerebro y los cordones nerviosos laterales entre la membrana basal del epitelio y la capa de musculatura circular externa, la posición de los sistemas excretor y circulatorio, la presencia de nervios proboscidiales, la estructura de los órganos sensoriales cerebrales, la pared del rincocele y los nervios rincodeales y bucales. Se proporcionan por primera vez microfotografías de las diferentes regiones del cuerpo y la estructura de la probóscide. En base a las ambigüedades entre la diagnosis del género Tubulanus y las descripciones de sus especies, así como en el posible estatus parafilético del género, se sugiere la necesidad de nuevos estudios morfológicos y moleculares.
Abstract
Tubulanus mawsoni (Wheeler 1940) comb. nov. is redescribed based on the material collected during the Spanish Antarctic expedition Bentart-03 through the Bellingshausen Sea (Antarctica). Previously belonging to the genus Carinina Hubrecht 1885, the species is transferred to the genus Tubulanus Renier 1804 based on the situation of the brain and lateral nerves between the basement membrane and the outer circular muscle layer, the presence of muscle crosses in the body-wall, the position of the blood and excretory systems, the presence of proboscis nerves and the structure of the cerebral sensory organs, the rhynchocoel-wall and the rhynchodaeal and buccal nerves. Microphotographs of the different regions of the body and the proboscis structure are provided for the first time. Based on the ambiguities between Tubulanus diagnosis and the species descriptions, as well as the possible paraphyletic status of the genus, the need for new morphological and molecular studies is suggested."
In the present work, molecular and morphological studies have being carried out on four Iberian Cephalothrix species. Cephalothrix filiformis does not match any of the sequences assigned to this species in the previous literature, but morphological identification of the Iberian material is correct. For this reason, the sequences of the present work are considered the correct barcodes for this species. Cephalothrix sp. A is the sister species of C. rufifrons, although histological studies must be carried out for determining its taxonomic status. Cephalothrix sp. B may constitute a new species with an amphiatlantic distribution, although histological studies are needed for its formal description. Finally, the specimens of one of the species have been morphologically and molecularly identified as C. fasciculus, a Northern Pacific species, constituting the first record of a biological invasion by a marine nemertean species. All these data confirm that DNA barcoding is an appropriate method for a first approximation to the real biodiversity of a taxonomic group for a given geographic area.
Although it is the best molecular studied group, 80% of the sequenced species correspond to undescribed or misidentified species. For this reason, a series of recommendations is proposed for the study of the biodiversity of this genus based on morphological and molecular features.
systematics, taxonomy, natural history, reproductive biology and trophic ecology of cephalopods, especially
oceanic squids. Currently, as an Irish Research Council postdoc fellow, my research is focussed on the
phylogenetics of oegopsid squids, assessed through shallow whole genome sequencing (Genome Skimming).
Referencias.
Lesueur C. A. 1821. Description of several new species of cuttlefish. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 2: 86-101.
Steenstrup J. (1857) Oplysning om en ny Art af Blaeksprutter, Dosidicus Eschrichtii. Oversigt over det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Forhandlinger, 1857: 11-14.