This study investigates the impact of paleoclimate on the evolutionary history of Coxiella (Tomichiidae), a group of 15 species of aquatic snail in four putative genera that are endemic to Australian salt lakes. It used a time-calibrated phylogeny, based on mitochondrial DNA ( COI ) sequence variation from 938 individuals from 14 species, to estimate the timing of diversification events in Coxiella . The four putative genera o...

Giant ostracods in the subfamily Mytilocypridinae are an important component of the biota of Australian salt lakes, which are predominantly temporary, and often located in remote arid areas. Mytilocypridines produce desiccation-resistant eggs to persist in these habitats during unfavourable conditions. In this study, we used mytilocypridine eggs collected from sediments in salt lakes in Western Australia to analyse aspects of...

Understanding connectivity in high impact corallivores is crucial for coral reef management. The obligate corallivorous Drupella cornus (Röding, 1798) has caused extensive damage to some Indian Ocean coral reef areas in the last four decades. This study used novel and previously published Cytochrome Oxidase I ( COI ) sequences to reveal patterns of genetic diversity, phylogeography and connectivity within D. cornus across the...

This study aimed to determine salinity tolerances in Coxiella gastropods from Australian salt lakes and whether different species exhibit characteristically different tolerances. Controlled gradual accumulation experiments were conducted to estimate both the maximum and minimum salinity levels at which 50% of individuals (IC50) remained active for 25 populations representing six species. All studied species showed remarkable e...

Sharks and rays evolved 450 million years ago, during the Late Ordovician Period. However, during the modern Anthropocene, shark populations have declined at considerable rates, and recent global assessments indicate about one in three species is threatened with extinction. A notable reason for this elevated extinction risk is overfishing linked to increased demand for shark fins and other products. Here, we review multiple di...