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Narrow endemism is the core of plant diversity in flora of the Mediterranean Basin, which is among the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots. The Mediterranean genus Kundmannia (Careae, Apioideae) comprises just three species, K. sicula , K. anatolica , and K. syriaca. Notably, K. sicula has a wide distribution from the western Mediterranean to Greece, while K. anatolica and K. syriaca occur only in Turkey's Taurus Mountains, which is a phylogeographical hotspot. Initially, the aim herein was to determine the phylogenetic placement of the genus Kundmannia based on DNA sequences, but it later developed to describing a new genus, Antalia gen. nov. and revealing historical events that acted as drivers in the genetic divergence between Kundmannia and Antalia. Both ribosomal and combined chloroplast multilocus sequences were used to unravel the phylogenetic topology. Toward this aim, morphological characteristics were examined. Based on this, Antalia differs from Kundmannia by its shorter bracteoles and petals, the colour of the petals, and smaller fruits. The phylogenetic results revealed that the genus Kundmannia is nested within the tribe Careae and is not monophyletic. Antalia , which is genetically separate from Kundmannia , is described as a new genus. Detailed morphological descriptions and identification keys are provided. Causes of the genetic disjunction between Antalia and Kundmannia were carefully considered in a time-calibrated phylogenetic framework. The Mediterranean Sea has acted as a relatively effective barrier between these genera since the Messinian salinity crisis. The unwinged mericarps seem to have facilitated the work of the barrier. Historical events during and after the Pliocene and allopatric vicariance seem to have been the most important drivers of evolution between Kundmannia and Antalia and within Antalia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potamothrix hammoniensis (Michaelsen, 1901) is one of the freshwater Clitellata species of Ponto-Caspian origin. Nearly 30 distinct morphological taxonomic characters are used for identification at the species level within the phylum Annelida. It is predicted that this species will show patterns of speciation dependent on allopatric isolation in relation to distribution barriers in the phylogeographic history of the species. The geography of Türkiye has many barriers capable of isolating aquatic organisms regardless of whether their active distribution is limited or not. In this study, P. hammoniensis (Oligochaeta) samples were collected in eight natural lakes (Lakes Gala, Büyük Akgöl, Sapanca, Eğirdir, Mogan, Cernek, Gölbaşı, and Nemrut) located in different geographical regions from the west to east of Türkiye between 2010 and 2013. These lakes have geographically isolation barriers among them and are thought to best reflect allopatric isolation. The samples were described based on both morphological differentiation and molecular characterisation using the data of COI and ITS2 fragments. According to the obtained results, the species of interest is not represented by a single species in the distribution area of Türkiye. The samples determined from Lake Gala may represent a new species. The samples obtained from Lakes Sapanca and Eğirdir show differentiation, but this differentiation is not as high as that observed for the Lake Gala samples. The Lake Nemrut samples also had a high rate of differentiation with an isolation process and mechanism that differed from those of the samples of all other investigated lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anatolia is a significant centre of biodiversity and endemism with diversity hotspots located mainly in mountain ranges. Its complex geological history and heterogeneous topography have generated natural barriers to gene flow that favour speciation, and migration corridors that accentuate its transitional biogeographic position. While more attention has been paid to the predominant Irano‐Turanian and Mediterranean xerophytic elements, the evolution of species adapted to wet habitats with limited occurrence is understudied in this area. Here, we investigated Cardamine representatives in northern Anatolia with the aims of resolving the taxonomically uncertain populations previously assigned to either C. uliginosa or C. tenera from northwestern Anatolia (Uludağ,) and elucidating the genetic structure of (sub)alpine C. uliginosa recorded mainly from the North Anatolian Mts. (Pontic Mts.). Using a combination of phylogenomic (Hyb‐Seq), morphometric, and flow cytometric analyses, we support a distinct position of the northwestern Anatolian populations, described here as a new species Cardamine anatolica. Apart from Uludağ, a few other sites were found in the montane to subalpine belts in the Marmara and Aegean regions. A sister phylogenetic position of C. anatolica to C. acris, a widespread and polymorphic Balkan species, supports the existence of biogeographic links between these areas and suggests a vicariance scenario. We revealed a pronounced intraspecific diversification of C. uliginosa with geographic structuring and admixture in the Pontic Mts., which highlights this area as a significant hotspot of biodiversity not only at the species level but also at the level of genetic variation. Due to the common misinterpretation of the species treated here, we revise their distributional data, provide details on their morphological differentiation, and present an identification key. The study highlights the evolutionary importance of Anatolian mountains, which promote speciation, favour accumulation of diversity, and serve as a meeting place of colonization routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding climatic variables to determine the ecological niche is crucial to explaining species distributions and revealing how sister species coexist within a geographic area. Here, we used ecological niche modeling to determine the ecological niche patterns of two toad species in Türkiye: Bufo bufo and Bufo verrucosissimus. Thus, we tested the ecological niche divergence and similarity between these species. In our results, the potential distribution of B. verrucosissimus showed high suitability throughout all Caucasus hotspots, and this suitability has been found even along the middle and western coast of Türkiye, but suitability was found to be very weak in the southern part of Türkiye. For B. bufo, the distribution pattern indicated high suitability along the Black Sea and Mediterranean coasts of Türkiye, but this suitability was low throughout Caucasus hotspots. Furthermore, we found that among B. bufo and B. verrucosissimus, the niches are not identical, but this situation is different in the background test. Therefore, we suggested that although there is niche conservatism between the two sister species, this pattern is caused by geographic barriers, not climatic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centaurea subsection Phalolepis has been thoroughly analyzed in previous studies using microsatellites in four centers of speciation: Anatolia, Greece, the Italian Peninsula and the Iberian Peninsula. Evidence suggests a correlation between taxon diversity and mountains. This group constituted a good case study for examining the mountain–geobiodiversity hypothesis (MGH), which explains the possible reasons for the many radiations occurring in mountains across the world. We combined all the datasets and carried out analyses of their genetic structure to confirm the species of subsect. Phalolepis are grouped according to a geographic pattern. We then checked whether climatic fluctuations favored the "species pump" hypothesis in the mountains by using the Climatic Stability Index (CSI). Finally, the relief of the terrain was tested against the rate of allopatric speciation by region by means of Terrain Ruggedness Index and environmental gradients through our new Climate Niche Breadth Index. Our results supported the MGH hypothesis and confirmed that the main triggers, namely altitudinal zonation, climatic oscillations and rugged terrain, must be present for the development of a radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant species diversity may be considerably underestimated, especially in evolutionarily complex genera and in diversity hotspots that have enabled long-term species persistence and diversification, such as the Balkan Peninsula. Here, we address the topic of underexplored plant diversity and underlying evolutionary and biogeographic processes by investigating the hygrophytic mountain species complex of Cardamine acris s.l. distributed in the Balkans (three subspecies within C. acris) and northwestern Anatolia (C. anatolica). We performed a series of phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses based on restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and target enrichment (Hyb-Seq) data in combination with habitat suitability modelling. We found C. anatolica as a clade nested within the Balkan C. acris, probably resulting from a founder event, and uncovered three allopatric cryptic lineages within C. acris subsp. acris, allowing us to recognise a total of six entities in this complex. We observed the deepest genetic split within C. acris subsp. acris in the western Balkans, which was at odds with taxonomy and showed no distribution gap. We inferred vicariance as the most likely process for population divergence in the Balkans, accompanied by gene flow between the recognised entities, which was consistent with the modelled habitat suitability dynamics. Furthermore, we discovered several polyploid populations in C. acris, representing both pure intra- and inter-lineage hybrid polyploids, but detected only minor traces of hybridization with related congeners. Overall, our results illustrate that diverse evolutionary processes may influence the history of mountain plant species in the Balkan Peninsula, including vicariance, reticulation, polyploidization and cryptic diversification., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Anatolia is characterized by a complex topological structure and a wide diversity of climatic regions. This geological context has been crucial during the evolution of the rock lizard genus Darevskia, promoting the origin of several species within this group of lizards. Our study focuses on the evolutionary history of the rudis species complex, comprised by Darevskia rudis, D. valentini and D. portschinskii, distributed across Anatolia and the Caucasus, with overlapping ranges. Previous studies have suggested the existence of ancient gene flow between these taxa, which, allied with poor sampling, led to weakly resolved phylogenies and mismatching topologies. Here, we employ two mitochondrial (cytb and ND4) and two nuclear (MC1R and C‐mos) DNA fragments, coupled with ecological niche modelling and a significant representation of the species' wide distribution range to further assess relationships. The specimens identified either as Darevskia rudis or as D. valentini appear as paraphyletic and substructured into four clades, which started to differentiate during the lower Pleistocene (around 1.3 Mya). We also differentiate genetically the recently described Darevskia bithynica and identify the Kizil River valley as a strong vicariant candidate to explain the origin of this species by allopatric speciation. Moreover, the eastern Black Sea Mountains seem to have played an important role as glacial refugium for several populations of D. rudis. Overall, the present study confirms the circum‐Black Sea as a potential Pleistocene refuge and supports the refugia‐within‐refugia hypothesis with the finding of several geographically coherent evolutionary units in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aegean archipelago, as an 'evolutionary laboratory of nature', is an ideal model for research in phylogeography. In this area, the darkling beetles of the genus Dendarus (distributed from Morocco to the Caucasus) exhibit a high level of diversity with 36 species, 27 of which are island endemics. However, their taxonomy is complex and unstable, having undergone continuous revision to address extensive morphological and ecological plasticity. Here, we examine the phylogenetic relationships of 23 species from Greece and Turkey, using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences and 61 morphological characters, to unveil their phylogeny in the Aegean. This helps to clarify phylogeographic scenarios and historical processes that shaped the observed patterns. The analyses reveal 13 distinct lineages with several para- and polyphyletic cases that correspond to three major phylogroups [south/south-east Aegean (D. foraminosus complex, D. rhodius , D. sporadicus , D. wettsteini); central to north Aegean, Turkey and mainland Greece (D. crenulatus , D. moesiacus group, D. sinuatus complex, D. stygius) and mainland Greece (D. messenius , D. paganettii)], indicating the need for further taxonomic re-evaluation. Lineage topology and phylogeography suggest a spatial and temporal sequence of geographic isolation, following either a vicariant or a dispersal model coincident with major palaeogeographic separations in the Aegean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptococcus species are life-threatening human fungal pathogens that cause cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in both immunocompromised and healthy hosts. The natural environmental niches of Cryptococcus include pigeon (Columba livia) guano, soil, and a variety of tree species such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Ceratonia siliqua, Platanus orientalis , and Pinus spp. Genetic and genomic studies of extensive sample collections have provided insights into the population distribution and composition of different Cryptococcus species in geographic regions around the world. However, few such studies examined Cryptococcus in Turkey. We sampled 388 Olea europaea (olive) and 132 E. camaldulensis trees from seven locations in coastal and inland areas of the Aegean region of Anatolian Turkey in September 2016 to investigate the distribution and genetic diversity present in the natural Cryptococcus population. We isolated 84 Cryptococcus neoformans strains (83 MAT α and 1 MAT a) and 3 Cryptococcus deneoformans strains (all MAT α) from 87 (22.4% of surveyed) O. europaea trees; a total of 32 C. neoformans strains were isolated from 32 (24.2%) of the E. camaldulensis trees, all of which were MAT α. A statistically significant difference was observed in the frequency of C. neoformans isolation between coastal and inland areas (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the MAT a C. neoformans isolate was fertile in laboratory crosses with VNI and VNB MAT α tester strains and produced robust hyphae, basidia, and basidiospores, thus suggesting potential sexual reproduction in the natural population. Sequencing analyses of the URA5 gene identified at least five different genotypes among the isolates. Population genetics and genomic analyses revealed that most of the isolates in Turkey belong to the VNBII lineage of C. neoformans , which is predominantly found in southern Africa; these isolates are part of a distinct minor clade within VNBII that includes several isolates from Zambia and Brazil. Our study provides insights into the geographic distribution of different C. neoformans lineages in the Mediterranean region and highlights the need for wider geographic sampling to gain a better understanding of the natural habitats, migration, epidemiology, and evolution of this important human fungal pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of Lycian salamanders, Lyciasalamandra arikani n. sp. and L. yehudahi n.sp. are described and their relationships with similar and neighbouring taxa are discussed. Both taxa originate from areas new for the genus, with the former from around Erentepe Mt. (Kumluca, Antalya) and the latter from Tahtal1 Mt. (Kemer, Antalya) in the southern parts of Beydağları Mountain range in southwestern Anatolia. Some information about their habitats and behaviour are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the spider genus Tegenaria Latreille, 1804 is described, based on newly collected specimens from Turkey. Detailed morphological descriptions, diagnosis and figures of the copulatory organs of both sexes are presented. Finally, a checklist and distribution maps for Turkish Tegenaria species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern Mediterranean Hydroporus bodemeyeri species complex, which so far includes three species, H. bodemeyeri Ganglbauer, 1900, Hydroporus anatolicus J.Balfour-Browne, 1963 and Hydroporus cuprescens Fery and Miller, 1995, is revised. Three new taxa are described: H. anatolicus koksali ssp. nov. from north-eastern Turkey, H. bodemeyeri cariaensis ssp. nov. from south-western Turkey and Rhodes, and Hydroporus kurdistanicus sp. nov. from south-eastern Turkey. Hydroporus guignoti Gschwendtner, 1935 described from Albania and Greece and previously regarded as a synonym of H. bodemeyeri, is treated as a distinct subspecies H. bodemeyeri guignoti stat. nov. A geometric morphometric analysis of body shape within the complex is presented, which confirms the separate status of all recognized taxa, with considerable overlapping between the subspecies of H. anatolicus and H. bodemeyeri. We provide an initial hypothesis on the origin of the contemporary distribution of H. bodemeyeri and H. cuprescens, assuming their vicariant diversification from an Anatolian ancestor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species Hersiliola turcica sp. n. is described on the basis of both sexes from Southeast Turkey. Males of the new species have an extraordinarily long embolus and females have very long insemination ducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Rhaponticoides Vaill., Rhaponticoides aytachii Y. Bağcı, Doğu & Dinç sp. nov. collected by the authors from south Anatolia, is described and illustrated. The new species is restricted to deprived Quercus forest openness around Dumlugöze-Sarıveliler (C4 Karaman). Diagnostic morphological characters from R. amplifolia (Boiss. & Heldr.) M.V. Agab. & Greuter are discussed. The ecology, biogeography and conservation status of the new species is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Elevation and temperature are two important drivers of the ecological divergence into genera of the Stipeae in Turkey. • Taxonomically closely related species of the tribe Stipeae in Turkey are found under similar climatic conditions. • Phylogenetically close genera of the Stipeae in Turkey find their suitable environments within similar climatic envelopes. The species from the tribe Stipeae Dumort. dominate Eurasian grasslands including Anatolian steppes. In Turkey, the genera of the Stipeae show distinct patterns of regional distribution, leading to a combination of dispersal and adaptive radiation. However, the importance of climatic gradients to regional distribution of these genera of the Stipeae has not yet been examined, and the aim of our study was to address this need. We retrieved data on the presence of three genera of the Stipeae , and morphological traits of its member species in Anatolia from available literature. We also acquired data on bioclimatic variables from the WorldClim database. We used multivariate methods (PCA) and correlation analysis to describe the major climatic gradients within the distribution area of the Stipeae in Anatolia. Links between the major climatic gradients and the divergence of the genera were examined using the method of Spatial Evolutionary and Ecological Vicariance Analysis (SEEVA). Possible relationships between the genera of the Stipeae and climatic and geographic variables were also examined by means of Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Our results suggest that elevation and temperature are the key factors for the ecological divergence of the genera in the tribe Stipeae in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pleistocene climatic oscillations shaped genetic structure of Euphorbia myrsinites. • Vicariance and dispersal acted at different time scales. • The main genetic break runs through the continuous distribution area. • The Adriatic Sea is only a subordinate genetic barrier. • Multiple Pleistocene refugia detected within the major Balkan refugium. The Eastern Mediterranean is considered both a reservoir for plant evolution and a cradle for lineage diversification, but most plant groups from this area remain unstudied. To explore phylogeographic patterns within Eastern Mediterranean Euphorbia myrsinites , covering the area from the Apennines to Central Anatolia, we sequenced nuclear ribosomal ITS and the plastid trnT – trnF region and generated amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprints, along with relative genome size (RGS) data. Our data reveal a complex evolutionary history of E. myrsinites since its origin at the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary, resulting in a genetic structure that was shaped by fundamentally different processes acting at different time levels. Despite their weak glaciation in the Pleistocene, the high mountain ranges of the western and southern Balkan Peninsula triggered the initial divergence within this species due to vicariance in the Adriatic-Ionian and the Aegean-Pontic Pleistocene refugia. Subsequent range expansions led to the intriguing situation that both clusters nowadays occur in close spatial proximity. In addition, stronger genetic differentiation in the Aegean-Pontic area probably reflects less severe impacts of glaciations and higher environmental stability throughout the Pleistocene in this area, as compared to the Amphi-Adriatic region. The colonization of the Apennine Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula took place later in the species' evolutionary history, probably over land bridges connecting both peninsulas in the Pleistocene. On the western Balkan Peninsula the main phylogeographic split is situated along the Neretva river valley. To the north of this valley we detected no population structure whereas strong genetic differentiation in the southerly adjacent areas confirms the "refugia-within-refugia" hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]