Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia

Invasive snails in the genus Pomacea have spread across Southeast Asia including Peninsular Malaysia. Their effects on natural and agricultural wetlands are appreciable, but species-specific effects are less clear because of morphological similarity among the species. Our objective was to establish...

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Main Authors:	Rama Rao, Suganiya , Liew, Thor Seng, Yow, Yoon Yen , Ratnayeke, Shyamala *
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	PLOS 2018
Subjects:	QH301 Biology
Online Access:	http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/837/ http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/837/1/Yow%20Yoon%20Yen%20Cryptic_diversity_Two_morphologically_similar_spec.pdf

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author	Rama Rao, Suganiya * Liew, Thor Seng Yow, Yoon Yen * Ratnayeke, Shyamala *
author_facet	Rama Rao, Suganiya * Liew, Thor Seng Yow, Yoon Yen * Ratnayeke, Shyamala *
author_sort	Rama Rao, Suganiya *
building	SU Institutional Repository
collection	Online Access
description	Invasive snails in the genus Pomacea have spread across Southeast Asia including Peninsular Malaysia. Their effects on natural and agricultural wetlands are appreciable, but species-specific effects are less clear because of morphological similarity among the species. Our objective was to establish diagnostic characteristics of Pomacea species in Malaysia using genetic and morphological criteria. The mitochondrial COI gene of 52 adult snails from eight localities in Peninsular Malaysia was amplified, sequenced, and analysed to verify species and phylogenetic relationships. Shells were compared using geometric morphometric and covariance analyses. Two monophyletic taxa, P. canaliculata and P. maculata, occurred in our samples. The mean ratio of shell height: aperture height (P = 0.042) and shell height: shell width (P = 0.007) was smaller in P. maculata. P. maculata co-occurred with P. canaliculata in five localities, but samples from three localities contained only P.canaliculata. This study is the first to confirm the presence of two of the most invasive species of Pomacea in Peninsular Malaysia using a molecular technique. P. canaliculata appears to be the more widespread species. Despite statistical differences, both quantitative and qualitative morphological characteristics demonstrated much interspecific overlap and intraspecific variability; thus, shell morphology alone cannot reliably verify species identity. Molecular techniques for distinguishing between these two highly invasive Pomacea species are needed to understand their specific ecological niches and to develop effective protocols for their management.
first_indexed	2025-11-14T21:14:55Z
format	Article
id	sunway-837
institution	Sunway University
institution_category	Local University
language	English
last_indexed	2025-11-14T21:14:55Z
publishDate	2018
publisher	PLOS
recordtype	eprints
repository_type	Digital Repository
spelling	sunway-8372019-07-23T02:30:54Z http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/837/ Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia Rama Rao, Suganiya * Liew, Thor Seng Yow, Yoon Yen * Ratnayeke, Shyamala * QH301 Biology Invasive snails in the genus Pomacea have spread across Southeast Asia including Peninsular Malaysia. Their effects on natural and agricultural wetlands are appreciable, but species-specific effects are less clear because of morphological similarity among the species. Our objective was to establish diagnostic characteristics of Pomacea species in Malaysia using genetic and morphological criteria. The mitochondrial COI gene of 52 adult snails from eight localities in Peninsular Malaysia was amplified, sequenced, and analysed to verify species and phylogenetic relationships. Shells were compared using geometric morphometric and covariance analyses. Two monophyletic taxa, P. canaliculata and P. maculata, occurred in our samples. The mean ratio of shell height: aperture height (P = 0.042) and shell height: shell width (P = 0.007) was smaller in P. maculata. P. maculata co-occurred with P. canaliculata in five localities, but samples from three localities contained only P.canaliculata. This study is the first to confirm the presence of two of the most invasive species of Pomacea in Peninsular Malaysia using a molecular technique. P. canaliculata appears to be the more widespread species. Despite statistical differences, both quantitative and qualitative morphological characteristics demonstrated much interspecific overlap and intraspecific variability; thus, shell morphology alone cannot reliably verify species identity. Molecular techniques for distinguishing between these two highly invasive Pomacea species are needed to understand their specific ecological niches and to develop effective protocols for their management. PLOS 2018-05-07 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd_4 http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/837/1/Yow%20Yoon%20Yen%20Cryptic_diversity_Two_morphologically_similar_spec.pdf Rama Rao, Suganiya * and Liew, Thor Seng and Yow, Yoon Yen * and Ratnayeke, Shyamala * (2018) Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia. PLOS ONE, 13 (5). ISSN 1932-6203 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.
spellingShingle	QH301 Biology Rama Rao, Suganiya * Liew, Thor Seng Yow, Yoon Yen * Ratnayeke, Shyamala * Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia
title	Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia
title_full	Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia
title_fullStr	Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed	Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia
title_short	Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia
title_sort	cryptic diversity: two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in peninsular malaysia
topic	QH301 Biology
url	http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/837/ http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/837/ http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/837/1/Yow%20Yoon%20Yen%20Cryptic_diversity_Two_morphologically_similar_spec.pdf

Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia

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