Seasonal variation of morphological characters of Chondrilla aff. nucula (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the south-east coast of Brazil

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (6) ◽  
pp. 1727-1732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda F. Cavalcanti ◽  
Carla Zilberberg ◽  
Michelle Klautau

Chondrilla nucula is a morphologically simple species defined by the presence of spherasters in its skeleton. For a long time C. nucula was considered a cosmopolitan species, however, in 1999, a molecular study demonstrated the existence of a species complex with at least four cryptic species, besides C. nucula. At that time, those four new species were not formally described because the morphological differences observed did not reflect species differences and were attributed to plasticity. Since then, researchers working on Chondrilla species suggested that the skeletal organization, the distribution of spherulous cells and the type of surface should be used to differentiate species. Individuals of Chondrilla aff. nucula from one population in Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, were collected monthly and analysed in order to test the validity of those three characters to separate the species of Chondrilla. Moreover, to determine if the differences in spicule dimensions previously found were seasonal, we also quantified the diameter of the spherasters throughout the year. Our results demonstrate that all analysed characters are extremely variable and that spicule size can vary even at the same locality. The present study shows the importance of testing the variability of morphological characters before describing new species. Unfortunately, until valid taxonomic characters are found, the Atlantic Chondrilla species will have to remain undescribed.

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11848
Author(s):  
Gustavo Hassemer ◽  
Elliot M. Gardner ◽  
Nina Rønsted

High-throughput sequencing, when combined with taxonomic expertise, is a powerful tool to refine and advance taxonomic classification, including at the species level. In the present work, a new species, Plantago campestris, is described out of the P. commersoniana species complex, based on phylogenomic and morphological evidence. The main morphological characters that distinguish the new species from P. commersoniana are the glabrous posterior sepals and the slightly broader leaves. The new species is known from only three localities, all in natural high-elevation grasslands in Paraná and Santa Catarina states, southern Brazil. According to the IUCN criteria new species should be assessed as Endangered (EN). We present field photographs of P. campestris and related species, and we provide an identification key to the species previously included within the circumscription of P. commersoniana.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 186 (1) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiu-Xiang Chen ◽  
Gui-Zhen Chen ◽  
Ming-He Li ◽  
Shi-Pin Chen

In this study, we describe a new orchid species, Goodyera malipoensis, from Yunnan, China. We have performed morphological and molecular analyses on this new species. A detailed comparison between the newly discovered orchid and other members of Goodyera was conducted. The new plant is characterized by having a dense brownish green pubescence on the peduncle. Its ovate-lanceolate petal is unique in Goodyera genus. The hypochile is deeply concave-saccate, and inside there are two papillose rows on each side. These features distinguish the new orchid from all other known species of Goodyera. The molecular study based on nuclear ribosomal ITS sequence data and morphological differences support G. malipoensis as a distinct species.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4486 (4) ◽  
pp. 575 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIGUEL VENCES ◽  
ANDREA HILDENBRAND ◽  
KATHARINA M. WARMUTH ◽  
FRANCO ANDREONE ◽  
FRANK GLAW

The subgenus Brygoomantis in the Madagascar-endemic genus Mantidactylus contains 12 nominal species but is in urgent need of taxonomic revision as many additional, genetically divergent but undescribed candidate species have been identified. We here take a first step towards a better resolution of this group by describing a new species, Mantidactylus schulzi sp. nov., occurring at the Tsaratanana and Manongarivo Massifs, differentiated in genetic, bioacoustic and sometimes morphological characters from its closest relatives. We show that upon detailed study, most species in Brygoomantis can be delimited by concordant differentiation of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and by bioacoustic and morphological differences. We flag this group of morphologically similar frogs as a test case where molecular data on historical type specimens by ancient DNA methods might be needed to reach a satisfying clarification of taxonomy and nomenclature. However, the status of the new species M. schulzi is not in doubt as it is morphologically distinct from most historical type specimens, and microendemic to a region in northern Madagascar from where no earlier names exist. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4995 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-128
Author(s):  
LUCIANO DIOTTI ◽  
ROBERTO CALDARA ◽  
IVO TOŠEVSKI

Two new species of the weevil genus Rhamphus from Italy are herein described: R. bavierai n. sp. (Sicily) and R. hampsicora n. sp. (Sardinia). Both are morphologically and from a molecular perspective close to R. oxyacanthae (Marsham, 1802) and R. monzinii Pesarini & Diotti, 2012. Aside from a diagnostic description and a synoptic key, distribution data and notes on the host plants of the four species are reported. Whereas R. monzinii can be distinguished by several morphological characters, the other three species are morphologically very similar to each other and separable only by the combination of a few subtle characters. On the contrary, a preliminary molecular study revealed substantial divergences of mtCOI from 6.2 to 14.9% between the species, confirming the importance of an integrative taxonomy.  


2004 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 767-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Couri

Fannia Robineau-Desvoidy is known from 63 neotropical species, 24 of them with occurence in Rio de Janeiro State. Two new species from Rio de Janeiro State are added to the genus: F. tibialis, sp. n and F. unica, sp. n. Male specimens of both are described. Morphological characters and terminalia are illustrated. Each species is briefly discussed.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4604 (2) ◽  
pp. 369 ◽  
Author(s):  
RAFAEL BURGER ◽  
FERNANDO R. CARVALHO ◽  
ANGELA M. ZANATA

A new species of Astyanax from the upper rio Paraguaçu basin, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, is described. Astyanax sincora shares characters currently used to define the Astyanax scabripinnis species complex, as highest body depth approximately at vertical through pectoral-fin midlength and a low number of branched anal-fin rays (13–17). It differs from its congeners by a combination of characters, including eight branched dorsal-fin rays, six branched pelvic-fin rays, presence of bony hooks in pectoral and anal fins of males, dark midlateral line or stripe initiating posteriorly to the vertically elongate humeral blotch, and by the presence of 30–35 scales in the median longitudinal series. The generic positioning of the new species and some polymorphic morphological characters in Astyanax are briefly discussed. The degree of completeness of the lateral line in Hyphessobrycon balbus is discussed. [Species Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D708FE7E-3FB5-4729-B438-779717F7ED1A] 


Phytotaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 400 (4) ◽  
pp. 215
Author(s):  
ERTON M. ALMEIDA ◽  
ARTUR MAIA WANDERLEY ◽  
AMANDA DE SOUZA SANTOS ◽  
JOSÉ IRANILDO MIRANDA DE MELO ◽  
GUSTAVO SOUZA ◽  
...  

During field studies of the inselbergs of northeastern Brazil, two potentially new species of were discovered. They share morphological characters with several genera of Linderniaceae (Lamiales) such as Ameroglossum, Cubitanthus and Stemodiopsis, but the morphological differences are such that they do not make a good fit with any of the known genera in Linderniaceae. They are most likely related to Ameroglossum, and like most members of this genus the plants have a conserved chromosome number of 2n = 60. Their exclusive occurrence on inselbergs in northeastern Brazil also hint at this relationship, but because their morphology differs greatly from Ameroglossum and each other, the two new species are described in separate genera. Catimbaua is a pendent plant somewhat similar to Cubitanthus, but with different stem morphology and indumentum. Isabelcristinia grows in habitats similar to, but drier than, Ameroglossum and is vegetatively similar. However, it is covered in glandular hairs and has open-throated white flowers rather than the red or orange tubular flowers found in Ameroglossum. Catimbaua pendula and Isabelcristinia aromatica are rare, and both are likely to fall in a category of threat.


1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Charles Delbeek ◽  
D. Dudley Williams

Fifteen morphological characters were measured from females of four species of stickleback (Gasterosteidae) collected from the east coast of Canada. Significant differences were found between the species for 12 of these characters. All four species were found to differ significantly in their gill raker number. Gasterosteus had the greatest number of gill rakers followed by Pungitius and Apeltes. A significant negative correlation between gill raker number and prey size was demonstrated; Gasterosteus fed to a greater extent on smaller, planktonic prey, while Pungitius and Apeltes fed on larger, benthic prey. Gasterosteus were found also to have larger pectoral and caudal fin areas, and shorter but wider caudal peduncles, than Pungitius and Apeltes. The larger fins of Gasterosteus are probably a reflection of their increased swimming ability in response to the pelagic phase of their life histories. The longer, narrower caudal peduncles of Pungitius and Apeltes are probably an adaptation to life in weedy habitats where high manoeuverability is desired. The significance of these characters, as well as mouth height, pelvic fin length, body depth, gut length, head length, and pectoral fin length, are further discussed with respect to observed differences in diet, habitat, and life histories.


2007 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Göran Malmberg ◽  
Catherine Collins ◽  
Carey Cunningham ◽  
Behiar Jalali

AbstractThe paper deals with two morphologically similar but molecularly clearly different species of Gyrodactylus: G. derjavinoides sp. nov. on Salmo trutta trutta L. in Western Europe and G. derjavini Mikailov. 1975 collected on Salmo trutta caspius Kessler in Iran. The new species is described and its opisthaptoral hard parts compared to those of G. derjavini. Our molecular analysis of G. derjavinoides and G. derjavini confirmed that the morphological differences between them are species differences and not intraspecific variations. Phylogenetic analysis using the ITS rDNA region placed both species within the subgenus G. (Limnonephrotus) and within the G. wageneri-group, quite in accordance with morphological results. The two species, however, did not cluster as sister taxa. The correspondence between molecular-based clades within G. (Limnonephrotus) and the morphological shapes of marginal hooks within these clades are discussed. The importance of combined molecular and morphological analyses when describing or redescribing Gyrodactylus species is stressed.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4656 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOANA SABINO-PINTO ◽  
ANDOLALAO RAKOTOARISON ◽  
MOLLY C. BLETZ ◽  
DEVIN EDMONDS ◽  
FRANK GLAW ◽  
...  

We describe a new frog species of the Spinomantis bertini species complex based on congruent genetic evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences as well as minor morphological differences. A molecular phylogeny derived from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene revealed that Spinomantis mirus sp. nov. is sister to a clade containing the other two described species of the species complex, S. bertini and S. beckei, but strongly differentiated from these two species by 8.1–9.8% pairwise distances in this gene. DNA sequences from two nuclear genes revealed that S. mirus sp. nov. shares no alleles with these two species. Phenotypically, S. mirus sp. nov. differs from the other species of the complex by its larger size and some aspects of its coloration, including clear mottling on the flanks, tri-color banding on the legs, and distinct brown dots on the dorsum. The new species is so far only known from Pic d’Ivohibe Special Reserve. Its distribution thus appears to not overlap with those of the other two species, which as far as known are restricted to the Andohahela Massif in the extreme South-East of Madagascar, at a distance of about 250 km from Ivohibe. 


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