Origin, diversity, and biogeography of Antarctic scale worms (Polychaeta: Polynoidae): a wide‐scale barcoding approach

Antarctic scale worms (Polynoidae) exhibit complex origins, with most species showing high endemism and local radiation, while others suggest historical migration crossroads or deep-sea origins. Researchers analyzed 691 polynoid sequences from the Southern Ocean and neighboring regions using mitochondrial markers Cox1 and 16S rRNA to reconstruct phylogenies and haplotype networks. They identified 36 lineages, revealing that species like Eunoe sp. and Harmothoe fuligineum may have used sub-Antarctic islands as migration hubs, while the genus Polyeunoa likely diversified before colonizing the continent, possibly from deep-sea origins. Nearly all populations appear to be expanding post-glacial bottleneck events, indicating resilience or adaptation following habitat reduction. The study supports multiple hypotheses for Antarctic benthic invertebrate origins, highlighting both local endemism and historical dispersal patterns.

Cowart, D. A., Schiaparelli, S., Alvaro, M. C., Cecchetto, M., Le Port, A.-S., Jollivet, D., & Hourdez, S. (2022). Origin, diversity, and biogeography of Antarctic scale worms (Polychaeta: Polynoidae): a wide‐scale barcoding approach. Ecology and Evolution, 12(7). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9093