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Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.)

“Cryptic” can refer to species that match their background through camouflage or disruptive colouration, or in taxonomy to externally similar but unrecognized congeners. In adaptive resemblance, organisms resemble parts of a larger host animal or plant on which the mimic is highly cryptic. Mimetic l...

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Main Authors: Krug, Patrick J., Wong, Nur Leena Wai Sin, Medina, Melanie R., Gosliner, Terrence M., Valdes, Angel A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 2018
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/72148/1/Cryptic%20speciation%20yields%20remarkable%20mimics.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/72148/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/zsc.12310
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spelling my.upm.eprints.721482020-03-04T07:31:01Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/72148/ Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.) Krug, Patrick J. Wong, Nur Leena Wai Sin Medina, Melanie R. Gosliner, Terrence M. Valdes, Angel A. “Cryptic” can refer to species that match their background through camouflage or disruptive colouration, or in taxonomy to externally similar but unrecognized congeners. In adaptive resemblance, organisms resemble parts of a larger host animal or plant on which the mimic is highly cryptic. Mimetic lineages that radiate onto superficially similar hosts may contain cryptic species in both senses: taxa that are difficult to detect, and challenging for taxonomists to distinguish. Here, we describe a new genus and four species of herbivorous sea slugs (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Sacoglossa), including remarkable mimics of toxic green algae (Caulerpa spp.) on which the slugs feed. The long‐recognized Stiliger smaragdinus Baba 1949 is highly mimetic of “sea grapes” (Caulerpa racemosa‐lentillifera), but phylogenetic analyses of four genes indicated Stiliger was polyphyletic: the name‐bearing species grouped within Placida, whereas Caulerpa‐mimetic lineages were phylogenetically distinct. We erect the genus Sacoproteus gen. n. for S. smaragdinus (Baba 1949), and describe four new species: S. nishae sp. n. from the Indo‐Pacific, which mimics Caulerpa chemnitzia; Sacoproteus yhiae sp. n. and Sacoproteus browni sp. n. from southern Australia, which mimic Caulerpa cactoides and Caulerpa gemminata; and Sacoproteus thomasleei sp. n., a non‐mimetic west Pacific species that shared key features. Stiliger s.s. and Placida species show crypsis and aposematism but not host mimicry, although Stiliger spp. feeding on undefended algae may be Batesian mimics. Investigating the ecology and biogeography of Sacoproteus gen. n. will yield insight into how selection generates such extraordinary examples of adaptive resemblance in the marine realm. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 2018-11 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/72148/1/Cryptic%20speciation%20yields%20remarkable%20mimics.pdf Krug, Patrick J. and Wong, Nur Leena Wai Sin and Medina, Melanie R. and Gosliner, Terrence M. and Valdes, Angel A. (2018) Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.). Zoologica Scripta, 47 (6). 699 - 713. ISSN 0300-3256; ESSN: 1463-6409 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/zsc.12310 10.1111/zsc.12310
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
building UPM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Putra Malaysia
content_source UPM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://psasir.upm.edu.my/
language English
description “Cryptic” can refer to species that match their background through camouflage or disruptive colouration, or in taxonomy to externally similar but unrecognized congeners. In adaptive resemblance, organisms resemble parts of a larger host animal or plant on which the mimic is highly cryptic. Mimetic lineages that radiate onto superficially similar hosts may contain cryptic species in both senses: taxa that are difficult to detect, and challenging for taxonomists to distinguish. Here, we describe a new genus and four species of herbivorous sea slugs (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Sacoglossa), including remarkable mimics of toxic green algae (Caulerpa spp.) on which the slugs feed. The long‐recognized Stiliger smaragdinus Baba 1949 is highly mimetic of “sea grapes” (Caulerpa racemosa‐lentillifera), but phylogenetic analyses of four genes indicated Stiliger was polyphyletic: the name‐bearing species grouped within Placida, whereas Caulerpa‐mimetic lineages were phylogenetically distinct. We erect the genus Sacoproteus gen. n. for S. smaragdinus (Baba 1949), and describe four new species: S. nishae sp. n. from the Indo‐Pacific, which mimics Caulerpa chemnitzia; Sacoproteus yhiae sp. n. and Sacoproteus browni sp. n. from southern Australia, which mimic Caulerpa cactoides and Caulerpa gemminata; and Sacoproteus thomasleei sp. n., a non‐mimetic west Pacific species that shared key features. Stiliger s.s. and Placida species show crypsis and aposematism but not host mimicry, although Stiliger spp. feeding on undefended algae may be Batesian mimics. Investigating the ecology and biogeography of Sacoproteus gen. n. will yield insight into how selection generates such extraordinary examples of adaptive resemblance in the marine realm.
format Article
author Krug, Patrick J.
Wong, Nur Leena Wai Sin
Medina, Melanie R.
Gosliner, Terrence M.
Valdes, Angel A.
spellingShingle Krug, Patrick J.
Wong, Nur Leena Wai Sin
Medina, Melanie R.
Gosliner, Terrence M.
Valdes, Angel A.
Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.)
author_facet Krug, Patrick J.
Wong, Nur Leena Wai Sin
Medina, Melanie R.
Gosliner, Terrence M.
Valdes, Angel A.
author_sort Krug, Patrick J.
title Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.)
title_short Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.)
title_full Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.)
title_fullStr Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.)
title_full_unstemmed Cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (Caulerpa spp.)
title_sort cryptic speciation yields remarkable mimics: a new genus of sea slugs that masquerade as toxic algae (caulerpa spp.)
publisher Wiley-Blackwell Publishing
publishDate 2018
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/72148/1/Cryptic%20speciation%20yields%20remarkable%20mimics.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/72148/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/zsc.12310
_version_ 1662756480784269312
score 13.211869

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