Phylogenetic relationships, population demography, and species delimitation of the Alouatta belzebul species complex (Atelidae: Alouattinae)

The confident identification to species rank of fragmentary and sterile plant material is often challenged by the absence of diagnostic characters, which are present in intact specimens, reproductive parts, and plants in habitat. Here, we consider leaf surface micromorphology for the identification of the genus Aloe in the Horn of Africa region. Primary and secondary sculpturing of the leaf epidermis and stomata were characterised from SEM micrographs of 35 taxa representing 31 species of Aloe (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae). Detailed comparison revealed that leaf surface characters are conserved between species and within-species variation is modest. Closely related taxa in the Aloe adigratana—A. camperi—A. sinana species complex could be distinguished using leaf surface micromorphology alone. These characters also guide species delimitation; in the species complex including A. schoelleri and A. steudneri, a narrow circumscription is supported, whereas with A. ankoberensis and A. pulcherrima, a wider circumscription merits consideration. The observed trait combinations are characteristic of plants in xeric environments, with the most notable feature being stomata that are most deeply sunken in species in more arid habitats. Our findings support the use of comparative study of micromorphological leaf surface characters for species identification and taxonomy in the genus Aloe.

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Molecular phylogenetic relationships within the Phrynocephalus maculatus‐arabicus species complex (Sauria: Agamidae) in Iran

Journal of Zoological Systematics & Evolutionary Research ◽

10.1111/jzs.12531 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 59 (7) ◽

pp. 1583-1588

Author(s):

Farnaz Ebrahimipour ◽

Nasrullah Rastegar‐Pouyani ◽

Eskandar Rastegar‐Pouyani ◽

Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani ◽

Kamran Kamali

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Relationships ◽

Species Complex ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic

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Correction to: Enlightening the black and white: species delimitation and UNITE species hypothesis testing in the Russula albonigra species complex

IMA Fungus ◽

10.1186/s43008-021-00079-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ruben De Lange ◽

Slavomír Adamčík ◽

Katarína Adamčíkova ◽

Pieter Asselman ◽

Jan Borovička ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hypothesis Testing ◽

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Black And White

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Uncovering hidden specific diversity of Andean glassfrogs of theCentrolene buckleyispecies complex (Anura: Centrolenidae)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5856 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5856 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Luis Amador ◽

Andrés Parada ◽

Guillermo D’Elía ◽

Juan M. Guayasamin

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Behavioral Data ◽

Nuclear Markers ◽

Evolutionary Significant Units ◽

Candidate Species

The glassfrogCentrolene buckleyihas been recognized as a species complex. Herein, using coalescence-based species delimitation methods, we evaluate the specific diversity within this taxon. Four coalescence approaches (generalized mixed Yule coalescents, Bayesian general mixed Yule-coalescent, Poisson tree processes, and Bayesian Poisson tree processes) were consistent with the delimitation results, identifying four lineages within what is currently recognized asC. buckleyi. We propose three new candidate species that should be tested with nuclear markers, morphological, and behavioral data. In the meantime, for conservation purposes, candidate species should be considered evolutionary significant units, in light of observed population crashes in theC. buckleyispecies complex. Finally, our results support the validity ofC. venezuelense, formerly considered as a subspecies ofC. buckleyi.

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