Two new genera and species of the valvatiform hydrobiid snails (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea: Hydrobiidae) from Morocco.

Stygobiont and crenobiont minute gastropods representing the family Hydrobiidae (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea), characterized by the valvatoid low-spired shell, were collected from one spring and four wells in Bouregreg region, NW Morocco. The shells were photographed and measured; shell biometry is illustrated with principal component analysis. Penes were illustrated and described. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA, as well as nuclear 18S rRNA sequences were used to infer the phylogeny. The snails represented two genera, both new to science. Their closest relatives were taxa from the Iberian Peninsula, the rough molecular estimate of the time of divergence between these Moroccan and Iberian genera coincided with the Pliocene Flooding, which restored the Strait of Gibraltar to connect the Mediterranean Basin with Atlantic Ocean.

Descriptive and Geometric Morphometry of the Wings of Phlebotomus sergenti Populations in Central Morocco.

Background: Phlebotomus sergenti, the proven vector of Leishmania tropica, the causative agent of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, is widely distributed in Morocco. Previous works using molecular markers (Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 rDNA and Cytochrome B mtDNA) hypothesized the existence of multiple closely related populations of sand fly species (cryptic species) that would exhibit distinct vectorial capacities. This work studies morphotypic diversity using traditional and geometric morphometry analyses carried out on Ph. sergenti's wings from central Morocco, where active L. tropica transmission occurs for 30 years. Methods: Descriptive characteristics (size and shape) of the right wings were measured in Ph. sergenti's specimens collected from fourteen stations in central Morocco. Both traditional and geometric morphometry methods were used to analyse geographic variations in Ph. sergenti wing's size and shape. Results: These analyses support the existence of distinct Ph. sergenti populations, enlightening significant phenotypic variations of Ph. sergenti's wings, regarding their size and shape, depending on geographic origin. In addition, traditional and geometric morphometric analyses of the wing's length, centroid size, ß, ɵ, and γ distances allowed clear discrimination of Ph. sergenti sub-populations. Conclusion: These data pinpoint the adaptative ability of Ph. sergenti to local environmental conditions. Additional studies are now required to further shed light on the genetic structure of Ph. sergenti populations in Morocco.

A novel assembly pipeline and functional annotations for targeted sequencing: A case study on the globally threatened Margaritiferidae (Bivalvia: Unionida).

The proliferation of genomic sequencing approaches has significantly impacted the field of phylogenetics. Target capture approaches provide a cost-effective, fast and easily applied strategy for phylogenetic inference of non-model organisms. However, several existing target capture processing pipelines are incapable of incorporating whole genome sequencing (WGS). Here, we develop a new pipeline for capture and de novo assembly of the targeted regions using whole genome re-sequencing reads. This new pipeline captured targeted loci accurately, and given its unbiased nature, can be used with any target capture probe set. Moreover, due to its low computational demand, this new pipeline may be ideal for users with limited resources and when high-coverage sequencing outputs are required. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by incorporating WGS data into the first comprehensive phylogenomic reconstruction of the freshwater mussel family Margaritiferidae. We also provide a catalogue of well-curated functional annotations of these previously uncharacterized freshwater mussel-specific target regions, representing a complementary tool for scrutinizing phylogenetic inferences while expanding future applications of the probe set.

Groundwater quality in Zagora southeast of Morocco by using physicochemical analysis and geospatial techniques.

Groundwater in Morocco is restricted because of the semiarid to arid climatic conditions; it is under threat from organic and inorganic pollution. Furthermore, it is considered the only source of potable water as well as having different usages, making its quantitative and qualitative protection an urgent priority. The present study focused mainly on the anthropogenic impact on the natural resources and groundwater quality around Zagora city. Fifteen samples were collected from wells during rainy and dry seasons in 2 years 2020-2021 and the analysis of the groundwater quality of studied stations. The suitability of the aquifer Fezouata was investigated using drinking and irrigation water quality indices. The results showed that sulfate and chloride are the dominant anions in the groundwater samples. While the mean abundance of major cations is Na + > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+, the sodium ion is dominant and K + is the least abundant. The physicochemical parameters show that conductivity, nitrate, and sulfate exceed the limit fixed by WHO. Hydrogeochemical plots indicate that 93% of samples belong to Na-Cl facies and only 7% are mixt Cl-Mg-Ca in 2021, the results are similar except for two samples which are 13% belong Cl-Mg-Ca. The Water Quality Index suggests that 28.55% are good quality water, 23.90-47.55% are poor and very poor quality water, respectively, and 40.24% are unsuitable in 2020. Furthermore, the WQI of the 2021 campaign showed that only 17.48% were considered good quality water and 38.94% (43.58%) were poor or very poor quality water, respectively. However, 33.21% are unsuitable. Based on irrigation indices, the majority of groundwater samples can be used for agricultural purposes, notably those of the upstream part of the study area.

A new species of the genus Prosopistoma Latreille, 1833 (Ephemeroptera, Prosopistomatidae) from Morocco.

We describe a new species of Prosopistoma collected in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Prosopistomamaroccanum sp. nov. appears to be morphologically more similar to the European highly endangered P.pennigerum (Müller, 1785) than to the other Maghrebian species, P.alaini Bojkova & Soldán, 2015. A gene tree including the few available barcode sequences of Palearctic Prosopistoma specimens is provided. Possible affinities with West African species are also discussed.

The fingernail clams (Bivalvia: Veneroida: Sphaeriidae) of Morocco: Diversity, distribution and conservation status.

BACKGROUND: In Morocco, many uncertainties surround the current diversity and distribution of the bivalve family Sphaeriidae. Such information, including taxonomy and conservation status, are vital for further studies to improve the knowledge of this family in Morocco and represents the first step towards the development of a national conservation plan for all freshwater bivalves.Between 2016 and 2019, several investigations were carried out to assess the diversity and distribution of Sphaeriidae in the different basins of Morocco, covering different types of habitat (lakes, springs, rivers and small ponds). The identification of specimens and their morpho-ecological features was based on morphological and morphometric analyses. The data on the general distribution of the collected species allowed the evaluation of their conservation status as well.The shell morphology and morphometric analyses revealed the existence of five species belonging to the genus Pisidium [P.casertanum (Poli, 1791), P. (cf.) personatum Malm, 1855, P.subtruncatum Malm, 1855, P.amnicum (O. F. Müller, 1774) and Pisidium sp.] and one species to the genus of Musculium [M.lacustre (O. F. Müller, 1774)]. Sphaeriidae were found in all Moroccan basins, except Bouregreg and Sakia El Hamra-Oued Eddahab Basins. The results showed that Sebou Basin was the species richest with the occurrence of the five species, while Loukkos and Sous-Massa Basins had the lowest-species richness with one species only. The conservation status of sphaeriids in Morocco was evaluated for the first time and resulted in P. (cf.) personatum and P.subtruncatum being proposed as Least Concern and Vulnerable, respectively, while the status of Regionally Extinct is suggested for both species P.amnicum and M.lacustre. NEW INFORMATION: First evaluation of the diversity and species richness of the family Sphaeriidae in Morocco with an assignment of an updated conservation status of the recorded species.

Alarming decline of freshwater trigger species in western Mediterranean key biodiversity areas.

Theidentification of key biodiversity areas (KBA) was initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2004 to overcome taxonomic biases in the selection of important areas for conservation, including freshwater ecosystems. Since then, several KBAs have been identified mainly based on the presence of trigger species (i.e., species that trigger either the vulnerability and or the irreplaceability criterion and thus identify a site as a KBA). However, to our knowledge, many of these KBAs have not been validated. Therefore, classical surveys of the taxa used to identify freshwater KBAs (fishes, molluscs, odonates, and aquatic plants) were conducted in Douro (Iberian Peninsula) and Sebou (Morocco) River basins in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot. Environmental DNA analyses were undertaken in the Moroccan KBAs. There was a mismatch between the supposed and actual presence of trigger species. None of the trigger species were found in 43% and 50% of all KBAs surveyed in the Douro and Sebou basins, respectively. Shortcomings of freshwater KBA identification relate to flawed or lack of distribution data for trigger species. This situation results from a misleading initial identification of KBAs based on poor (or even inaccurate) ecological information or due to increased human disturbance between initial KBA identification and the present. To improve identification of future freshwater KBAs, we suggest selecting trigger species with a more conservative approach; use of local expert knowledge and digital data (to assess habitat quality, species distribution, and potential threats); consideration of the subcatchment when delineating KBAs boundaries; thoughtful consideration of terrestrial special areas for conservation limits; and periodic field validation.

Alarming decline of freshwater trigger species in western Mediterranean Key Biodiversity Areas Resumen La identificación de las áreas clave de biodiversidad (ACB) fue iniciada por la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza en 2004 con el objetivo de sobreponerse a los sesgos taxonómicos en la selección de áreas importantes para la conservación, incluyendo los ecosistemas de agua dulce. Desde entonces, varias ACB han sido identificadas principalmente con base en la presencia de especies desencadenantes (es decir, especies que desencadenan el criterio de vulnerabilidad o de carácter irremplazable y por lo tanto identifican a un sitio como una ACB). Sin embargo, a nuestro conocimiento, muchas de estas ACB no han sido validadas. Por lo tanto, los censos clásicos de taxones utilizados para identificar las ACB de agua dulce (peces, moluscos, odonatos y plantas acuáticas) fueron realizados en las cuencas de los ríos Duero (Península Ibérica) y Sebou (Marruecos) en el Punto Caliente de Biodiversidad del Mediterráneo. Realizamos análisis de ADN ambiental en las ACB de Marruecos. Hubo una discrepancia entre la supuesta presencia y la actual presencia de especies desencadenantes. Ninguna de las especies desencadenantes se encontró en 43% y 50% de las ACB censadas en las cuencas del Duero y del Sebou, respectivamente. Las deficiencias en la identificación de las ACB de agua dulce están relacionadas con la carencia de datos o datos erróneos sobre la distribución de las especies desencadenantes. Esta situación resulta en una identificación inicial engañosa de las ACB con base en información ecológica deficiente (o incluso incorrecta) o también puede deberse al incremento en las perturbaciones humanas ocurridas entre la identificación de la ACB y el presente. Para mejorar la identificación de ACB de agua dulce en el futuro, sugerimos que la selección de especies desencadenantes se realice con un enfoque más conservador; que se usen el conocimiento local de los expertos y los datos digitales (para evaluar la calidad del hábitat, la distribución de las especies y las amenazas potenciales); que se consideren las subcuencas cuando se delimiten las fronteras de las ACB; que se consideren cuidadosamente las áreas de especies terrestres para los límites de conservación; y que se realicen validaciones periódicas de campo.

Social-ecological interactions in the Draa River Basin, southern Morocco: Towards nature conservation and human well-being using the IPBES framework.

Water is essential to human societies and a prerequisite for flourishing nature, especially in arid regions. Yet, climate change and socio-economic developments are expected to exacerbate current and future stresses on water resources, demanding innovative approaches to balance water needs for society and nature conservation. In this study, we use the IPBES conceptual framework to combine ecological and socio-economic insights and analyse the connections between people and nature in the water scarce Draa River Basin, southern Morocco. We study the diversity of desert benthic macroinvertebrates as one component of nature using DNA barcoding and their potential to serve as bioindicators of human impact by relating species occurrences to environmental parameters. Furthermore, based on 87 interviews with farmers and key institutional stakeholders, we investigate how farmers perceive water related changes and how water is managed in the basin. Regarding benthic macroinvertebrates, 41 families were identified, 475 DNA barcodes generated and assigned to 118 putative species (Barcode Index Numbers) of which 60 were first records. This indicates a lack of reference sequences for known, but also a potentially high number of undescribed species. Environmental parameters, which are partly influenced by human activities, such as aquatic stages, salinity and intermittency, were the most important variables explaining invertebrate richness and community composition in generalized linear models. We further describe farmers' perceptions of decreasing water quality and quantity. Farmers generally believe that they are able to cope with water related changes, although perceptions are regionally differentiated with farmers downstream being less optimistic. With growing concerns, water policies currently focus on increasing water supply and less on reducing water demands. Based on these findings, the usefulness of the IPBES framework for understanding social-ecological system dynamics is reflected, and recommendations for future freshwater management and research are derived.

The genus Mercuria Boeters, 1971 in Morocco: first molecular phylogeny of the genus and description of two new species (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea, Hydrobiidae).

The western Palearctic freshwater snail genus Mercuria (Caenogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) comprises 26 species primarily distributed in lowland localities of Western Europe and North Africa. Although this genus in North Africa has received considerable attention in terms of species discoveries through morphological descriptions, its distribution and phylogenetic patterns remain unknown. Based on morphological and mitochondrial DNA (mtCOI) evidence, this study examines the three Mercuria species (M.bakeri, M.tingitana, and M.targouasensis) from Morocco identified so far. Besides expanding on information regarding the anatomy of these species, two new species (M.midarensis sp. n. and M.tensiftensis sp. n.) are described for this region and phylogenetic relationships inferred between these species and the European M.emiliana and M.similis. All Moroccan and European species were recovered as independent entities according to these phylogenetic inferences (uncorrected p-distances 2.8-8.5%) and DNA barcode data. Moroccan Mercuria species clustered with M.emiliana from Spain, although basal relationships within this clade were not well supported. Given that factors such as the season when specimens are collected, habitat type, and parasites could be responsible for the remarkable intraspecific variation observed in shell and penis morphology, it is proposed that the most efficient approach to delimit and identify Mercuria species is to combine morphological descriptions with genetic data.

Phylogeny of the most species-rich freshwater bivalve family (Bivalvia: Unionida: Unionidae): Defining modern subfamilies and tribes.

Freshwater mussels of the order Unionida are key elements of freshwater habitats and are responsible for important ecological functions and services. Unfortunately, these bivalves are among the most threatened freshwater taxa in the world. However, conservation planning and management are hindered by taxonomic problems and a lack of detailed ecological data. This highlights the urgent need for advances in the areas of systematics and evolutionary relationships within the Unionida. This study presents the most comprehensive phylogeny to date of the larger Unionida family, i.e., the Unionidae. The phylogeny is based on a combined dataset of 1032bp (COI+28S) of 70 species in 46 genera, with 7 of this genera being sequenced for the first time. The resulting phylogeny divided the Unionidae into 6 supported subfamilies and 18 tribes, three of which are here named for the first time (i.e., Chamberlainiini nomen novum, Cristariini nomen novum and Lanceolariini nomen novum). Molecular analyses were complemented by investigations of selected morphological, anatomical and behavioral characters used in traditional phylogenetic studies. No single morphological, anatomical or behavioral character was diagnostic at the subfamily level and few were useful at the tribe level. However, within subfamilies, many tribes can be recognized based on a subset of these characters. The geographical distribution of each of the subfamilies and tribes is also presented. The present study provides important advances in the systematics of these extraordinary taxa with implications for future ecological and conservation studies.

Phylogeny, phylogeography, and evolution in the Mediterranean region: News from a freshwater mussel (Potomida, Unionida).

The Potomida genus (Bivalvia, Unionida) has a Circum-Mediterranean distribution and like other freshwater mussel species, its populations have suffered dramatic declines. Although this genus is currently considered as monotypic, it has a long history of taxonomic revisions and presently many aspects of its systematics and evolutionary history are unclear. We sampled a total of 323 individuals from 39 different sites across the Potomida genus distribution, and sequenced two mitochondrial (16S rDNA and Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I) and one nuclear (28S rDNA) genes to clarify its phylogeny and phylogeographic history. Our results show that the genus includes two well-supported clades, one comprising solely the western Mediterranean species Potomida littoralis, and the other including two eastern Mediterranean species, the Greek endemic P. acarnanica and the Anatolian and Middle Eastern P. semirugata. We suggest that Potomida started radiating during the upper Miocene, and that both vicariance and dispersal events shaped the diversification and distribution of the genus along the Mediterranean region. P. littoralis is further divided in two mitochondrial lineages, one restricted to Europe and the other occurring mostly in North Africa. Moreover, some European basins present both lineages in sympatry. The conservation status of the three recognized species should be reevaluated, particularly P. acarnanica, since it is restricted to two Greek river basins presenting a high risk of extinction. Overall, our results clarify some important gaps in knowledge concerning the phylogeny, phylogeography and evolution of the Potomida genus in the Mediterranean region with important taxonomical, ecological and conservational implications.

Pearl mussels (Margaritifera marocana) in Morocco: Conservation status of the rarest bivalve in African fresh waters.

Margaritifera marocana is one of the rarest freshwater mussel species (listed as critically endangered), and is endemic to Morocco. Despite its constrained distribution and low abundance, to date there are no quantitative studies addressing the conservation status of this species. Surveys were conducted in 36 sites along the Oum Er Rbia river basin (Rivers Derna, Laabid and Oum Er Rbia) to assess the distribution, abundance, population structure and genetic diversity of M. marocana. Just one specimen was found on River Oum Er Rbia and none on River Derna; however, a high abundance was found in the lower section of River Laabid (e.g., site Laabid 6 reached a mean density of 11.0 ± 6.8 ind.m(-2)). Contrary to earlier information, which reported an overall population size fewer than 250 individuals in a restricted area and no juvenile presence, this study showed that a much higher abundance exists in River Laabid alone. In addition, the species is present in more than 50 km of this river and is still recruiting since small specimens were found. Regarding genetic diversity, six of nine loci previously used in Margaritifera margaritifera were polymorphic and suitable in M. marocana. The spatial range contraction of this species is likely to be very recent, since no strong signature was detected by the molecular diversity indices. Information gathered in this study can be used as a reference to the present conservation status of M. marocana, and guide future research and management initiatives to better conserve it. We conclude discussing the potential major threats for the future survival of M. marocana and suggest some management measures (and research needs) that should be urgently applied.

Contribution to the knowledge of Moroccan and Maghrebin stoneflies (Plecoptera).

An overview of Moroccan stoneflies is presented as an annotated summary of published and unpublished records from 115 localities. These records have resulted in an updated species list reflecting taxonomic corrections and noteworthy range extensions for several species. A total of 28 species, belonging to 15 genera and seven families, is now known from Morocco with the greatest diversity found in the Rif Mountains (23 species) and the lowest in eastern Morocco with three species. The majority of Moroccan stoneflies are typical Mediterranean species (86%). The Moroccan endemics comprise nine species (32% of the Moroccan fauna). The Plecoptera fauna of Morocco is compared to that of Algeria and Tunisia. Thirty-eight stonefly species are reported from the entire Maghreb region. Protonemura khroumiriensis Béjaoui & Boumaïza, 2009 is considered a synonym of P. drahamensis Vinçon & Pardo, 2006.