Preliminary assessment of sea star (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) diversity in the coastal Magellanic Region (south Chile) and their geographical distribution.

• Published in: Diversity
• Main Authors: Vantomme, Luka, Jossart, Quentin, Gérard, Karin, Danis, Bruno, Moreau, Camille
• Other Authors: Laboratoire de Biologie Marine (LBM), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Biogéosciences UMR 6282 (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratorio de Ecosistemas Marinos Antárcticos y Subantárcticos (LEMAS), Universidad de Magallanes (UMAG), Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE) (BASE), Cape Horn International Center (CHIC), This research was funded by Leopold III Fonds and Fonds de la Recherche ScientifiqueFNRS to C.M. and by ANID—Millennium Science Initiative Program— ICN2021_002 and ANID/BASALFB210018 to K.G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: Southern Ocean; sub-Antarctic; DNA barcoding; ntegrative taxonomy; starfish; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://u-bourgogne.hal.science/hal-04274009; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15111129

International audience Sea stars are a diverse and important component of the Southern Ocean benthos. However, scarce information is available regarding their diversity, distribution, evolution, and taxonomic uncertainties persist for multiple taxa. The Magellanic Region (south of Chile) remains under-sampled despite its pivotal location for species distribution and diversity, being located at the crossroad of three ocean basins. In this study, we assessed the biodiversity of coastal Magellanic sea stars and their affinities with other oceanic bioregions. An integrative approach combining morphological identification with DNA barcoding was implemented to highlight taxonomic discrepancies such as suspected synonymy and unrecognised diversity. Firstly, we identified a total of 15 species from the coastal Magellanic Region and reported the occurrence of Cycethra frigida Koehler, 1917 for the first time in this region. The distribution of these 15 species ranged from only in South America to circumpolar, bipolar, or possibly cosmopolitan. Secondly, we highlighted possible synonymy in two species pairs within the genera Anasterias and Odontaster. This preliminary biodiversity assessment forms an important baseline for monitoring and conservation purposes, especially in the face of distribution shifts as a response to climate change and the increased presence of invasive species. Developmental mode has previously been suggested to be important in shaping biogeographical patterns. However, developmental mode was insufficient to explain the observed patterns, and other factors (e.g., physiological constraints, competition, bathymetrical range, and the possibility of passively rafting on kelp) are suggested to be at least equally important. Finally, an increase in barcoding effort is needed to better capture phylogeographic patterns for each species, both by increasing the number of specimens investigated and by covering a broader geographical range.