Species assignment in forensics and the challenge of hybrids

BatScope is a free application for processing acoustic high-frequency recordings of bats. It can import data, including meta-data information, from recorders such as Batlogger. The resulting content can be filtered visually as spectrograms or according to data fields and can be displayed. Automated processing includes detecting and extracting of echolocation calls, filtering noise, and measuring statistical parameters. Calls are classified to species by statistically matching to a reference database. A weighted list of classifiers helps to assign the most likely species per call. Classifiers were trained on 19 636 echolocation calls of 27 European bat species. When classifiers all agree on a species (76.4% of all cases), the mean correct classification rate reaches 95.7%. A sequence’s summary statistic indicates the most likely species occurring therein. Classifications can be verified visually, by filtering, and by acoustic comparison with reference calls. Procedures are available for, e.g., excluding dubious cutouts from the statistics and for accepting or overriding the proposed species assignment. Acoustic recordings can be exported and exchanged with other users. Finally, the verified results can be exported to spreadsheets for further analyses and reporting. We currently reprogram BatScope using Java, PostgreSQL, and R to reach a unified and portable software architecture.

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The sponge genetree serverproviding a phylogenetic backbone for poriferan evolutionary studies

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.1939.1.6 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 1939 (1) ◽

pp. 58-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

DIRK ERPENBECK ◽

OLIVER VOIGT ◽

MEHMET GÜLTAS ◽

GERT WÖRHEIDE

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Relationships ◽

Population Studies ◽

Phylogenetic Signal ◽

Careful Evaluation ◽

Evolutionary Studies ◽

Individual Project ◽

Dna Sequence Markers ◽

Species Assignment ◽

Definition Of ◽

Selection Of

Unravelling the phylogenetic relationships of sponges (Phylum Porifera) is an important as well as challenging task. It helps the understanding of character evolution among early branching metazoans but also aids in bioprospecting for valuable bioactive sponge compounds. However, the phylogenetic relationships among Porifera are largely unsolved, because the simple poriferan bauplan frequently prevents unambiguous taxonomic species assignment and a clear definition of morphological synapomorphies is difficult (see e.g. Boury-Esnault 2006). DNA sequence markers are frequently employed to overcome morphological shortcomings in phylogeny (e.g. Kelly Borges et al. 1991) and taxonomy (e.g. DNA barcoding, see Wörheide & Erpenbeck 2007). However, some DNA markers suffer from insufficient phylogenetic signal (see e.g. Duran et al. 2004 and Wörheide 2006 on CO1 in population studies) and unequal evolutionary rates among taxa (see e.g. Erpenbeck et al. 2004 on 28S in Haplosclerida). Therefore, a careful evaluation and selection of molecular markers for each individual project is required.

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Species assignment and population genetic studies of Gran Paraná pejerrey (Odontesthes sp., Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae) from La Plata Basin in South America

Hydrobiologia ◽

10.1007/s10750-018-3643-7 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 819 (1) ◽

pp. 243-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gabriela Vanina Villanova ◽

Manuel Vera ◽

Florencia Brancolini ◽

Juan Díaz ◽

Paulino Martinez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Population Genetic ◽

Genetic Studies ◽

La Plata ◽

La Plata Basin ◽

Species Assignment

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Evidence of Troglotrema acutum and Skrjabingylus sp. coinfection in a polecat from Lower Austria

Helminthologia ◽

10.1515/helmin-2015-0011 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 63-66 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

G. G. Duscher ◽

J. Harl ◽

H.-P. Fuehrer

Keyword(s):

Dna Barcoding ◽

Bone Structure ◽

Health Condition ◽

Parasitic Helminths ◽

Species Assignment

Summary The trematode Troglotrema acutum and nematodes of the genus Skrjabingylus are parasitic helminths infecting nasal sinuses of mustelids. Despite different infection routes of these parasites, their occurrence becomes evident due to their destructive lesions of the bone structure of the head, which appears almost similar in both cases. This is a report of coinfection of both the trematode and the nematode, in a polecat from Lower Austria, as well as the first attempt to barcode T. acutum. The nematode could only be found fragmen-tally, therefore accurate morphological determination was not possible. DNA barcoding was successful, however, a clear species assignment was not possible as the similarity with published COI sequences of other nematodes was only 87 % or less. The influence of both parasitic helminths on the health condition of the hosts remains elusive and has to be evaluated in separate studies.

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