Leila Carmona

• PostDoc
• Universidad de Cádiz

Here, we present the mitochondrial sequences of two sea slugs (Heterobranchia): Runcina aurata and Facelina auriculata, the latter being the type species of the family. The mitochondrial genomes are 14,282 and 14,171bp in length, respectively, with a complete set of 13 PCGs, 2 rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs. None of the mitogenomes show gene reorganization, k...

In the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, the pleurobranchid genus Pleurobranchaea Leue, 1813 is represented by two species, Pleurobranchaea meckeli (Blainville, 1825) and Pleurobranchaea morosa (Bergh, 1892). The former is a well-known species distributed from northern Spain to Senegal and the Mediterranean Sea, while the second is a poo...

The genus Elysia comprises about one-third of the species richness in Sacoglossa. However, the species diversity in the genus remains poorly characterized in some areas like the north-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. To clarify the systematics of this genus and to characterize the species diversity in undersampled regions, we performed an...

This Collective Article presents new information about the occurrence of 23 marine taxa that belong to five Phyla: two Chlorophyta, one Annelida, six Mollusca, three Arthropoda, eleven Chordata (one Ascidiacea, one Elasmobranchii and nine Teleostei) and extending from the Western Mediterranean to the Levantine Sea. All these records were reported f...

Here, we present the mitochondrial sequences of two ‘opistobranch’ heterobranchs: Runcina aurata García-Gómez, López, Luque & Cervera, 1986 and Facelina auriculata (O. F. Müller, 1776), the latter type taxon of the genus. The mitochondrial genomes were 14,282 and 14,171bp in length respectively, the two of them with a complete set of 13 CDS, 2 rRNA...

Numerous faunistic and ecological studies have been conducted throughout the Indo-Pacific Ocean to assess its biodiversity. Despite the abundance of research, studies on the species that inhabit the Indo-Pacific are still necessary due to its extent and high species richness. The major species richness of the genus Okenia Menke, 1830 (Nudibranchia,...

The genus Thuridilla Bergh, 1872 comprises mostly tropical sap‐sucking sea slugs species with flamboyantly coloured forms. However, the potential for cryptic or pseudocryptic species masked by convergent or polymorphic colour patterns has not been tested using molecular characters. In this study, we sampled 20 of the 23 recognized worldwide species...

In 2014, Berghia marinae Carmona, Pola, Gosliner & Cervera, 2014 from Senegal was described along with the revision of the genus Berghia Trinchese, 1877. In this study, we establish a second record for the senegalese species B. marinae in the Med-iterranean Sea, 4,000 Km away from its type location. The morphological mismatch from the original desc...

The aeolid species Facelina bostoniensis (Couthouy, 1838) was originally described from Massachusetts and was later reported from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. So far, no molecular systematic study of its amphiatlantic status has been carried out. Phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood and Bayesian) of DNA sequence data f...

The present paper reports the first record of the nudibranch species Anteaeolidiella lurana (Marcus Er. & Marcus Ev., 1967) for the marine fauna of Portugal. Two specimens were collected on May 2018 in the intertidal zone of Ría Formosa, a protected area of southern Portugal.

A new sacoglossan species of the genus Elysia Risso, 1818 from southern Italy is described based on its external morphology, colour pattern, radular teeth and reproductive system. Specimens of this new species were previously attributed to Elysia viridis (Montagu, 1804) because of morphological similarity, but maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analys...

The apparition of the second cited individual of the species Berghia marinae 4000km away from its type location and the resemblance to the sibling species Berghia columbina opens the window of a new species complex.

Bulbaeolidia Carmona, Pola, Gosliner & Cervera, 2013 is the most recently described genus within the family Aeolidiidae Gray, 1827. It is composed of four species: B. alba (Risbec, 1928), originally described from New Caledonia; B. japonica (Eliot, 1913), from Japan; B. sulphurea Caballer & Ortea, 2015, from the Galapagos Islands and B. oasis Cabal...

Seven species of Dendronotacea and three of Arminacea collected in Ghana between 1963 and 1973 are described. Three are new species: Marionia ghanensis, Kabeiro atlantica and Janolus kinoi, while two more require further material before they can be definitively identified: Doto species A and Armina species A. Hancockia uncinata, Scyllaea pelagica,...

Tergipedidae represents a diverse and successful group of aeolid nudibranchs, with approximately 200 species distributed throughout most marine ecosystems and spanning all bio-geographical regions of the oceans. However, the systematics of this family remains poorly understood since no modern phylogenetic study has been undertaken to support any of...

ABGD analyses for the putative species complex. Trees were extracted from Fig 1. Rectangles represent the groups found by ABGD. (A) “Eubranchus rupium”. (B) “Cuthona yamasui”. (C) Cuthona pustulata and Cuthona punicea. (D) Cuthona concinna, Cuthonella marisalbi, Cuthonella soboli and Cuthona cocoachroma. Abbreviations: JC, Jukes-Cantor; K, Kimura;...

Molecular phylogeny inferred from partial sequences of the individual genes by Bayesian analysis. (A) H3. (B) COI. (C) 16S (C). Numbers above branches represent posterior probabilities from BI. Numbers below branches indicate bootstrap values for ML. Only nodes supported by BS ≥ 70 and PP ≥ 0.95 are represented. (TIF)

Molecular phylogeny based on both ML (A) and Bayesian (B) PTP analyses. (TIF)

Extraction, amplification, purification and sequencing protocols followed by each author. (DOCX)

List of specimens used for phylogenetic analyses. We include both the species names resulting from our morpho-chromatic identification (provisional ids) and the names after analyses (final ids; this only when changes have occurred). Abbreviation: GB, Genbank. (DOCX)

Molecular phylogeny based on the combined dataset (H3+COI+16S) including Tergipes antarcticus. (A) Tree topology from Maximum likelihood analysis; number above branches indicate the bootstrap values. (B) Tree topology from Bayesian inference; numbers above branches represent posterior probabilities. Only nodes supported by BS ≥ 70 and PP ≥ 0.95 are...

In the present contribution, the geographic range of Calma glaucoides Alder & Hancock, 1854 is updated, since it was found for the first time in Sweden. This species was previously recorded from different localities in the northeastern Atlantic and western Mediterranean. A molecular approach was used to verify the identity of the specimens.

Aeolidia papillosa (Linnaeus, 1761) is a well-known aeolidiid species that has been reported to have a worldwide distribution in cold–temperate waters, mainly from the northern hemisphere. Molecular tools have recently shown that most cosmopolitan species usually belong to a taxonomic species complex. Here we used integrative taxonomy to test the r...

The aeolid Anteaeolidiella fijensis Carmona, Bhave, Salunkhe, Pola, Gosliner and Cervera, 2014 is reported for the first time from India. Differences in the external colouration compared with the original description hampered its identification, and therefore, a molecular approach was needed. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analyses of partial DNA...

In recent years, several morphological and molecular analyses have been undertaken to study the phylogenetic systematics of Aeolidiidae members. The monospecific genus Burnaia could not be included in the previous analysis, due to the lack of material. This study includes two specimens of Burnaia helicochorda from Australia and places them in their...

Protaeolidiella atra Baba, 1955 and Pleurolidia juliae Burn, 1966 are two species traditionally regarded as the members of Aeolidiidae but recently attributed to Facelinidae. Because of their apparent similarities, Rudman (J Molluscan Stud 56:505–514, 1990) rendered P. juliae as a junior synonym of P. atra. In this paper, we conducted a review of b...

Eubranchus amazighi sp. nov. (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) is described based on two specimens collected at the harbour of Agadir (Morocco, Atlantic). The translucent white ground colour with opaque white and red-orange speckles over the dorsum and cerata, smooth rhinophores and morphology of the lateral teeth of the radula characterize this species...

A new species of the genus Flabellina is described from the Cape Verde Archipelago. This species is characterized by having smooth rhinophores and cerata not inserted on stalks. The ground colour is pinkish violet. The apical half or two-thirds of the rhinophores and oral tentacles are white. The garnet digestive gland is visible through the pinkis...

The aeolid genus Berghia was described by Trinchese in 1877, with Berghia coerulescens (Laurillard, 1832) as type species. The validity of Berghia has been questioned by some authors, who have considered it a junior synonym of Spurilla Bergh, 1864. The lack of consensus has caused confusion, blurring the differences between these two genera. A rece...

A new species of aeolid nudibranch of the genus Piseinotecus Er. Marcus, 1955 is described based on several specimens from the Atlantic coast of Morocco and the southwestern Iberian Peninsula. This new species is characterized by a translucent violet ground color (very similar to several Flabellina species) with minute opaque white spots over the c...

Specimens of the nudibranch genus Calma were observed under boulders at two Croatian localities while feeding on gobiid eggs. Some ambiguous morphological features compared with the original descriptions of the known species of the genus, C. glaucoides and C. gobioophaga hampered easy identification. Genetic data (COI and 16S sequences) confirmed t...

Felimida elegantula (Philippi, 1844) was originally described as Doris elegantula based on the external morphology of a single specimen from Sicily (Italy). Since Philippi's description, this species has been recorded only a few times, always from the Mediterranean Sea, and without any detailed description of the internal morphology. According to a...

This paper discusses the systematics of the aeolid genus Baeolidia Bergh, 1888. To date, this monophyletic genus is the most diverse within Aeolidiidae with sixteen valid species. Excluding Baeolidia cryoporos Bouchet, 1977, the genus is restricted to the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific. Species of Baeolidia show a huge intrageneric variability in...

Partial sequences of two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear gene from Anteaeolidiella specimens collected throughout temperate and tropical areas in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, eastern Pacific, and Indo-Pacific have revealed the existence of a species complex under the name of Anteaeolidiella indica (Bergh, 1888). Further examination showed consi...

Limenandra Haefelfinger and Stamm 1958 is a small genus within the Aeolidiidae with, until this paper, only two species: Limenandra nodosa Haefelfinger and Stamm 1958 and Limenandra fusiformis Baba 1949. Although most recent authors have regarded Limenandra as a junior synonym of Baeolidia Bergh 1888, recent molecular studies have demonstrated its...

Spurilla neapolitana (Delle Chiaje, 1823) was considered to be a species with a broad geographic range and substantial colour variability; however, analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear gene data revealed that it is a complex of five distinct species. Further anatomical and morphological examinations determined that coloration is one of the main di...

The Caribbean is one of the richest areas for heterobranch sea slugs (traditionally called 'opisthobranchs') in the Atlantic. However, detailed information is lacking for most species. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of obtaining more data on Caribbean species. The present study documents new records of opisthobranchs resulting from...

Polycerella emertoni and Favorinus ghanensis were originally described from Connecticut and Ghana respectively. While the last species has been found only twice since it was described, P. emertoni has already been reported in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (Portugal, Gulf of Cadiz and Gulf of Naples). In this paper, we provide new records o...

Besides from being the type species of Aeolidiidae, Aeolidia papillosa has been reported from cold and/or temperate waters around the world, specially from the northern hemisphere. The accepted geographical distribution of this species ranges from Norway (its type locality), to California, and includes Iceland, Greenland, the North Atlantic coas...

Aeolidida is one of the largest clades of nudibranchs with at least 560 known species. However, its systematics has not been studied in a comprehensive manner. Phylogenetic analyses of larger clades such as Nudibranchia or Cladobranchia have usually included a poor sample of aeolids. Furthermore, phylogenetic studies at the family or generic level...

List of specimens used for phylogenetic analyses. We include both the species names resulting from our morpho-chromatic identification (provisional ids) and the names after analyses (final ids; this only when changes have occurred). EA = eastern Atlantic Ocean; EP = eastern Pacific; GB = GenBank; MED = Mediterranean; WA = western Atlantic Ocean. (D...

Phylogenetic hypothesis based on the combined dataset (H3+COI+16S) inferred by Maximum likelihood analysis (ML). Numbers above branches indicate bootstrap values for ML. Abbreviations: ATL, Atlantic Ocean; EA, eastern Atlantic Ocean; GB, GenBank; MED, Mediterranean; PAC, Pacific; WA, western Atlantic Ocean. Genera names on right side of vertical ba...

Molecular phylogeny inferred from partial sequences of the individual mitochondrial COI gene by Bayesian analysis. Numbers above branches represent posterior probabilities from BI. Numbers below branches indicate bootstrap values for ML. Abbreviations: ATL, Atlantic Ocean; EA, eastern Atlantic Ocean; GB, GenBank; MED, Mediterranean; PAC, Pacific; W...

Minimum COI gene pairwise uncorrected p -distances between sister species of each genus. (DOCX)

List of nominal species of Aeolidiidae. Final identifications are determined after a review of the pertinent literature. ✓ = species analysed here; X = species not found properly preserved for molecular analyses; − = validity and/or identity of this species not studied here. (DOCX)

Limenandra Haefelfinger and Stamm 1958 is a small genus within the Aeolidiidae with, until this paper, only two species: Limenandra nodosa Haefelfinger and Stamm 1958 and Limenandra fusiformis Baba 1949. Although most recent authors have regarded Limenandra as a junior synonym of Baeolidia Bergh 1888, recent molecular studies have demonstrated its...

The genus Babakina was erected by Roller in 1973, for the species Babakina festiva (Roller, 1972), as a replacement name for Babaina Roller, 1972 (a junior homonym of the dorid nudi-branch genus Babaina Odhner, 1968). Miller (1974) described a second species, B. caprinsulensis, from New Zealand, while Ortea (1979) described Rioselleolis anadoni fro...

Nearly 13% of opisthobranch gastropods in the Atlantic Ocean are regarded as amphi-Atlantic (i.e. species occurring on both eastern and western coastlines of the Atlantic realm). This assumption has been broadly based on morpho-anatomical similarities and has rarely been tested within a molecular phylogenetic framework. Among opisthobranchs, the or...