Discovery, diversity and the origins of troglobiotic faunas in Iran

Malek-Hosseini, Seyed Mohammad Javad (author), Kuntner, Matjaž (mentor)

We investigated the troglobiont biodiversity of Iran, with a focus on Zagros karstic areas. This study followed three main goals. First, a discovery component involved faunistic investigations into the troglobiont organisms in Zagros Mountains of Iran, as well as taxonomic descriptions of new taxa. Three new troglobiont species were described: a carabid beetle, an asellid isopod and a truncatelloid gastropod. Additionally, we report on the discovery of six species under description (Oligochaeta, Decapoda, Isopoda) and over 10 species that are awaiting description. DNA extraction and PCR of selected markers from most of these taxa have been done, enabling species delimitation and phylogenetic analyses. We recorded new habitats for previously described Iranian cave fishes. Our second aim was to examine patterns of troglobiont biodiversity and endemism in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. We published a checklist of Iranian subterranean arthropods in 2017. In an additional chapter, we listed all Iranian troglobiont animals (previously published and our new discoveries, including yet undescribed species). The species richness and distribution patterns of Iranian troglobiont diversity were presented, including one currently recognized biodiversity hotspot. As the third goal, we aimed to analyze Iranian troglobiont animals phylogenetically to understand their relationships and to identify their origin and estimate a timeframe for their colonization into subterranean habitats. The new troglobiont species and some of sampled surface relatives were used for DNA isolation and molecular analysis. Related sequences were mined from GenBank. Given the poor knowledge of Iranian subterranean fauna, this speleobiological dissertation enriched this knowledge by reporting new findings and describing new species. The discovery component of this thesis enabled us to establish Iran as an important part of the world map of subterranean biodiversity. We now understand more about the origins of Iranian troglobionts and the time of their adaptation to subterranean environment. This fauna is likely to show high endemism and is important from the conservation perspective.

• Language: English
• Keywords: biodiversity, Zagros, Iran, Carabidae, hotspot, origin of troglobionts
• Work type: Doctoral dissertation
• Typology: 2.08 - Doctoral Dissertation
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: [S. M. J. Malek-Hosseini]
• Year: 2022
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-138310
• UDC: 592/599(235.15)(043.3)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 115283971
• Publication date in RUL: 14.07.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Odkrivanje, pestrost in izvori troglobiotskih favn v Iranu

Abstract

Raziskali smo biotsko raznovrstnost troglobiontov v Iranu s poudarkom na kraških območjih gorovja Zagros. Disertacija je sledila trem glavnim ciljem. Prvi cilj, komponenta odkrivanja, je vključevala favnistične raziskave troglobiontskih organizmov v gorovju Zagros v Iranu ter taksonomske opise novih taksonov. Opisane so bile tri nove troglobiontske vrste: karabidni hrošč, asellidni izopod in truncatelloidni gastropod. Poleg tega poročamo o odkritju šestih vrst v postopku opisovanja (Oligochaeta, Decapoda, Isopoda) in več kot 10 vrst, ki čakajo na opis. Iz večine teh taksonov sta bili opravljeni ekstrakcija DNK in PCR izbranih markerjev, kar omogoča razmejitev vrst in filogenetske analize. Za prej opisane iranske jamske ribe smo zabeležili nove habitate. Naš drugi cilj je bil preučiti vzorce biotske raznovrstnosti in endemizma troglobiontov v gorovju Zagros v Iranu. Leta 2017 smo objavili vrstni seznam iranskih podzemeljskih členonožcev. V dodatnem poglavju smo navedli vse iranske troglobionte (prej objavljene in naša nova odkritja, vključno s še neopisanimi vrstami). Predstavili smo vrstno bogastvo in vzorce razširjenosti iranske troglobiontske pestrosti, vključno z eno trenutno priznano vročo točko biotske raznovrstnosti. Tretji cilj je bil filogenetska analiza iranskih troglobiontov, da bi razumeli njihove medsebojne odnose ter ugotovili njihov izvor in ocenili časovni okvir njihove kolonizacije podzemnih habitatov. Nove vrste troglobiontov in nekatere vzorčene površinske sorodnike smo uporabili za izolacijo DNK in molekularno analizo. Relevantna zaporedja DNK so bila dodatno pridobljena iz baze GenBank. Glede na slabo poznavanje iranske podzemeljske favne je ta biospeleološka disertacija obogatila to znanje s poročanjem o novih najdbah in opisom novih vrst. Del disertacije posvečen odkrivanju nam je omogočil uveljavitev Irana kot pomembnega dela svetovnega zemljevida podzemeljske biotske raznovrstnosti. Zdaj bolje razumemo izvor iranskih troglobiontov in čas njihovega prilagajanja podzemnemu okolju. Ta favna verjetno izkazuje visok endemizem in je pomembna z vidika ohranjanja narave.

• Keywords: biodiverziteta, Zagros, Iran, Carabidae, vroča točka, izvor troglobiontov