Publications by authors named "Yuri Kantor"
Article Synopsis
- - Neogastropoda is a diverse order of over 15,000 marine species that are significant for both ecological functions and the economies of coastal regions, but their evolutionary relationships are complex and poorly understood due to a dense "bush" in their evolutionary tree.
- - The study utilized various phylogenetic methods and a comprehensive dataset of 1,817 genetic loci from 112 taxa to analyze relationships within Neogastropoda, confirming the monophyly of several superfamilies while revealing that some currently recognized groups are paraphyletic.
- - Three major uncertainties were identified in the phylogenetic relationships, particularly concerning the placement of the Cancellariidae family, which could hint at deeper evolutionary interventions,
Article Synopsis
- - The buccinid snail genus is redefined through molecular phylogeny and examination of shell features, distinguishing it from other genera in the Parancistrolepidinae subfamily based on traits like low spire and long siphonal canal.
- - Three distinct species are identified in the bathyal waters around Japan and Taiwan, each adapted to specific regions, indicating limited dispersal capability due to their development patterns.
- - Seafloor topography serves as a barrier to dispersal, and findings reinforce that the Izu Peninsula influences the distribution of certain bathyal gastropod species with boreal origins.
Mol Phylogenet Evol
February 2024
Article Synopsis
- In phylogenomic studies, taxon sampling often relies on known species, leading to the risk of missing out on undocumented diversity, particularly in groups like the Turridae, a family of venomous snails.*
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- Researchers developed a comprehensive sampling strategy that identified 201 species hypotheses using over 3,000 cox-1 barcode sequences, with nearly 50% of these potentially representing new or cryptic species.*
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- Their findings reveal the genus Gemmula is polyphyletic, containing up to 10 lineages, and emphasize the importance of blind and exploratory sampling to reduce biases in future phylogenomic research.*
Article Synopsis
- Venomous marine gastropods, particularly cone snails of the family Conidae, are highly diversified predators due to their complex venoms, which are valuable for studying neuropeptides and molecular evolution.
- Current research reveals that traditionally understood roles of venom production may involve not just the venom gland, but also other secretory glands (salivary and accessory salivary glands) that have not been fully explored.
- A detailed transcriptome analysis of Conus virgo highlights unique venom-related transcripts in the salivary and accessory glands, suggesting these tissues contribute to venom composition and warrant further functional studies to clarify their specific roles.
Article Synopsis
- Gastropoda, a diverse group of mollusks, exhibit a wide variety of feeding strategies, ranging from eating decayed organic matter to specialized predation, due to their morphologically complex feeding apparatus.
- A key feature of gastropods is the radula, a chitinous ribbon with teeth that undergoes continuous renewal throughout the organism's life, reflecting adaptations within different evolutionary lineages.
- The formation of the radula begins in the larval stage, with distinctive types emerging in major phylogenetic groups, such as the docoglossan, rhipidoglossan, and taenioglossan radulas, which feature varying numbers and arrangements of teeth.
Article Synopsis
- The Neogastropoda includes over 15,000 marine predator species, but their evolutionary relationships and classification are largely unclear.
- Researchers created a new molecular phylogeny using mitochondrial genomes and transcriptomic data from various neogastropod families, leading to the analysis of 113 taxa with multiple evolutionary models to construct phylogenetic trees.
- Despite revealing new relationships and insights, the study notes that key taxa are missing and suggests that alternative methods, like reduced-genome strategies, might be necessary for a complete understanding of neogastropod phylogeny.
Article Synopsis
- The rhipidoglossan radula is a unique structure found in various gastropod groups, including Vetigastropoda, Neritimorpha, and some Heterobranchia, featuring multiple teeth arranged in rows.
- This study focuses on the rhipidoglossan radula in the species Nerita litterata, using light and electron microscopy to analyze its structure and formation process.
- The findings indicate that, despite different appearances, the radular sac in N. litterata has a similar two-part structure to that of vetigastropods, with marginal teeth formed by layered odontoblast cells, suggesting a specific evolutionary trait in gastropods with this rad
Article Synopsis
- * The study focused on the trochid vetigastropod species Margarites helicinus, examining radula development using advanced microscopy techniques to understand the synthesis of different types of teeth.
- * Findings indicate that while adult radulas form in a bifurcated sac, juvenile radulas display a simpler structure with uniform cell organization, suggesting a common developmental pattern in larval gastropods rather than a specific evolutionary trait.
Article Synopsis
- The rhipidoglossan radula features a central tooth, multiple lateral teeth, and many long marginal teeth, and is seen in three subclasses: Vetigastropoda, Neritomorpha, and "lower" Heterobranchia.
- This study presents the first detailed examination of radula formation and structure in the vetigastropod species Puncturella noachina, using advanced microscopy techniques.
- Key findings include the identification of a bifurcated radula formation zone and the presence of a multi-layered epithelium for marginal teeth, revealing similarities between membranoblasts and odontoblasts in their ultrastructure.
Article Synopsis
- The radula is a key feeding structure in gastropod molluscs, showcasing significant anatomical and ecological diversity among these animals.
- It is formed by specialized cells in the radular sac, with variations in secretion types and the number and shape of odontoblasts influencing radula formation.
- This study focuses on two species of the Conoidea superfamily, revealing patterns in radula formation, including the positioning and uniformity of odontoblasts and the adaptability of the subradular epithelium to different radula types.
Toxins (Basel)
October 2019
Article Synopsis
- The text discusses a unique cone snail genus that is crucial for studying venom evolution and diversity due to its distinct genetic relationship within the Conidae family.
- Researchers analyzed venom components from two species, identifying 137 components in one and 82 in the other, with only four overlapping between them.
- The findings highlight a low diversity of conotoxins and specific types of insulin, suggesting these snails have a limited diet consisting mainly of worms or mollusks, making their venom different from other cone snails in the family.
Article Synopsis
- Species delimitation in poorly known groups typically uses single gene (COI) methods, whereas well-studied groups often employ multi-gene (multilocus) approaches.
- In this study, researchers applied both methods to the Xenuroturris/Iotyrris complex, a group of venomous marine snails, analyzing sequences and constructing a phylogenetic tree.
- The combined results led to refined species hypotheses, revealing one new species, Iotyrris conotaxis n. sp., and demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating both monolocus and multilocus data for species delimitation.
Mol Biol Evol
October 2018
Article Synopsis
- The study utilized transcriptome-based exon capture methods to analyze phylogenetic relationships among diverse venomous marine snails (Conoidea), targeting 850 protein-coding genes from around 120 samples, leading to a more resolved evolutionary tree.
- Although the capture was mostly successful, some samples had lower efficiency due to issues with DNA quality and targeting divergent lineages, recovering an average of 75.4% of proteins.
- The findings provided insights into the evolution of Conoidea, illustrating that anatomy changes over time are linked to diversification rates influenced by radula types, while losses of the venom gland had no significant impact on these rates.
Article Synopsis
- A lesser-known genus of predatory marine snails from Southeast Asia has gained popularity as aquarium pets but lacks detailed research on its anatomy and ecology.
- Current findings suggest that this genus should be divided into two distinct genera based on physical characteristics, and a five-gene analysis positions one of these genera as a new subfamily called Anentominae.
- The commonly imported assassin snail, known for eating other snails, is actually a complex of at least four species, posing a significant risk to local snail populations due to its introduction through the aquarium trade.
Article Synopsis
- Gastropod molluscs play a key role in the mangrove ecosystem, especially in Central Vietnam, where their diversity is currently under-researched due to limited mangrove distribution.
- Extensive surveys from 2005 to 2015 in Nha Trang Bay revealed 65 species of gastropods, with 17 species primarily associated with mangroves.
- The study compares the recorded molluscan diversity with other regions in the Indo-Pacific, noting similar total species numbers to Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand, but significantly lower diversity compared to the Philippines.
Mol Phylogenet Evol
June 2016
Article Synopsis
- The Fasciolariidae family includes over 500 species of neogastropods commonly known as tulips and horse-conchs, which are significant in tropical and subtropical mollusk communities.
- The family has a complex taxonomical history, with previous genus names often misclassifying unrelated species, but recent studies are helping clarify its taxonomy.
- This study used molecular techniques to analyze the phylogeny of Fasciolariidae, revealing well-supported monophyletic groups but indicating that current subfamily classifications may not accurately reflect these genetic relationships.
Genome Biol Evol
May 2015
Article Synopsis
- Venom peptides from predatory organisms, like conoidean snails, are important for studying evolutionary processes and have potential for biomedical applications.
- This research focuses on terebrid snails, investigating their venom peptides (teretoxins) using next-generation sequencing, revealing 139 novel peptides and identifying 14 unique gene superfamilies.
- The findings enhance our understanding of venom diversity and evolution in marine snails and highlight opportunities for further research into gene evolution and drug development.
Article Synopsis
- The research focused on the gastropod species found in a planted mangrove in Dam Bay, Vietnam, comparing them to those in natural mangroves over a long-term study from 2005 to 2013.
- A total of 53 gastropod species were identified, with notable differences in species richness, biomass, and abundance observed between the early (2005-2006) and later periods (2008-2013) of the study.
- Results indicated that planted mangroves were dominated by more opportunistic, eurybiotic species, while natural mangroves contained a greater variety of species specifically adapted to mangrove environments, suggesting that the planted mangrove ecosystem is still developing and not fully balanced.
Article Synopsis
- - This study reviews the Clavus species found in the shallow waters of New Caledonia, based on recent materials from two research institutes.
- - A total of 22 species are documented, including eight new descriptions, such as Clavus boucheti and Clavus delphineae.
- - The research also identifies new synonyms for certain species and clarifies some misidentifications related to earlier works.
Article Synopsis
- Most neogastropod families have a continuous fossil record dating back to the Cretaceous or Paleogene, but there are some obscure families like Pyramimitridae that are not well classified.
- Pyramimitridae, originally established in 1901, was long considered synonymous with another family, but new examination of small gastropods showed unique shell features and radula types.
- Molecular analysis confirms Pyramimitridae as a valid distinct family within Neogastropoda, comprising new and existing genera, and these snails are found in deeper waters across the Indo-Pacific region.
Mar Pollut Bull
December 2011
Article Synopsis
- The problem of invasive alien species (IAS) in marine coastal waters is growing and needs urgent attention from maritime countries to effectively manage and mitigate its impacts.
- While many countries recognize the issue and have some governance strategies in place, there is a notable lack of strong commitment and coordinated action plans to combat this problem.
- The paper offers recommendations from an international workshop aimed at sharing experiences and strategies for assessing and controlling biological pollution in marine environments.
Philipp Sci Lett
March 2010
Article Synopsis
- * The species were collected in the Philippines and showed distinct distribution patterns, with molecular analysis confirming they form a specific clade within the Turrinae subfamily and are closely related to other genera.
- * Morphological examinations of the radula and feeding behavior were conducted, revealing that Gemmula species have unique traits compared to other turrids, and analyses of regurgitated food hinted at their prey preferences.
Article Synopsis
- Cone snail venoms are well-studied but represent only a small part of the diverse venomous mollusks, particularly within the Turridae family, which includes many tiny species.*
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- The innovative lumun-lumun method involves using old fishing nets to cultivate communities of micromollusks, revealing a high biodiversity of 155 morphospecies, primarily consisting of venomous gastropods.*
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- Initial research on the turrid species Clathurella cincta suggests unique genetic characteristics in its venom, indicating the potential to discover thousands of new pharmacologically active compounds from the diverse venomous snails accessible through this method.*
Article Synopsis
- The Turridae family systematics suggests that shells, when including a protoconch, can identify species reliably but are not effective for determining genera or subfamilies.
- The radula is typically used to classify (sub)families, yet its effectiveness compared to shells for revealing relationships remains untested with molecular data.
- Recent molecular studies indicate that different radula types in Xenuroturris species correspond to different species, but the relationship between these radula types (Iotyrris with semi-enrolled teeth and Xenuroturris with duplex teeth) is still unclear, with new species being identified from Vanuatu.
