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<p>Species delimitation and identification are fundamental in taxonomy and biodiversity studies. Traditional morphological analyses, while effective, may be limited when addressing cryptic diversity, intraspecific variation, or ontogenetic changes. Integrating morphological analyses with molecular data, such as cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), can help resolve taxonomic challenges. Here, we investigate species boundaries in Gripopterygidae from the Paranapiacaba Mountains, São Paulo State, Brazil, using an integrative approach that combines morphological traits and COI barcoding. We document 22 species in the region and provide new COI sequences for eight species of Gripopterygidae, in addition to the two previously published. Our study re-evaluates <i>Tupiperla eleonorae</i> and <i>T. amandae</i>, two morphologically similar species sharing the same type-locality, a combination that raised suspicions of conspecificity. Morphological and molecular evidence indicate that the observed differences reflect distinct sclerotization stages of a single species, leading us to synonymize <i>T. amandae</i> under <i>T. eleonorae</i>. Additionally, we describe a teneral female of <i>Paragripopteryx kapilei</i> that shows 100% molecular similarity to a previously identified male, confirming the association between sexes. These results emphasize the importance of integrating morphological and molecular evidence to refine species delimitation. They also highlight that variation in sclerotization stages can mimic interspecific differences, reinforcing the need for careful evaluation when describing new taxa in Plecoptera. Finally, our study refines the understanding of Gripopterygidae diversity in the Atlantic Rainforest and highlights the need for continued integrative taxonomic approaches. Future studies should further employ integrative taxonomy to address systematic uncertainties and refine species classifications.</p>

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Integrating morphology and COI barcoding to resolve taxonomic boundaries in Gripopterygidae (Plecoptera) from the Paranapiacaba Mountains, Brazil

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月26日

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  • Tácio Duarte,
  • Lucas H. Almeida,
  • Felipe R. P. Sarmento,
  • Pitágoras C. Bispo

摘要

Species delimitation and identification are fundamental in taxonomy and biodiversity studies. Traditional morphological analyses, while effective, may be limited when addressing cryptic diversity, intraspecific variation, or ontogenetic changes. Integrating morphological analyses with molecular data, such as cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), can help resolve taxonomic challenges. Here, we investigate species boundaries in Gripopterygidae from the Paranapiacaba Mountains, São Paulo State, Brazil, using an integrative approach that combines morphological traits and COI barcoding. We document 22 species in the region and provide new COI sequences for eight species of Gripopterygidae, in addition to the two previously published. Our study re-evaluates Tupiperla eleonorae and T. amandae, two morphologically similar species sharing the same type-locality, a combination that raised suspicions of conspecificity. Morphological and molecular evidence indicate that the observed differences reflect distinct sclerotization stages of a single species, leading us to synonymize T. amandae under T. eleonorae. Additionally, we describe a teneral female of Paragripopteryx kapilei that shows 100% molecular similarity to a previously identified male, confirming the association between sexes. These results emphasize the importance of integrating morphological and molecular evidence to refine species delimitation. They also highlight that variation in sclerotization stages can mimic interspecific differences, reinforcing the need for careful evaluation when describing new taxa in Plecoptera. Finally, our study refines the understanding of Gripopterygidae diversity in the Atlantic Rainforest and highlights the need for continued integrative taxonomic approaches. Future studies should further employ integrative taxonomy to address systematic uncertainties and refine species classifications.