Lara, Enrique

, Fontaneto, Diego, Eckert, Ester M, Anicic, Nikoleta, Lara, Enrique, Mitchell, Edward

The identification of biological diversity through DNA barcoding and metabarcoding of the organisms living in the field has the potential to revolutionise the way biological surveys and monitoring are performed. Yet, we still do not know if the current representativeness of the reference database of DNA sequence data is sufficient to allow such approaches. Here, we show that, at least for bdelloid rotifers (Metazoa; Rotifera; Bdelloidea) in Europe, current knowledge is ripe to perform such surveys. We show the results of an exercise performed on bdelloid rotifers in Sphagnum bogs of the Swiss Jura Mountain. The results of DNA-based identifications were rather consistent with the morphology-based identifications, and the few cases of mismatch could be used as a cautionary tale to avoid potential misinterpretations of results. The mismatches were due to cases of the closest match not being genetically very close, and to the occurrence of cryptic species., La identificación de la diversidad biológica a través de DNA barcoding y metabarcoding de los organismos en el medio ambiente tiene el potencial de revolucionar la forma en que se realizan los inventarios biológicos y el monitoreo. Sin embargo, todavía no se sabe si las bases de datos genéticos de referencia a disposición hoy en día son lo suficientemente representativas como para permitir tales enfoques. Aquí, mostramos que, al menos para los rotíferos bdelloideos (Metazoa; Rotifera; Bdelloidea) de Europa, el nivel de conocimiento es suficiente para realizar tales estudios. Mostramos los resultados de un ejercicio realizado sobre rotíferos bdelloideos en turberas de Sphagnum del Jura suizo. Los resultados de las identificaciones basadas en el ADN fueron bastante consistentes con las identificaciones basadas en la morfología, y los pocos casos de desajuste podrían utilizarse como una advertencia para evitar posibles interpretaciones erróneas de los resultados. Estos desajustes se debieron a que las secuencias más cercanas seguían alejadas de los organismos realmente encontrados y a la presencia de especies crípticas.

, Mitchell, Edward, Arnet, Thierry, Chatelain, Auriel, Derungs, Nicolas, Lara, Enrique

L’analyse de quelques échantillons de mousses poussant sur le mur d'enceinte du château de Neuchâtel a révélé la présence de 23 taxons de thécamoebiens : dont 10 Euglyphides et 13 Arcellinides sur un total de 117 espèces recensées au total, tous groupes taxonomiques confondus. Ce total de 23 taxons est sans doute une sous-estimation compte-tenu des découvertes récentes d’une diversité inconnue d’espèces et taxons de rangs supérieurs au sein des différents groupes de protistes, y compris chez les thécamoebiens. Ces résultats illustrent le potentiel de découverte d’une diversité méconnue dans le monde microbien, même dans des régions où la diversité des organismes vivants a été bien étudiée depuis des siècles., The analysis of a few moss samples collected on the walls of the castle of Neuchâtel has revealed the presence of 23 taxa of testate amoebae, among which 10 Euglyphids and 13 Arcellinids, out of an overall total of 117 observed taxa, for all taxonomic groups. As hitherto unknown species and higher taxa are continuously being discovered within the various groups of protists including testate amoebae, this total of 23 taxa is most likely an underestimation. These results illustrate the potential for discovery of a poorly known diversity within the microbial world, including in regions where the diversity of living organisms has been well studied for centuries.

, Adl, Sina M., Simpson, Alastair G. B., Lane, Christopher E., Lukeš, Julius, Bass, David, Bowser, Samuel S., Brown, Matthew W., Burki, Fabien, Dunthorn, Micah, Hampl, Vladimir, Heiss, Aaron, Hoppenrath, Mona, Lara, Enrique, le Gall, Line, Lynn, Denis H., McManus, Hilary, Mitchell, Edward, Mozley-Stanridge, Sharon E., Parfrey, Laura W., Pawlowski, Jan, Rueckert, Sonja, Shadwick, Laura, Schoch, Conrad L., Smirnov, Alexey, Spiegel, Frederick W.

This revision of the classification of eukaryotes, which updates that of Adl et al. [J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 52 (2005) 399], retains an emphasis on the protists and incorporates changes since 2005 that have resolved nodes and branches in phylogenetic trees. Whereas the previous revision was successful in re-introducing name stability to the classification, this revision provides a classification for lineages that were then still unresolved. The supergroups have withstood phylogenetic hypothesis testing with some modifications, but despite some progress, problematic nodes at the base of the eukaryotic tree still remain to be statistically resolved. Looking forward, subsequent transformations to our understanding of the diversity of life will be from the discovery of novel lineages in previously under-sampled areas and from environmental genomic information.