Molecular phylogeny suggests synonymy of Sandalia bridgesi Lorenz, 2009 with S. triticea (Lamarck, 1810) (Gastropoda, Ovulidae)

Abstract

The Ovulidae (Gastropoda, Cypraeoidea) is a family of small to medium Mollusca in the order Littorinimorpha, and Sandalia is a very small genus containing only three extant species. In the present study, 132 specimens of Ovulidae were collected, belonging to seven genera and nine species, including 54 Sandalia bridgesi and three Sandalia triticea individuals. The cytochrome c oxidase I gene, 16S rRNA, and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences were obtained from all specimens and compared with sequences downloaded from GenBank to calculate genetic distances and construct phylogenetic trees. The sequences of S. bridgesi and S. triticea exhibited a high degree of similarity, and S. bridgesi does not form a separate clade, supporting the proposal that S. bridgesi should be synonymised with S. triticea.