Hui Zheng, Le‐Jia Zhang, Yan Zhang, Haiqing Xiang, Yueming He, Shan Ouyang, Xiaoping Wu
ABSTRACT The ancient lakes of Yunnan Province, China, harbour a highly diverse and endemic assemblage of viviparid freshwater snails. Based on analyses of partial mitochondrial genes (COI, 16S), nuclear markers (18S, 28S rDNA and H3) and mitogenomes, here we reconstruct the most complete time‐calibrated phylogeny and mitogenomic phylogeny of river snail genus Margarya and Cipangopaludina . Based on the comprehensive molecular and morphological evidence, we propose the following taxonomic revisions: Cipangopaludina Hannibal 1912 is treated as a junior synonym of Margarya (syn. nov.), and Margarya francheti (Mabille, 1886) is regarded as a junior synonym of Margarya melanioides Nevill, 1877 (syn. nov.). Furthermore, Cipangopaludina haasi Prashad, 1928 (syn. nov.), Dalipaludina pyramidella (Du, Yang and Chen, 2011) (syn. nov.) and Cipangopaludina ventricosa (Heude, 1890) (syn. nov.) are assigned as junior synonyms of Margarya compactus (Nevill, 1869) (comb. nov.), while Cipangopaludina hehuensis Lu, Fang and Du, 2016 (syn. nov.) is considered a junior synonym of Margarya chinensis (Grey, 1833) (comb. nov.). In addition, this study describes two new species within the genus Margarya from ancient lakes in Yunnan: Margarya caiyun Zheng, He, Xiang, Zhang and Wu sp. nov. and Margarya feihu Zheng, He, Xiang, Zhang and Wu sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses reveal an Oligocene origin for Margarya and resolve three highly supported clades, whose diversification is closely linked to the dynamic geological history of the Yunnan Plateau. This study highlights the urgent need for conservation of these endemic snails and their imperilled lacustrine habitats.