{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T22:15:23Z","timestamp":1790720123936,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":64,"publisher":"CSIRO Publishing","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779840000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":5,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1071\/journalslicense"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,22]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The oyster traditionally referred to as Booneostrea subucula (Jousseaume in Lamy, 1925) exemplifies persistent generic instability in Ostreinae, driven by misidentified type material and debated synonymies spanning multiple genera, subfamilies and even families. We reassessed the identity of Ostrea subucula and the validity of Booneostrea Harry, 1985 using an integrative approach that combined shell morphology, anatomy and multilocus phylogenetic data. Phylogenetic analyses reveal two deeply divergent, reciprocally monophyletic lineages. The Western Indian Ocean lineage corresponds to O. subucula sensu stricto and ranges from Rodrigues to Yemen and Oman. By contrast, the northern Arabian\u2013Persian Gulf lineage represents a distinct species, here described as Ostrea sorosubucula sp. nov. Despite substantial genetic divergence, morphological differences are subtle, mainly in the adductor muscle scar. Re-examination of historical material reveals that the type concept of Booneostrea is based on misidentified or now-untraceable shells. Ostrea subucula and Ostrea setoensis Habe, 1958 are morphologically and genetically distinct, and O. subucula does not conform to the shell features historically used to define Booneostrea. We conclude that Booneostrea cannot be applied in a taxonomically consistent and meaningful way and should be treated as a nomen dubium. By resolving this long-standing confusion and documenting an endemic Gulf lineage, this study significantly contributes to stabilising generic concepts in Ostreinae and demonstrates the power of integrating molecular and morphological evidence in oyster systematics.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:ECDB3E11-0C17-4EE9-A253-36EC59B28DD8<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1071\/is26013","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T02:32:20Z","timestamp":1779849140000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Generic instability and cryptic diversity in Ostreinae (Ostreidae): revisiting Booneostrea Harry, 1985 and describing Ostrea sorosubucula sp. nov., a new endemic oyster from Kuwait"],"prefix":"10.1071","volume":"40","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3804-2690","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Daniele","family":"Salvi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ADepartment of Health, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of L\u2019Aquila, Via Vetoio snc, I-67100 L\u2019Aquila-Coppito, Italy."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0073-7929","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"P. Graham","family":"Oliver","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"BNational Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manal","family":"Al-Kandari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CCoastal and Marine Resources Program, Environment & Life Sciences Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, PO Box 1638, Salmiya 22017, Kuwait."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0918-9925","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Matteo","family":"Garzia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ADepartment of Health, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of L\u2019Aquila, Via Vetoio snc, I-67100 L\u2019Aquila-Coppito, Italy."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"67","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026052622321614100_R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rsma.2019.100905","article-title":"Diversity and distribution of the intertidal Mollusca of the State of Kuwait, Arabian Gulf.","volume":"33","author":"Al-Kandari","year":"2020","journal-title":"Regional Studies in Marine Science"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3897\/zookeys.1043.66992","article-title":"Molecular and morphological systematics of a new, reef forming, cupped oyster from the northern Arabian Gulf: Talonostrea salpinx new species.","volume":"1043","author":"Al-Kandari","year":"2021","journal-title":"ZooKeys"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R3"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1525\/bio.2011.61.2.5","article-title":"Oyster reefs at risk and recommendations for conservation, restoration, and management.","volume":"61","author":"Beck","year":"2011","journal-title":"BioScience"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R5"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R6"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1017\/S0025315414001027","article-title":"Does GenBank provide a reliable DNA barcode reference to identify small alien oysters invading the Mediterranean Sea?","volume":"95","author":"Crocetta","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"277","DOI":"10.3897\/neobiota.101.154917","article-title":"High genetic diversity and lack of structure underlie the invasion history of the non-indigenous oyster Dendostrea cf. crenulifera (Mollusca, Ostreida, Ostreidae) spreading in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.","volume":"101","author":"Delcour","year":"2025","journal-title":"NeoBiota"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R9"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1006\/mpev.1999.0755","article-title":"Evolution of parental care and ovulation behavior in oysters.","volume":"15","author":"Foighil","year":"2000","journal-title":"Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R11"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"626","DOI":"10.1093\/biolinnean\/blac112","article-title":"A molecular phylogeny of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman oyster species.","volume":"137","author":"Ghaffari","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/mollus\/eyae034","article-title":"A symbiotic oyster in a shrimp burrow: phylogenetic position of Anomiostrea within the Ostreidae (Bivalvia).","volume":"90","author":"Goto","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Molluscan Studies"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R14"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"755","DOI":"10.2983\/035.037.0407","article-title":"Diversity and evolution of living oysters.","volume":"37","author":"Guo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Shellfish Research"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R16","first-page":"177","article-title":"Descriptions of four new bivalves from Japan.","volume":"19","author":"Habe","year":"1958","journal-title":"Venus"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s41200-016-0105-7","article-title":"DNA barcoding of flat oyster species reveals the presence of Ostrea stentina Payraudeau, 1826 (Bivalvia: Ostreidae) in Japan.","volume":"10","author":"Hamaguchi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Marine Biodiversity Records"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R18"},{"key":"2026052622321614100_R19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"295","DOI":"10.2983\/035.038.0210","article-title":"Classification of small flat oysters of Ostrea stentina species complex and a new species Ostrea neostentina sp. nov. 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