MSc Student
Christoph G. Höpel¹, Shane T. Ahyong², Martin Kapun³, Martin Schwentner³, Stefan Richter¹

¹Allgemeine & Spezielle Zoologie, Institut für Biowissenschaften, Universität Rostock, Universitätsplatz 2, 18055 Rostock, Germany

²Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney NSW 2010, Australia and School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia

³Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria

Abstract

The Tasmanian Mountain Shrimps (Anaspides spp.) are enigmatic freshwater crustaceans and prefer cold and clear waters, which they mostly find high up in the mountain areas and in various cave systems all over the island. Their current distribution is heavily influenced by the Pleistocene glaciations as most habitats such as mountain tarns and pools, creeks, runnels, and rivers in alpine areas are of postglacial origin. This glaciation also led to multiple independent colonization’s of caves, with some of this lineages having evolved into obligate cave dwelling species. Moreover, the glaciation also played a crucial role in speciation and separation of population, which is especially obvious in the A. richardsoni species clade. This species clades comprises 6 closely related species, with one being an obligate cave dweller (A. eberhardi), some having surface and cave forms (e.g. A. richardsoni) and one being only found in a single big post-glacial lake (A. spinulae).

Using various genetic methods such as ddRAD and Sanger sequencing, we analyzed the relationships within this species clade, the mode of speciation as well as the number of independent colonization’s into the subterranean habitat, their population structure, underground migration patterns and interaction with surface populations. Furthermore, we use molecular clock approaches to date these migration events.