Integrative Taxonomic Reappraisal and Evolutionary Biogeography of the Most Diverse Freshwater Mussel Clade from Southeast Asia (Pseudodontini)

Abstract

Freshwater mussels belonging to the tribe Pseudodontini (Bivalvia: Unionidae: Gonideinae) play a keystone role in riverine and lacustrine environments throughout Southeast Asia. Many of them are narrowly endemic and habitat specialists, which need special conservation efforts. Unfortunately, the systematics of this group is rather poorly understood. Here, we show that Pseudodon inoscularis, the type species of the genus Pseudodon, belongs to the eastern clade of the tribe (Southeast Asia, east of the Salween Basin), and, more certainly, clusters with members of the genus Monodontina. Hence, the latter genus becomes a synonym of Pseudodon, while the subtribe Pseudodontina (=Pilsbryoconchina syn. nov.) should be used as a name for the eastern clade. In turn, the genus Indopseudodon stat. rev. and the subtribe Indopseudodontina subtr. nov. must be applied as valid names for the western clade of the Pseudodontini (Ayeyarwady to Salween). We present a revision of the genus Indopseudodon with an updated synonymy and a description of a new species, I. indawgyiensis sp. nov. We also link four species-level genetic lineages from the Mekong to available taxonomic names in the genera Pseudodon and Sundadontina (Pseudodon cambodjensis, P. vagulus, Sundadontina harmandi, and S. sulcata). Based on morphological features, we revise the taxonomic position of several recent and fossil species that were traditionally placed in the Pseudodontini and transfer them to the genera Parvasolenaia, Pseudodontopsis, Ptychorhynchus, Simpsonasus nom. nov. (a new name for Nasus Simpson, 1900) (Gonideinae: Gonideini), Pseudobaphia (Unioninae: Unionini), Balwantia and Lamellidens (Parreysiinae: Lamellidentini).

Keywords

• Bivalvia
• Burma Terrane
• Mekong River
• new species
• phylogenetics
• Sundaland