Taxacom: Satyrium curiosolus sp. nov by SNPs alone

[Richard Zander]

Well, there should be some evolutionary hypothesis in addition to isolation. If descent with modification, exactly how to the modifications maybe provide adaptation. Or at least what was the progenitor like?

Molecular traits were originally used as tracking devices for evolution associated with expressed traits. The tracking traits are now used for classification, which reference to any evolutionary hypotheses.

So what is this, a species or a clade? I'm not impressed. I think molecular studies can give information about evolution that can be used in classification, but that information is paraphyly leading to apophyly, ancestor to descendant, not in the dogma.
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Richard H. Zander - Missouri Botanical Garden - 4344 Shaw Blvd - St. Louis, MO 63110 U.S.A. - 314-577-0276
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-----Original Message-----
From: Taxacom <taxacom-bounces at lists.ku.edu> On Behalf Of John Grehan via Taxacom
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2025 1:04 PM
To: taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Subject: Taxacom: Satyrium curiosolus sp. nov by SNPs alone

New article presents a new species that is apparently unambiguously recognizable by a set of SNPs

Genomic and ecological divergence support recognition of a new species of endangered Satyrium butterfly (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fzookeys.pensoft.net%2Farticle%2F143893%2F&data%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C41cf9578d1f743691f3f08dd84f61c3b%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638812914753359663%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=c%2FhDbeDK59fVSJdKAyhQ1C%2Fq6Gw9%2BqDJZ5oePDiy%2B8E%3D&reserved=0>

I have no problem with species being recognized solely by molecular differences as this is no different to species recognized by internal structural differences that are not evident externally (i.e. the defining characteristics are 'cryptic'. The authors note that " identification without reference to source locality is most reliably achieved by DNA as follows, with representative (see Remarks section) diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are fixed for S. curiosolus"  In their Remarks section they note that " 21,985 SNPs across 22 scaffolds that were fixed for alternate nucleotides between individuals from Alberta and those from Montana and British Columbia"

I'm no molecular population theorists, but hopefully some on TAXACOM are, and could comment on this, whether it is a strong indicator of species level divergence rather than a geographic population divergence within a molecular polytypic species.

Cheers,

John Grehan
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