[en] The olm, Proteus anguinus, is one of the most iconic vertebrates of Europe. Since its scientific description in 1768, its extreme adaptations to subterranean life in the enigmatic underground waters of the Dinaric Karst have fascinated scholars and naturalists worldwide for more than two centuries. Yet, the evolution and taxonomic diversity of its populations remained largely unresolved, as complex patterns of phenotypic differentiation and molecular variation collide with an intricate nomenclatural history. In this work, we review recent biogeographic advances, notably based on range-wide phylogeographic analyses implementing genomic data, and combined with distributional data, species distribution modelling, red list assessment, morphological analyses and a critical species delimitation evaluation, recognize nine species in immediate danger of extinction. Based on an extensive nomenclatural search, we determined that six correspond to available names and three are newly described in this work. These species all exhibit highly restricted distributions within the Dinaric karst, collectively representing an exceptional example of subterranean microendemism among European vertebrates. Linking influential historical research with modern zoological methods, this revision provides an up-to-date science-based taxonomic framework for future studies of comparative evolution and ecology of Proteus, while establishing a sound basis for specieslevel conservation management of one of Europe's most remarkable vertebrate diversifications.
Research Center/Unit :
FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège
Dufresnes, Christophe; Institut de Systématique, Evolution, EPHE-PSL, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
Monod-Broca, Benjamin; UMR 5023, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, LEHNA, CNRS, ENTPE, Villeurbanne, France
Jelić, Dušan; Croatian Institute for Biodiversity, BIOTA Ltd, Zagreb, Croatia
Šunje, Emina; -Evolutionary Ecology Group, Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo
Manenti, Raoul; Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
Barzaghi, Benedetta; Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
Zimić, Adnan; National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Lyon, France
Chouchane, Karim
Denoël, Mathieu ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS) ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Laboratoire d'Écologie et de Conservation des Amphibiens (LECA)
Ohler, Annemarie; Institut de Systématique, Evolution, EPHE-PSL, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
Jablonski, Daniel; Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia ; 1st Zoological Department, -Herpetological Collection, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Language :
English
Title :
Olm sweet olm: unearthing nine species of Proteus hidden beneath the Dinaric Karst
Publication date :
2026
Journal title :
Amphibia-Reptilia
ISSN :
0173-5373
eISSN :
1568-5381
Publisher :
Brill, Netherlands
Volume :
47
Issue :
3
Pages :
253-303
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Development Goals :
14. Life below water
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique MNHN - Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
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