Hidden biodiversity in Neotropical streams: DNA barcoding uncovers high endemicity of freshwater macroinvertebrates at small spatial scales

(S1 Fig; S1 Table). Some of these taxa also showed high haplotype diversity in a previous molecular study across Panama [25], and are thought to hold a high number of undescribed species in the Central American Isthmus [6,69]. Unfortunately, our analysis is limited by rela- tively small sample size, particularly at one of our sites (Rı´o Indio), where we were only able to Fig 3. Molecular diversity in freshwater macroinvertebrates along the Isthmus of Panama. Panels show Simpson’s diversity index for both haplotype (A) and MOTUs (B), as well as rarefaction and extrapolation curves for both haplotypes (C) and MOTUs (D) diversity at each site. Sites are Alema´n (ALE), Chorro (CHO), Blanco (BLA), Guabal (GUA), Capira (CAP), Frijolito (FRI), Cerro Azul (CAZ), and Chucantı´ (CHR) from Mu´rria et al. 2015; and Trinidad (TRI), Frijolito (FTO), Frijoles (FES) and Indio (IND) from present study (indicated with asterisks). Regions are indicated as East, West and the Panama Canal Watershed (PCW). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231683.g003 PLOS ONE Hidden biodiversity in Neotropical streams PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231683 August 7, 2020 8 / 13