Analysis of ITS1 and ITS2 sequences in Ensis razor shells: suitability as molecular markers at the population and species levels, and evolution of these ribosomal DNA spacers

Internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) sequences were analysed in Ensis razor shells (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Pharidae). We aimed to (1) test ITS1 and ITS2 as molecular markers at the population level in the successful alien E. directus (Conrad, 1843); (2) test these spacers at the species level in E. directus and three other Ensis species, E. siliqua (L., 1758), E. macha (Molina, 1782), and E. magnus (Schumacher, 1817); and (3) analyse the evolutionary processes that may be shaping Ensis ITS1 and ITS2 extant variation. In E. directus, despite the intragenomic divergence detected, ITS1 and ITS2 were informative in differentiating the geographic areas considered (Denmark and Canada) by means of both the insertion-deletion polymorphism and the nucleotide polymorphism. In this species, the 5.8S ribosomal gene (5.8S) showed scarce polymorphism. At the species level, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses revealed that ITS1 and ITS2 may be suitable to reconstruct Ensis phylogenetic relationships. Finally, the evolutionary models that best fit the long-term evolution of Ensis ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 are discussed. A mixed process of concerted evolution, birth-and-death evolution, and selection is chosen as an option that may reconcile the long-term evolution of Ensis ITS15.8S-ITS2 and 5S ribosomal DNA.