Dane McDonald

Previous studies:

BSc Hons Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (UWC)

Current studies:

MSc Zoology (Stellenbosch University)

Division/Subject:

Evolutionary Genomics

Subject Title:

Unravelling species boundaries in two velvet worm species (Peripatopsis balfouri and P. capensis) with an assessment of the conservation of each species..

Promotor:

Prof. S. Daniels

Short description of project:

My project addresses a paucity of systematic data on the onychophorans (velvet worms) in South Africa. The predominant Western Cape species, P. balfouri and P. capensis, occur in disjunct afrotemperate forests which make them prone to allopatric speciation. This was demonstrated by Daniels et al. (2009) who reported evidence of several cryptic species, especially in widely distributed taxa. P. balfouri and P. capensis fall into this category hence they are referred to as species complexes.

Evolutionary relationships within P. balfouri and P. capensis remain unquantified, and species boundaries ill-defined. This poses a challenge to conservation authorities when conservation resources need to allocated to management units. In this project we will apply a phylogenetic diversity index to the tree topology to assess the conservation status of South African Peripatopsis species. Based on this data a management plan will be proposed for Peripatopsis.

The South African Peripatopsidae a re limited to eleven described species in two genera. Given their conserved morphology, velvet worm taxonomists agree that this is an underestimation of the group’s true diversity. With the use of modern molecular systematic techniques it was shown that the two genera comprise numerous cryptic species (Daniels et al., 2009; Daniels & Ruhberg, 2010; Kunaka, unpublished). This data forms the groundwork for defining species boundaries.

Figure 1 Peripatopsis capensis

Figure 2 Peripatosis balfouri

 

Department of Botany and Zoology University of Stellenbosch Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa

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