Phylogenetic Analysis and Biogeography of Freshwater Gastropods

Phylogenetic analysis and biogeography of freshwater gastropods combine molecular genetics, evolutionary theory and spatial distribution to reconstruct the origins, diversification and dispersal of snail lineages in lentic and lotic systems worldwide. By sequencing mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers and assembling whole mitogenomes, researchers have revealed deep clades within major families such as Planorbidae, Lymnaeidae and Physidae. These clades often correspond to ancient geological events and palaeoclimatic changes, from Miocene lake expansions to Pleistocene glacial cycles, that have structured modern faunas. Integrative approaches, including multi-locus phylogenies, haplotype networks and species-delimitation algorithms, underpin robust taxonomic frameworks and uncover cryptic diversity. Biogeographical reconstructions indicate repeated colonisation events—sometimes aided by waterbirds or anthropogenic introduction—that shape present-day distributions. Insights into genetic connectivity and historical refugia inform conservation of endemic taxa and management of invasive or vector species that transmit parasites of medical and veterinary importance.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have combined mitochondrial (COI, 16S rDNA) and nuclear (ITS1) markers to map the genetic diversity and population structure of a widespread snail in Southeast Asia, revealing a single global clade with evidence of gene flow uninhibited by geographic distance and signals of recent demographic expansion. A multi-locus molecular dataset covering radicine pond snails in the Old World has clarified the monophyly of an Amphipepleinae subfamily, delineated ten genus-level clades and established a DNA barcode library. This work traced the origin of this group to the Cretaceous–Palaeocene boundary and identified Miocene Eurasian lakes as evolutionary hotspots. In North America, single-locus species-delimitation methods applied to physinine snails uncovered 18 candidate species, including cryptic endemics and unrecognised introductions, demonstrating the power of molecular taxonomy for resolving complex species boundaries and guiding further sampling and nuclear analyses.

Phylogenetic Analysis and Biogeography of Freshwater Gastropods publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in phylogenetic analysis and biogeography of freshwater gastropods across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Phylogenetic analysis: Inference of evolutionary relationships among species or populations using genetic data.

Mitogenome: The complete mitochondrial genome sequence, typically comprising 13 protein-coding genes, rRNAs and tRNAs.

Haplotype: A group of alleles or DNA sequence variants inherited together within a population.

Clade: A monophyletic group consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants.

Biogeography: Study of the spatial distribution of organisms through geological time.

Species delimitation: Molecular or computational methods to define species boundaries based on DNA variation.

References

1. Genetic diversity and population structure of Physella acuta (Gastropoda: Physidae) in Thailand using mitochondrial gene markers: COI and 16S rDNA. Scientific Reports (2024).
2. Species Richness, Molecular Taxonomy and Biogeography of the Radicine Pond Snails (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae) in the Old World. Scientific Reports (2018).
3. Molecular species delimitation refines the taxonomy of native and nonnative physinine snails in North America. Scientific Reports (2021).
4. Comparative Mitogenome Analyses of Fifteen Ramshorn Snails and Insights into the Phylogeny of Planorbidae (Gastropoda: Hygrophila). International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
5. Phylogeography and genetics of the globally invasive snail Physa acuta Draparnaud 1805, and its potential to serve as an intermediate host to larval digenetic trematodes. BMC Ecology and Evolution (2018).
6. Recent range expansion of an intermediate host for animal schistosome parasites in the Indo-Australian Archipelago: phylogeography of the freshwater gastropod Indoplanorbis exustus in South and Southeast Asia. Parasites & Vectors (2017).