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Diversity
Special Issues
Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes
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Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 18243

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Bautisse D. Postaire

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
Interests: biodiversity; ecology and evolution; species diversity; evolution; taxonomy; marine biodiversity; systematics; population genetics; conservation biology; conservation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chondrichthyans, and especially elasmobranchs, are one of the most threatened marine taxa. Actions must be taken rapidly to ensure the long-term survival of these organisms, protecting both their morphologic and genetic diversity. To do so, stakeholders need the most precise information about organisms’ distribution and population connectivity to establish efficient management and conservation strategies, which stems from a taxonomy accurately representing the diversity of the group of interest.

Species delimitation is a vital enterprise within evolutionary biology and conservation: it bridges the historically independent disciplines of systematics, phylogeography and population genetics. While seminal studies combining molecular and morphological data highlighted the cryptic diversity of globally distributed morpho-species more than a decade ago, chondrichthyan taxonomy and identification are still mostly based on morphology. When such cryptic diversity is at risk of extinction, the disjunction between molecular systematics research and conservation policy becomes a significant problem: an integrative approach combining species hypothesis testing and population genetics is necessary to efficiently protect this genetic richness. Therefore, considering the ecological importance of chondrichthyans, we present this Special Issue focused on various aspects of their genetic diversity, aimed towards integrating taxonomy advances in conservation planning.

The scope includes, but is not limited to, the following fields: integrative taxonomy, species diversity and distribution, biogeographic patterns, evolutionary history, population genetics and conservation. If you are interested in this opportunity or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Dr. Bautisse D. Postaire
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • chondrichthyans
  • conservation genetics
  • integrative taxonomy
  • population genetics
  • phylogeography

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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27 pages, 13920 KiB  
Article
Species in Disguise: A New Species of Hornshark from Northern Australia (Heterodontiformes: Heterodontidae)
by William T. White, Frederik H. Mollen, Helen L. O’Neill, Lei Yang and Gavin J. P. Naylor
Diversity 2023, 15(7), 849; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15070849 - 12 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 12341
Abstract
A new species of hornshark is described from northwestern Australia based on six whole specimens and a single egg case. Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. was previously considered to be conspecific with H. zebra from the Western Pacific. The new species differs from H. [...] Read more.
A new species of hornshark is described from northwestern Australia based on six whole specimens and a single egg case. Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. was previously considered to be conspecific with H. zebra from the Western Pacific. The new species differs from H. zebra in the sequence of its NADH2 gene, several morphological characters, egg case morphology and key coloration features. Despite the coloration being similar between H. marshallae n. sp. and H. zebra, i.e., pale background with 22 dark brown bands and saddles, they differ consistently in two key aspects. Firstly, the snout of H. marshallae n. sp. has a dark semicircular bar, usually bifurcated for most of its length vs. a pointed, triangular shaped dark marking in H. zebra. Secondly, H. zebra has a dark bar originating below the posterior gill slits and extending onto anterior pectoral fin, which is absent in H. marshallae n. sp. The Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. is endemic to northwestern Australia and occurs in deeper waters (125–229 m) than H. zebra (0–143 m). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes)
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18 pages, 1761 KiB  
Article
Elasmobranch Diversity at Reunion Island (Western Indian Ocean) and Catches by Recreational Fishers and a Shark Control Program
by S. Jaquemet, N. Oury, T. Poirout, J. Gadenne, H. Magalon and A. Gauthier
Diversity 2023, 15(6), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15060768 - 12 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2727
Abstract
Elasmobranchs are declining worldwide due to overfishing. In developing countries and island states in tropical regions, small-scale and recreational fisheries can significantly impact the dynamics of neritic species. We investigated elasmobranch diversity at Reunion Island, a marine biodiversity hotspot in the Western Indian [...] Read more.
Elasmobranchs are declining worldwide due to overfishing. In developing countries and island states in tropical regions, small-scale and recreational fisheries can significantly impact the dynamics of neritic species. We investigated elasmobranch diversity at Reunion Island, a marine biodiversity hotspot in the Western Indian Ocean. Combining information from the literature, catches from the local shark control program, results from a survey of local recreational fishing, and through barcoding of some specimens, we updated the list of elasmobranchs to 65 species. However, uncertainties remain about the actual presence of some species, such as the three sawfish species. Results highlight the disappearance of most coral reef-associated species, as already suspected. Results also suggest that local populations of scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) and bottlenose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus australiae) seem healthy, in contrast with their decline in the region. For some species, such as bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) and scalloped hammerhead sharks, Reunion Island is a site of reproduction, and as such, the species are exploited at both juvenile and adult stages, which likely increases their vulnerability. In the context of global elasmobranch decline, it is urgent to clarify the conservation status and evaluate the degree of isolation of local populations to identify research and conservation priorities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes)
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12 pages, 2507 KiB  
Brief Report
Genetic Diversity, Kinship, and Polychromatism in the Spotted Eagle Ray Aetobatus ocellatus of Fiji
by Kerstin Glaus and Sharon A. Appleyard
Diversity 2024, 16(9), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090588 - 18 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1101
Abstract
The spotted eagle ray Aetobatus ocellatus (Kuhl, 1923) has a widespread Indo-West Pacific distribution and displays substantial population genetic structuring. Genetic data are crucial for understanding the species’ diversity, connectivity, and adaptation. However, molecular genetic information on A. ocellatus from Melanesia is lacking, [...] Read more.
The spotted eagle ray Aetobatus ocellatus (Kuhl, 1923) has a widespread Indo-West Pacific distribution and displays substantial population genetic structuring. Genetic data are crucial for understanding the species’ diversity, connectivity, and adaptation. However, molecular genetic information on A. ocellatus from Melanesia is lacking, which impedes our understanding of gene flow among geographic regions. In this study, we sampled 45 A. ocellatus, primarily from Fiji’s largest fish market in the capital, Suva. Mitochondrial DNA Cytochrome C Oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding was used for species identification, and DArT-seqTM technology was applied to assess the nuclear genetic diversity. Barcoding of the COI gene showed a 98.6% to 99.8% similarity to A. ocellatus reference sequences in the Barcode of Life Data System, and the 45 individuals were represented by three major evolutionary haplotype clusters. Genotyping resulted in 24,313 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) which were quality-filtered to 7094 SNPs per individual. The observed heterozygosity level was 0.310. The inbreeding coefficient was positive, and genotyping identified one full-sibling pair and one half-sibling pair from the 45 individuals. Additionally, eagle rays exhibit polychromatic patterns, and at least three ventral pattern variations were recorded in specimens from the market. Collectively, our main findings characterize the genetic profile of A. ocellatus in Fiji and can help to understand the diversification of this species within the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes)
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9 pages, 1058 KiB  
Brief Report
Population Structure of Aetobatus narinari (Myliobatiformes) Caught by the Artisanal Fishery in Northeast Brazil
by Priscila R. V. Araújo, Bautisse D. Postaire, Kevin A. Feldheim, Kim Bassos-Hull, Rosangela Lessa and Matthew J. Ajemian
Diversity 2024, 16(7), 377; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070377 - 28 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1023
Abstract
In Brazil, the Whitespotted Eagle Ray Aetobatus narinari is considered data-deficient due to the scarcity of basic information on its biology, ecology, and vulnerability to capture. Despite this, the species is caught by artisanal fishing along most of the coast, especially in the [...] Read more.
In Brazil, the Whitespotted Eagle Ray Aetobatus narinari is considered data-deficient due to the scarcity of basic information on its biology, ecology, and vulnerability to capture. Despite this, the species is caught by artisanal fishing along most of the coast, especially in the northeast of Brazil. This study analyzed mitochondrial DNA data in specimens of A. narinari caught by artisanal fishing in the northeast coast of Brazil to understand their population structure. For this, 42 individuals were sequenced at three mitochondrial genes: cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI), cytochrome b (Cytb), and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4). Concatenated COI-Cytb-ND4 sequences yielded 14 haplotypes, with moderate haplotype diversity (h = 0.646), low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.00087), and low fixation index ΦST values, indicating no population structure. Our results suggest that there is only one population of A. narinari in the study area. Genetic studies can contribute to improving management plans in these areas, avoiding the overexploitation of this and other species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes)
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