Mitogenome and nuclear rRNA gene cluster of Austropeplea subaquatilis (Tate, 1880) from South Australia, with molecular and morphological comparison of A. cf. brazieri (Smith, 1882) from Victoria (Gastropoda, Hygrophila, Lymnaeidae)

Abstract

Species of Austropeplea are lymnaeid snails endemic to Australia and New Zealand, and most are intermediate hosts of parasitic trematodes. Their taxonomy has long been uncertain due to the high phenotypic plasticity of most species. In this study, we used Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology to characterise the mitogenome and nuclear ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene cluster of Austropeplea subaquatilis from South Australia to support comparative taxonomic investigations of this species. Then, A. subaquatilis was compared with A. cf. brazieri at both morphological and molecular levels. Morphologically, A. subaquatilis and A. cf. brazieri can be distinguished by shell morphometric indices, mantle ed..