DOI

The high-elevation Tibetan Plateau (western China) is inhabited by a unique, though not particularly species-rich, community of organisms. We explored the species content and evolutionary history of the Tibetan Plateau endemic freshwater snail genus Tibetoradix. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus were reconstructed based on available sequence data. We used a single-rate Poisson Tree Processes approach for species delimitation and compared putative species-level clades with already described taxa. We found that the genus consists of at least 6 species, of which we described 4 as new to science. Shell and soft body morphology was examined and the radula in Tibetoradix was described for the first time. Based on our findings, the diversification of the genus did not result in a prominent morphological differentiation and a number of species can be regarded as morphologically cryptic. Single species found in different drainage areas indicate relatively good passive dispersal abilities of the snails. The allopatric distribution of the species could result from competitive exclusion between them. The absence of Tibetoradix spp. outside the Tibetan Plateau could be explained by a scenario of an “evolutionary trap”, where adaptations to high elevation conditions prevented the taxa from a successful colonization of lower elevations.

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages24
JournalIntegrative Zoology
DOIs
StateE-pub ahead of print - 8 Nov 2021

    Scopus subject areas

  • Animal Science and Zoology

    Research areas

  • High Asia, biogeography, molecular phylogenetics, morphology, species delimitation, CHINA, HIMALAYA, MULTIPLE SEQUENCE ALIGNMENT, MOLLUSCA, FAUNA, REGIONS, MOUNTAINS, CLIMATE, RADIX-BALTHICA

ID: 89231538