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Investigating the diversity of bioluminescent marine worm Polycirrus (Annelida), with description of three new species from the Western Pacific.

Naoto JimiManabu Bessho-UeharaKoji NakamuraMasahiko SakataTaro HayashiShusei KanieYasuo MitaniYoshihiro OhmiyaAoi TsuyukiYuzo OtaSau Pinn WooKatsunori Ogoh
Published in: Royal Society open science (2023)
Bioluminescence, a phenomenon observed widely in organisms ranging from bacteria to metazoans, has a significant impact on the behaviour and ecology of organisms. Among bioluminescent organisms, Polycirrus , which has unique emission wavelengths, has received attention, and advanced studies such as RNA-Seq have been conducted, but they are limited to a few cases. In addition, accurate species identification is difficult due to lack of taxonomic organization. In this study, we conducted comprehensive taxonomic survey of Japanese Polycirrus based on multiple specimens from different locations and described as three new species: Polycirrus onibi sp. nov., P . ikeguchii sp. nov. and P . aoandon sp. nov. The three species can be distinguished from the known species based on the following characters: (i) arrangement of mid-ventral groove, (ii) arrangement of notochaetigerous segments, (iii) type of neurochaetae uncini, and (iv) arrangement of nephridial papillae. By linking the bioluminescence phenomenon with taxonomic knowledge, we established a foundation for future bioluminescent research development. We also provide a brief phylogenetic tree based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences to discuss the evolution of bioluminescence and the direction of future research.
Keyphrases
  • rna seq
  • single cell
  • energy transfer
  • gram negative
  • genetic diversity
  • current status
  • healthcare
  • spinal cord
  • south africa
  • high resolution
  • quantum dots
  • case control