Microhabitat choice of cryptic species:
Do closely related nematode species really
occur together?
Rodgee Mae E. Guden1, Anna-Maria Vafeiadou1,2, Nele De Meester1, Annelien Rigaux1, Sofie Derycke3,1, Tom Moens1
1Ghent
University, Marine Biology Section, Krijgslaan 281/S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
2Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Biology Department, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
3Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), OD Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
CRYPTIC SPECIES
prominent in marine
environments
 morphologically ’identical’ but
genetically distinct species
free- living marine nematodes
 call into question most estimates of the
existing number of species
 have strong implications on biodiversityecosystem functioning relations
Different
species of
algae
Clean vs.
with
sediment
Fucus spp.
Different
structures
of Fucus
spp.
Litoditis marina: model organism
PMI, PMII, PMIII, and PMIV
Do they have different
microhabitat preferences?
Fresh vs.
Decomposing
Ulva sp. thalli
Ulva sp.
Relative abundances of the cryptic
species at different microhabitats
Fucus spiralis
with microbiofilm
Relative abundances of the cryptic
species at different parts of algae
Fucus vesiculosus
clean
2%
with microbiofilm
with microbiofilm
clean
3%
adults
15%
Legend
47%
PMI
Real- time
PCR
38%
98%
PMII
97%
juveniles
4%
12%
100%
17%
24%
1%
PMIII
Fucus spiralis
100%
100%
90%
90%
80%
80%
70%
70%
60%
60%
50%
50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0%
Receptacula
Thallus
Receptacula
Bladders
clean
Thallus
Bladders
Fucus vesiculosus
PMIV
88%
2%
98%
adults
96%
Fresh Ulva
4%
96%
juveniles
82%
Decomposing Ulva
100%
adults
100%
juveniles
Conclusion
 The cryptic species composition of the Litoditis marina
complex differs:
 at different species of algae
 between clean and covered with microalgal biofilm Fucus spp.
for adults but not for juveniles
 at different parts of Fucus spp.
 PMII prefers Ulva sp. compared to Fucus spp.
 PMI and PMIII co- occur
with microbiofilm
76%
clean
100%
100%
90%
90%
80%
80%
70%
70%
60%
60%
50%
50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0%
Receptacula
Thallus
Bladders
Receptacula
Thallus
Bladders
Contact Information
Rodgee Mae E. Guden
Master of Science in Nematology
rodgeemae.guden@ugent.be
Acknowledgements
R. Guden is funded by Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad Universitaire Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (VLIR-UOS) for her
master study. A. Vafeiadou acknowledges a joint PhD grant from
the research council of Ghent University (BOF).