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Sampling in Cuba was funded by the Carlsberg Foundation to KW (CF_0946 and CF2013_01_0501). Sampling in South Korea was funded by the Carlsberg Foundation to MVS (CF17-0054) and the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), Republic of Korea to TP (NIBR201501111). Sampling in Eilat was funded by the Evolution ASSEMBLE program (grant LOBATO 'Evolution of two enigmatic invertebrate families with proposed annelid affinity - The Lobatocerebridae and Nerillidae'). Sampling in Turks and Caicos was funded by the Peter Buck Fellowship Program to Brett C. Gonzalez. Sampling in Belize was funded by the Smithsonian Institution Marine Science Network to JN. Sampling in the Maldives was funded by the Carlsberg Foundation to KW (CF20_0690) and the National Geographic Society to Ole Bjorn Brodnicke (EC-75365R-21). Sampling in Bermuda was supported by the Bermuda Zoological Society (BBP113).

Analysis of institutional authors

Herranz M.AuthorHerranz, MariaAuthor

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July 2, 2024
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Circumtropical distribution and cryptic species of the meiofaunal enteropneust Meioglossus (Harrimaniidae, Hemichordata)

Publicated to:Scientific Reports. 14 (1): 9296- - 2024-04-23 14(1), DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57591-0

Authors: Defourneaux, Eloise; Herranz, Maria; Armenteros, Maickel; Sorensen, Martin V; Norenburg, Jon L; Park, Taeseo; Worsaae, Katrine

Affiliations

Natl Inst Biol Resources, Species Divers Res Div, Hwangyeong Ro 42, Incheon 22689, South Korea - Author
Rey Juan Carlos Univ, Super Sch Expt Sci & Technol ESCET, Area Biodivers & Conservat, C Tulipan S-N, Mostoles 28933, Madrid, Spain - Author
Smithsonian Natl Museum Nat Hist, Washington, DC USA - Author
Univ Copenhagen, Dept Biol, Marine Biol Sect, Univ Pk 4, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark - Author
Univ Copenhagen, Nat Hist Museum Denmark, Univ Pk 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark - Author
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Unidad Acad Mazatlan, Inst Ciencias Mar & Limnol, Av Joel Montes Camarena S-N, Mazatlan 82040, Mexico - Author
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Abstract

Hemichordata has always played a central role in evolutionary studies of Chordata due to their close phylogenetic affinity and shared morphological characteristics. Hemichordates had no meiofaunal representatives until the surprising discovery of a microscopic, paedomorphic enteropneust Meioglossus psammophilus (Harrimaniidae, Hemichordata) from the Caribbean in 2012. No additional species have been described since, questioning the broader distribution and significance of this genus. However, being less than a millimeter long and superficially resembling an early juvenile acorn worm, Meioglossus may easily be overlooked in both macrofauna and meiofauna surveys. We here present the discovery of 11 additional populations of Meioglossus from shallow subtropical and tropical coralline sands of the Caribbean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and East China Sea. These geographically separated populations show identical morphology but differ genetically. Our phylogenetic reconstructions include four gene markers and support the monophyly of Meioglossus. Species delineation analyses revealed eight new cryptic species, which we herein describe using DNA taxonomy. This study reveals a broad circumtropical distribution, supporting the validity and ecological importance of this enigmatic meiobenthic genus. The high cryptic diversity and apparent morphological stasis of Meioglossus may exemplify a potentially common evolutionary 'dead-end' scenario, where groups with highly miniaturized and simplified body plan lose their ability to diversify morphologically.

Keywords

AnimalsAsexual reproductionCaribbean regionComplexDelimitationDiversificationDiversityIndian oceanMafftMultiple sequence alignmentPatternsPhylogenyWorm

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Scientific Reports due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2024 there are still no calculated indicators, but in 2023, it was in position 25/134, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Multidisciplinary Sciences.

Independientemente del impacto esperado determinado por el canal de difusión, es importante destacar el impacto real observado de la propia aportación.

Según las diferentes agencias de indexación, el número de citas acumuladas por esta publicación hasta la fecha 2025-07-16:

  • WoS: 1

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-16:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 3.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 4 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 4.4.

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Denmark; Mexico; Republic of Korea; United States of America.