Abstract
The deep sea has been described as the last major ecological frontier, as much of its biodiversity is yet to be discovered and described. Beaked whales (ziphiids) are among the most visible inhabitants of the deep sea, due to their large size and worldwide distribution, and their taxonomic diversity and much about their natural history remain poorly understood. We combine genomic and morphometric analyses to reveal a new Southern Hemisphere ziphiid species, Ramari's beaked whale, Mesoplodon eueu, whose name is linked to the Indigenous peoples of the lands from which the species holotype and paratypes were recovered. Mitogenome and ddRAD-derived phylogenies demonstrate reciprocally monophyletic divergence between M. eueu and True's beaked whale (M. mirus) from the North Atlantic, with which it was previously subsumed. Morphometric analyses of skulls also distinguish the two species. A time-calibrated mitogenome phylogeny and analysis of two nuclear genomes indicate divergence began circa 2 million years ago (Ma), with geneflow ceasing 0.35–0.55 Ma. This is an example of how deep sea biodiversity can be unravelled through increasing international collaboration and genome sequencing of archival specimens. Our consultation and involvement with Indigenous peoples offers a model for broadening the cultural scope of the scientific naming process.
Highlights
The Earth’s deep ocean remains less understood than the surface of Mars [1]
We show that detailed analysis of even a small number of samples can yield profound insights into the diversity and phylogeography of the species that occur in this vast habitat
Deep sea ecosystems are governed by temperature, primary productivity and habitat complexity [31]
Summary
The Earth’s deep ocean remains less understood than the surface of Mars [1]. much biodiversity is waiting to be discovered in the deep sea, and there is great potential for this region to contribute to and challenge major ecological hypotheses [2]. We focus on beaked whales (ziphiids), which are among the most visible inhabitants, due to their large size, worldwide distribution and surfacing to breathe [3]. Even so, their diversity and ecology remain obscure, with seven of the 23 species in the IUCN Red List classified as Data Deficient. We use a range of genomic approaches to access gen- 2 etic information from museum and archival specimens of varying age and quality to investigate the taxonomic status of disjunct populations of True’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon mirus). We take an integrative approach, combining genomic and morphological datasets, to resolve this taxonomic quandry
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