Peter Teske

University of Johannesburg | uj · Department of Zoology

The reconstruction of complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) has considerable potential to clarify species relation-ships in cases where morphological analysis and DNA sequencing of individual genes are inconclusive. However, the trend to use only mitogenomes for the phylogenies presented in mitogenome announcements carries the inherent risk...

Significance Species with narrow distributions provide unique opportunities for understanding the mechanisms that limit their spread. We studied a marine invader that exhibits ecological dominance within its range and has the capacity to fundamentally alter the coastal habitat when introduced to new locations. We found evidence of the species’ pote...

The KwaZulu-Natal sardine run, popularly known as the “greatest shoal on Earth,” is a mass migration of South African sardines from their temperate core range into the subtropical Indian Ocean. It has been suggested that this represents the spawning migration of a distinct subtropical stock. Using genomic and transcriptomic data from sardines colle...

Studies investigating gene flow in sessile or sedentary marine species typically draw conclusions about larval dispersal by investigating genetic structure of adults. Here, we generated microsatellite data from adults, recruits, settlers and planktonic larvae of the brown mussel, Perna perna, from the southeast coast of South Africa, and identified...

Understanding the genetic basis of local adaptation in thermal performance is useful for predicting species distribution shifts under anthropogenic climate change. Many species are distributed across multiple biogeographic regions, and the uniquely adapted populations in each region may respond to future ocean warming with distinct distribution cha...

Marine ecosystems are highly dynamic, and their connectivity is affected by a complex range of biological, spatial, and oceanographic factors. Incorporating connectivity as a factor in the planning and management of marine protected areas (MPAs) is important yet challenging. Here, we implemented a novel integrative framework that uses intraspecific...

Studying the early stages of the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) is crucial as it allows immediate management actions aimed at preventing NIS spread at a time when these actions are more likely to be effective. Recent species introductions present unique opportunities to study key aspects of the invasion process. However, comprehensive...

Biodiversity patterns are shaped by the interplay between geodiversity and organismal characteristics. Superimposing genetic structure onto landscape heterogeneity (i.e., landscape genetics) can help to disentangle their interactions and better understand population dynamics. Previous studies on the sub‐Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (located midw...

Background In genetics and evolutionary biology, the concept of selection signatures is used to describe specific patterns in the genome that are associated with the process of natural selection. This natural selection can leave distinct genetic footprints of signatures, such as changes in allele frequencies, the presence of specific mutations, or...

Background The Octopus vulgaris species complex consists of numerous morphologically similar but genetically distinct species. The current publicly available mitogenome of this species has been generated from a specimen collected from Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan. Octopus from the northwestern Pacific Ocean are now considered to be a separate...

Frontiers e-book, comprising all the articles featured in the Research Topic "Syngnathid Fishes: Biology, Ecology, Physiology, Conservation and Innovative Rearing Techniques".

Marine ecosystems are highly dynamic, and their connectivity is affected by a complex range of biological, spatial, and oceanographic factors. Incorporating connectivity as a factor in the planning and management of marine protected areas (MPAs) is important yet challenging. Here, we used intraspecific genetic and genomic data for five marine speci...

Seagrass habitats are declining worldwide, placing several seagrass‐associated animals at risk of extinction. The Critically Endangered limpet Siphonaria compressa is one of the rarest molluscs in Africa, and has been reported from only two disjunctive lagoons in South Africa. Being a highly specialized grazer that lives exclusively on the narrow b...

Background The Octopus vulgaris species complex consists of numerous morphologically similar but genetically distinct species. The current publicly available mitogenome of this species has been generated from a specimen collected from Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan. Octopus from the northwestern Pacific Ocean are now considered to be a separate...

1. Temporary wetland ecosystems are common in arid and semi-arid environments, and are inhabited by diverse invertebrate communities. Little is known about the dynamics of genetic connectivity in the geographically scattered populations of these wetland specialists. 2. The current study investigated the spatial genetic structure and dispersal hist...

Understanding the dietary preferences of endangered species can be useful in implementing conservation strategies, including habitat restoration, translocation, and captive breeding. Environmental DNA (eDNA) from feces provides a non-invasive method for analysing animal diets. Currently, metabarcoding, a PCR-based approach, is the method of choice...

A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is how natural selection and environmental pressures shape the mitochondrial genomic architectures of organisms. Mitochondria play a pivotal role in cellular respiration and aerobic metabolism, making their genomes functionally highly constrained. Evaluating selective pressures on mitochondrial genes...

Aim Intraspecific genetic variation is a key component of biodiversity, with higher diversity indicating greater resilience and population substructuring suggesting unique evolutionary histories. Comparative approaches, in which intraspecific genetic variation is assessed across multiple species, are powerful tools to identify evolutionary hotspots...

The critically endangered estuarine pipefish, Syngnathus watermeyeri, is one of Africa’s rarest fish species and currently faces a significant risk of extinction. A combination of anthropogenic and natural factors threaten submerged macrophyte beds in the two South African estuaries (Bushmans and Kariega) in which the species’ only two known remain...

Large-scale monitoring of wild populations in remote areas using traditional live-capturing methods is logistically and financially challenging. Devices that can be used to obtain biological material remotely and store it for an extended period have considerable potential to monitor population densities and health status, but their applicability re...

The development of new genetic resources is key for biological conservation in an era when the preservation of biodiversity is crucial. Here, we report the development of microsatellites and mitochondrial markers for the redbait species Pyura herdmani and P. stolonifera, both important bioengineers along African coastlines. Specifically, we identif...

DNA barcoding based on a fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene from the mitochondrial genome is widely applied in species identification, species discovery and biodiversity studies. The aim of this study was to establish a barcoding reference database of sponges collected from South Africa, and evaluate the applicability of the...

Most intertidal algae have limited dispersal potential, and areas that lack hard substratum suitable for attachment are thus expected to isolate regional populations from each other. Here, we used nuclear and mitochondrial genetic data to compare genetic structure in two co‐distributed intertidal red algae with different dispersal potential along t...

Seahorses and pipefishes are heavily exploited for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and less frequently for curio markets or as aquarium fish. A number of recent studies have used DNA barcoding to identify species sold at TCM markets in East Asia, but the usefulness of this approach in determining the region of origin remains poorly explo...

Several studies have attempted to understand the origin and evolution of single‐exon genes (SEGs) in eukaryotic organisms, including fishes, but few have examined the functional and evolutionary relationships between SEGs and multiple‐exon gene (MEG) paralogs, in particular the conservation of promoter regions. Given that SEGs originate via the rev...

During austral winter, the southern and eastern coastlines of South Africa witness one of the largest animal migrations on the planet, the KwaZulu-Natal sardine run. Hundreds of millions of temperate sardines, Sardinops sagax, form large shoals that migrate north-east towards the subtropical Indian Ocean. Recent studies have highlighted the role th...

Historical demographic events shape genetic diversity that remains evident in the genomes of contemporary populations. In the case of species that are of conservation concern, this information helps to unravel evolutionary histories that can be critical in guiding conservation efforts. The Knysna seahorse, Hippocampus capensis, is the world’s most...

Spinicaudatan clam shrimp are a widespread and diverse group of branchiopod crustaceans, yet few mitochondrial genomes have been published for this taxonomic group. Here, we present the mitogenome of Leptestheria brevirostris from a rock pool ecosystem in Botswana. Massively parallel sequencing of a single specimen facilitated the reconstruction of...

Environmental gradients between marine biogeographical provinces separate distinct faunal communities. However, the absence of absolute dispersal barriers allows numerous species to occur on both sides of such boundaries. While the regional populations of such widespread species are often morphologically indistinguishable from each other, genetic e...

The estuarine pipefish, Syngnathus watermeyeri, is one of the rarest animals in Africa and occurs in only two South African estuaries. The species was declared provisionally extinct in 1994, but was later rediscovered and is currently listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered. A conservation programme was launched in 2017, with the re-introductio...

Sixteen species of Latrunculiidae Topsent, 1922, belonging to the genera Latrunculia du Bocage, 1869, Strongylodesma Lévi, 1969, Cyclacanthia Samaai & Kelly, 2004, Samaai & Kelly, 2002, are currently known from the temperate waters of South Africa. Extensive new sponge collections from the Amathole region of South Africa revealed the existence of t...

Seahorses and pipefishes are heavily exploited for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and less frequently for curio markets or as aquarium fish. A number of recent studies have used DNA barcoding to identify species sold at TCM markets in East Asia, but the usefulness of this approach in determining the region of origin remains poorly explo...

Simple Summary: Cities are the fastest developing ecosystems on the planet. The rapid expansion of urban areas is typically seen as a threat to global biodiversity, yet the role of cities in protecting species that may be rare in the wild remains poorly explored. Here, we report the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to document the species present in...

Knowledge about the demographic histories of natural populations helps to evaluate their conservation status, and potential impacts of natural and anthropogenic pressures. In particular, estimates of effective population size obtained through molecular data can provide useful information to guide management decisions for vulnerable populations. The...

Microbial mats were the dominant habitat type in shallow marine environments between the Palaeoarchean and Phanerozoic. Many of these (termed ‘microbialites’) calcified as they grew but such lithified mats are rare along modern coasts for reasons such as unsuitable water chemistry, destructive metazoan influences and competition with other reef-bui...

Aim Biogeographical transition zones are areas of overlap between the faunas of adjacent biogeographical entities. Particularly the well‐defined transition zones along linear coastlines are interesting natural laboratories to study dispersal and incipient speciation. Few studies have explored whether marine biogeographical transition zones harbour...

Environmental gradients between marine biogeographical provinces separate distinct faunal communities; in the absence of absolute dispersal barriers numerous species nonetheless occur on either side of such boundaries. While the regional populations of such widespread species tend to be morphologically indistinguishable from each other, genetic evi...

Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has long been used to date historical demographic events. The idea that it is useful for molecular dating rests on the premise that its evolution is neutral. Even though this idea has long been challenged, the evidence against clock-like evolution of mtDNA is often ignored. Here, we present a particularly clear...

Aim Biogeographical transition zones are areas of overlap between the faunas of adjacent biogeographical entities. Particularly, the well-defined transition zones along linear coastlines are interesting natural laboratories to study dispersal and incipient speciation. Few studies have explored whether marine biogeographical transition zones harbour...

The recently published complete mitochondrial genome of the endangered Knysna seahorse, Hippocampus capensis Boulenger, 1900, was based on a specimen obtained from a Traditional Chinese Medicine market. As H. capensis is endemic to temperate South Africa and exceptionally rare, illegal trade to supply Asian markets would constitute a considerable e...

All multicellular organisms host a wide diversity of microorganisms in and on their bodies, which are collectively known as their microbiome. Characterising microbial communities that inhabit different body niches in wild animals is critical to better understand the dynamics of microbiome diversityand its functional significance. The current study...

Knowledge about the demographic histories of natural populations helps to evaluate their conservation status, and potential impacts of natural and anthropogenic pressures. In particular, estimates of effective population size obtained through molecular data can provide useful information to guide management decisions for vulnerable populations. The...

Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has long been used to date historical demographic events. The idea that it is useful for molecular dating rests on the premise that its evolution is neutral. Even though this idea has long been challenged, the evidence against clock-like evolution of mtDNA is often ignored. Here, we present a particularly clear...

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), introduced from Australia in the mid-nineteenth century, is an invasive species in New Zealand where it is widespread and forms the largest self-sustained reservoir of bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) among wild populations. Conservation and agricultural authorities regularly apply a ser...

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has long been used to date historical demographic events. The idea that it is useful for molecular dating rests on the premise that its evolution is neutral. Even though this idea has long been challenged, the evidence against clock-like evolution of mtDNA is usually ignored. Here, we present a particularly clear and simpl...

Clam shrimps (Spinicaudata) are a widespread and diverse crustacean group that frequent temporary aquatic habitats, but few complete mitochondrial genomes have been published for this group. Here, we report the mitogenome of an undescribed Gondwanalimnadia species from Botswana. Raw sequences were assembled into a single circular genome with a tota...

The New Zealand brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), introduced from Australia in the 1850s, is an invasive species that is widespread throughout New Zealand and forms the largest self-sustained reservoir of bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) in the wild. Conservation and agricultural authorities regularly apply a series of population c...

The ‘Abundant-Centre Hypothesis’ is a well-established but controversial hypothesis stating that the abundance of a species is highest at the centre of its range and decreases towards the edges, where conditions are unfavourable. As genetic diversity depends on population size, edge populations are expected to show lower intra-population genetic di...

Fairy shrimps (Anostraca) constitute an important component of seasonally aquatic habitats, but few complete mitochondrial genomes have been published for this group. Here, we report the mitogenome of a common southern African species, Streptocephalus cafer, from Botswana (accession number: MN720104). Low-coverage shotgun sequencing recovered two c...

Isotomurus maculatus (Collembola, Isotomidae) is a springtail with a large distribution. This species has been introduced to the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. In this study, the mitogenome of I. maculatus was reconstructed. The total length of the mitochondrial genome is 15,263 bp and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNA...

Tullbergia bisetosa is a springtail (Collembola) native to the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. Unlike most other springtails, it has acquired a euedaphic (living within the soil) life form. In the present study, the complete mitogenome of T. bisetosa was sequenced. It has a length of 15,204 bp and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, a...

Cryptopygus antarcticus travei (Collembola) is a springtail endemic to the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. The mitogenome of C. a. travei has a length of 15,743 bp and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs. The base composition is 36% adenine, 33% thymine, 13% guanine, and 18% cytosine. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the...

Intraspecific genetic structure in widely distributed marine species often mirrors the boundaries between temperature-defined bioregions. This suggests that the same thermal gradients that maintain distinct species assemblages also drive the evolution of new biodiversity. Ecological speciation scenarios are often invoked to explain such patterns, b...

Lovenula raynerae is the largest known African freshwater copepod. To date, it has only been sampled from ephemeral freshwater ecosystems. This paper reports the complete mitochondrial genome of L. raynerae, which was found to be 14,365 bp long. A base composition of 33.5% base A, 19.3% base G, 34.6% base T, and 12.5% base C was found, with 13 prot...

Many marine species do not display genetic structure across the barriers between marine bioregions that in other species with similar life histories define distinct cryptic species. This paradox is often explained by unexpectedly high dispersal potential in the former. Using genomic data from a coastal fish that exists as a single population across...

Intraspecific genetic structure in widely distributed marine species often mirrors the boundaries between temperature-defined bioregions. This suggests that the same thermal gradients that maintain distinct species assemblages also drive the evolution of new biodiversity. Ecological speciation scenarios are often invoked to explain such patterns, b...

The cosmopolitan lamniform shark Carcharias taurus (commonly known as the ragged-tooth, grey nurse or sand tiger shark) is threatened by overexploitation in parts of its range. Return migrations of females to specific nursery areas suggest that females exhibit reproductive philopatry, a behaviour that over time might lead to genetically isolated su...

Genomic data can be a useful tool in the management and conservation of biodiversity. Here, we report the development of genomic resources for the spotted ragged-tooth shark Carcharias taurus using genome-wide DNA data from Illumina next-generation sequencing. We explored two commonly used genetic marker types: microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA...

The South African coastline can be divided into at least four temperature-defined marine bioregions, including the tropical north-east coast, the subtropical east coast, the warm-temperate south coast, and the cool-temperate west coast. There are also two biogeographical transition zones, the south-west coast and the south-east coast (or Wild Coast...

Tests for isolation by distance (IBD) are the most commonly used method of assessing spatial genetic structure. Many studies have exclusively used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences to test for IBD, but this marker is often in conflict with multilocus markers. Here, we report a review of the literature on IBD, with the aims of determining (a) whet...

The South African coastline can be divided into at least four temperature‑defined marine bioregions, including the tropical north‑east coast, the subtropical east coast, the warm‑temperate south coast, and the cool‑temperate west coast. There are also two biogeographical transition zones, the south‑west coast and the south‑east coast (or Wild Coast...

Tests for isolation by distance (IBD) are the most commonly used method of assessing spatial genetic structure. Many studies have exclusively used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences to test for IBD, but this marker is often i