Genetic insights into the non-indigenous copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 1913 (Calanoida: Pseudodiaptomidae) in the Mediterranean Sea
7 affiliations
- 1Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, Naples, Italy.
- 2NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy.
- 3Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Université Grenoble-Alpes CEA CNRS INRAE IRIG-CEA, Grenoble, France.
- 4Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), National Research Council (CNR), Venice, VE, Italy.
- 5National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics-OGS, Trieste, Italy.
- 6Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
- 7CONISMA-Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
The calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 1913, native to the Indo-Pacific region, has rapidly expanded its range in European waters since its first detection in the Adriatic Sea in 2007, raising questions about its introduction pathways and population dynamics. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and phylogeography of P. marinus in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on four Italian coastal areas, using a dual-marker approach based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI mtDNA) and the internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal cistron (ITS) genes. Molecular data allowed the reconstruction of the phylogenetic relationships within the Pseudodiaptomidae family and the characterization of the species P. marinus across geographically distant areas. COI analyses revealed three main Pseudodiaptomidae clades corresponding to freshwater, brackish, and marine species, while all P. marinus sequences clustered together, showing no evidence of cryptic species. Haplotype networks indicate repeated human-mediated introductions, with Italian populations connected among themselves and to other introduced areas, though higher haplotype diversity was observed in putative native regions. ITS analyses confirmed the absence of clear biogeographic structuring among Italian populations, suggesting that some ITS sequences from Korean populations, within or near the presumed native range of P. marinus , may require further verification, although the observed divergence could also reflect native-range genetic diversity or distinct lineages within a broader species complex. Overall, our findings provide an overview of the genetic diversity of P. marinus across different Mediterranean areas, offering new insights into its characterization and suggesting possible introduction pathways in European waters. These findings underscore the value of integrated molecular approaches in supporting and enhancing monitoring programs for non-indigenous species, while also improving our ability to anticipate their potential spread under future environmental changes scenarios.
Related
- Gut microbiota composition of India’s Baiga tribe: Insights from an indigenous particularly vulnerable tribal group
- Genomic insights into local adaptation of indigenous chickens
- Improving silage fermentation of distilled grain waste-based spent mushroom substrate using indigenous lactic acid bacteria: metagenomic insights
- Phenology of fish movements between a mediterranean lagoon and the sea: Insights from acoustic camera and fishers’ local ecological knowledge
- Benthic contributions to the chemical seascape: Insights from Mediterranean underwater caves
BibTeX
@article{capua2026genetic,
title = {{Genetic insights into the non-indigenous copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 1913 (Calanoida: Pseudodiaptomidae) in the Mediterranean Sea}},
author = {Iole Di Capua and Roberta Piredda and Alberto Amato and Elisa Camatti and Ylenia Carotenuto and Stefano Corona and Rosa D'Angiolo and Andrea Marcucci and Alenka Goruppi and Valentina Tirelli and Giacomo Zagami and Marco Uttieri},
journal = {PeerJ},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.7717/peerj.21752},
url = {https://peerj.com/articles/21752},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Genetic insights into the non-indigenous copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 1913 (Calanoida: Pseudodiaptomidae) in the Mediterranean Sea
AU - Iole Di Capua
AU - Roberta Piredda
AU - Alberto Amato
AU - Elisa Camatti
AU - Ylenia Carotenuto
AU - Stefano Corona
AU - Rosa D'Angiolo
AU - Andrea Marcucci
AU - Alenka Goruppi
AU - Valentina Tirelli
AU - Giacomo Zagami
AU - Marco Uttieri
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - PeerJ
DO - 10.7717/peerj.21752
UR - https://peerj.com/articles/21752
AB - The calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 1913, native to the Indo-Pacific region, has rapidly expanded its range in European waters since its first detection in the Adriatic Sea in 2007, raising questions about its introduction pathways and population dynamics. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and phylogeography of P. marinus in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on four Italian coastal areas, using a dual-marker approach based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI mtDNA) and the internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal cistron (ITS) genes. Molecular data allowed the reconstruction of the phylogenetic relationships within the Pseudodiaptomidae family and the characterization of the species P. marinus across geographically distant areas. COI analyses revealed three main Pseudodiaptomidae clades corresponding to freshwater, brackish, and marine species, while all P. marinus sequences clustered together, showing no evidence of cryptic species. Haplotype networks indicate repeated human-mediated introductions, with Italian populations connected among themselves and to other introduced areas, though higher haplotype diversity was observed in putative native regions. ITS analyses confirmed the absence of clear biogeographic structuring among Italian populations, suggesting that some ITS sequences from Korean populations, within or near the presumed native range of P. marinus , may require further verification, although the observed divergence could also reflect native-range genetic diversity or distinct lineages within a broader species complex. Overall, our findings provide an overview of the genetic diversity of P. marinus across different Mediterranean areas, offering new insights into its characterization and suggesting possible introduction pathways in European waters. These findings underscore the value of integrated molecular approaches in supporting and enhancing monitoring programs for non-indigenous species, while also improving our ability to anticipate their potential spread under future environmental changes scenarios.
SN - 2167-8359
ER -