Ecological Parallelism and Cryptic Species in the GenusOphiothrixDerived from Mitochondrial DNA Sequences

Abstract

We addressed the long-standing problem of species assignment of two nominal species of the genusOphiothrix(Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea) by phylogenetic analysis of a segment of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA. Our phylogeny identified two distinct mitochondrial lineages that do not correspond to the present species assignments. Individuals of the endemic Mediterranean speciesO. quinquemaculatawere clustered with individuals ofO. fragilisin both mitochondrial lineages. We thus suggest that these taxa are not biological species but ecotypes. Differences between the two ecotypes in morphological and physiological characteristics may be explained by adaptation to environmental conditions at different water depths. Despite the observed ecomorphological variability within each of the two major mitochondrial lineages, the large genetic distance (9.0–12.0%) between them does suggest the existence of two distinct biological species. Their reproductive isolation could result from differences in reproductive strategy rather than by ecological and/or morphological differentiation.