Trage slakken, snelle evolutie: DNA-verwantschapspatronen tussen Albinaria, Carinigera, Cristataria, Isabellaria en Sericata soorten

The enormous diversity of eastern-Mediteranean Alopiinae, placed in the genera Albinaria, Carinigera, Cristataria, Isabellaria en Sericata, has both inspired and hampered taxonomic studies for over a century and a half. With the advent of DNA-sequencing is has become possible to re-investigate and re-evaluate previous morphology-based hypotheses about the interrelationships and evolution within this group. DNA-sequences retrieved geographical clusters of species of common descent. In these clusters morphological characters, hitherto considered diagnostic for genera, evolved independently. These results demonstrate that their low vagility has constrained the spread of the snails studied far more and far deeper in time than previously thought.