Retraction note: DNA barcoding Korean birds

• Published in: Molecules and cells Vol. 35; no. 4; p. 357
• Main Authors: Yoo, Hye Sook, Eah, Jae-Yong, Kim, Jong Soo, Kim, Young-Jun, Min, Mi-Sook, Paek, Woon Kee, Lee, Hang, Kim, Chang-Bae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 01.04.2013; Korea Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology; 한국분자세포생물학회
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Cell Biology; Life Sciences; Retraction Note; 생물학; Veterinary Medicine; 1Natural History; Editorial Board; Scientific Publication; Biological Resource
• ISSN: 1016-8478; 0219-1032
• DOI: 10.1007/s10059-013-3151-6

With increasing force, genetic divergence of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is being argued as the primary tool for discovery of animal species. Two thresholds of single-gene divergence have been proposed: reciprocal monophyly, and 10 times greater genetic divergence between than within species (the “10× rule”). To explore quantitatively the utility of each approach, we couple neutral coalescent theory and the classical Bateson-Dobzhansky-Muller (BDM) model of speciation. The joint stochastic dynamics of these two processes demonstrate that both thresholds fail to “discover” many reproductively isolated lineages under a single incompatibility BDM model, especially when BDM loci have been subject to divergent selection. Only when populations have been isolated for > 4 million generations did these thresholds achieve error rates of <10% under our model that incorporates variable population sizes. The high error rate evident in simulations is corroborated with six empirical data sets. These properties suggest that single-gene, high-throughput approaches to discovering new animal species will bias large-scale biodiversity surveys, particularly toward missing reproductively isolated lineages that have emerged by divergent selection or other mechanisms that accelerate reproductive isolation. Because single-gene thresholds for species discovery can result in substantial error at recent divergence times, they will misrepresent the correspondence between recently isolated populations and reproductively isolated lineages (= species). KCI Citation Count: 2