Olm sweet olm: unearthing nine species of Proteus hidden beneath the Dinaric Karst

Résumé fourni par la source

Abstract The olm, Proteus anguinus , is one of the most iconic vertebrates of Europe. Since its scientific description in 1768, its extreme adaptations to subterranean life in the enigmatic underground waters of the Dinaric Karst have fascinated scholars and naturalists worldwide for more than two centuries. Yet, the evolution and taxonomic diversity of its populations remained largely unresolved, as complex patterns of phenotypic differentiation and molecular variation collide with an intricate nomenclatural history. In this work, we review recent biogeographic advances, notably based on range-wide phylogeographic analyses implementing genomic data, and combined with distributional data, species distribution modelling, red list assessment, morphological analyses and a critical species delimitation evaluation, recognize nine species in immediate danger of extinction. Based on an extensive nomenclatural search, we determined that six correspond to available names and three are newly described in this work. These species all exhibit highly restricted distributions within the Dinaric karst, collectively representing an exceptional example of subterranean microendemism among European vertebrates. Linking influential historical research with modern zoological methods, this revision provides an up-to-date science-based taxonomic framework for future studies of comparative evolution and ecology of Proteus , while establishing a sound basis for species-level conservation management of one of Europe’s most remarkable vertebrate diversifications.

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