Multiple lineages in freshwater mytiloid bivalves: polyphyly of Sinomytilus and establishment of a new genus from China (Bivalvia, Modiolidae).
5 affiliations
- 1School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University Nanchang China https://ror.org/042v6xz23.
- 2College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University Beijing China https://ror.org/005edt527.
- 3College of Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300384, China College of Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Agricultural University Tianjin China https://ror.org/0010b6s72.
- 4Department of Animal Science, Yuxi Agriculture Vocation-Technical College, Yuxi 653106, China Department of Animal Science, Yuxi Agriculture Vocation-Technical College Yuxi China https://ror.org/04zqfzp87.
- 5Jiangxi Provincial Ecological Environment Monitoring Center, No. 1131 Hongdu North Avenue, Donghu District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, 330039, China Jiangxi Provincial Ecological Environment Monitoring Center Nanchang City China.
Abstract
The systematics of freshwater mytiloid bivalves has long been confounded by morphological convergence, particularly among East Asian taxa traditionally assigned to Sinomytilus. In this study, an integrative revision of Chinese Sinomytilus sensu lato was conducted, combining shell morphology, anatomical observations, multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, mitogenome-based phylogeny, and molecular dating. Our results demonstrate that Sinomytilus as currently defined is polyphyletic. Sinomytilus swinhoei from the Yangtze and Yellow river basins clusters with Limnoperna species rather than with the type species S. harmandi from Southeast Asia, whereas the small-bodied species from Lake Fuxian forms an independent lineage. Divergence time estimates indicate that the freshwater modiolid clade originated in the middle Jurassic (~173 Ma), coinciding with pronounced sea-level fluctuations around the Aalenian-Bajocian. Accordingly, a new genus is erected, Shenzhousia Zheng, Wang, He & Xiang, gen. nov. (type species: Sinomytilus swinhoei), and a new subfossil species described, Shanomytilus frendae Wang, Zheng, He & Xiang, sp. nov., from the Quaternary Luliang Basin. This study clarifies the taxonomy of East Asian freshwater mytiloids and provides new insights into marine-freshwater transitions and the evolutionary significance of ancient lake systems.
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BibTeX
@article{zheng2026multiple,
title = {{Multiple lineages in freshwater mytiloid bivalves: polyphyly of Sinomytilus and establishment of a new genus from China (Bivalvia, Modiolidae).}},
author = {Hui Zheng and Xing-Xiao Wang and Ji-Wang Xie and Chun-Hua Zhou and Yue-Ming He and Hong-Quan Xiang and Shan Ouyang and Fang-Fa Zeng and Xiao-Ping Wu},
journal = {ZooKeys},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3897/zookeys.1295.205333},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42959509},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Multiple lineages in freshwater mytiloid bivalves: polyphyly of Sinomytilus and establishment of a new genus from China (Bivalvia, Modiolidae).
AU - Hui Zheng
AU - Xing-Xiao Wang
AU - Ji-Wang Xie
AU - Chun-Hua Zhou
AU - Yue-Ming He
AU - Hong-Quan Xiang
AU - Shan Ouyang
AU - Fang-Fa Zeng
AU - Xiao-Ping Wu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - ZooKeys
DO - 10.3897/zookeys.1295.205333
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42959509
AB - The systematics of freshwater mytiloid bivalves has long been confounded by morphological convergence, particularly among East Asian taxa traditionally assigned to Sinomytilus. In this study, an integrative revision of Chinese Sinomytilus sensu lato was conducted, combining shell morphology, anatomical observations, multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, mitogenome-based phylogeny, and molecular dating. Our results demonstrate that Sinomytilus as currently defined is polyphyletic. Sinomytilus swinhoei from the Yangtze and Yellow river basins clusters with Limnoperna species rather than with the type species S. harmandi from Southeast Asia, whereas the small-bodied species from Lake Fuxian forms an independent lineage. Divergence time estimates indicate that the freshwater modiolid clade originated in the middle Jurassic (~173 Ma), coinciding with pronounced sea-level fluctuations around the Aalenian-Bajocian. Accordingly, a new genus is erected, Shenzhousia Zheng, Wang, He & Xiang, gen. nov. (type species: Sinomytilus swinhoei), and a new subfossil species described, Shanomytilus frendae Wang, Zheng, He & Xiang, sp. nov., from the Quaternary Luliang Basin. This study clarifies the taxonomy of East Asian freshwater mytiloids and provides new insights into marine-freshwater transitions and the evolutionary significance of ancient lake systems.
SN - 1313-2989
SN - 1313-2970
ER -