Morphological and Molecular Assessments of Bobtail Squids (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae) Reveal a Hidden History of Biodiversity

Molecular species delimitation assists taxonomic decisions for challenging species, like cryptic complexes. Bobtail squids (Family Sepiolidae Leach, 1817) are a very diverse group of benthic and nektonic small to medium size cephalopods with many questions solve. In this study we provided new sequence data 12 out 17 Mediterranean bobtail squid including all the genera present i n area. Other relevant from other parts world were used as comparison. The combined use several molecular methods consistently showed picture hidden biodiversity within family which hinders isolated morphological characters. On one hand, those contrasting results number recognized some morphologically well-defined species. We suggest can be an effect recent speciation phenomena followed by intense drift. was detected among members monophyletic clades assigned same nominal pointing without parallel evolution. Although diversity has been extensively studied more than century, Stoloteuthis Verrill (1881) discovered described here, both using methods. This research stresses necessity studies correctly assess cephalopod diversity. urn:lsid: zoobank.org :act:57AFBB38-18EA-4F80-B1D4-73519C12694F.